Reo Journeys: Te Pou Herenga Tai

Sometimes the best journey is the one that leads you home. As the ride reaches Kaikohe – Te Pū o te Wheke – Eugene returns to a place deeply connected to his own whakapapa. Alongside stories about the origins of Kaikohe, the revival of te reo Māori and the history of the district, the episode explores the meaning of whanaungatanga, our connections to people, place and one another. Language learning, personal history and the journey itself all come together.

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What stories lie beneath the whenua? From geothermal springs and ancient pūrākau to forgotten bridges and quiet country roads, the journey continues through the heart of the Far North. Along the way, Eugene, Adam and James discover how every landscape carries its own history, and how listening carefully can reveal stories that might otherwise pass unnoticed.

They also pick up more practical te reo Māori, encounter unexpected roadside characters, and learn why travelling slowly opens up an entirely different view of the world.

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What does a vintage train have to do with a bike ride across the Far North? As the riders leave the Bay of Islands behind, they discover why one section of Te Pou Herenga Tai is travelled by vintage railway. In Kawakawa they spend time with respected kaumātua Walton Davis, whose stories weave together whakapapa, history, te reo Māori – and giant tuna (eels).

From the “Hellhole of the Pacific” to the importance of returning home, this episode explores how language, identity and place remain inseparable in Te Tai Tokerau.

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Can learning te reo Māori change the way you experience a place? Three friends find out as they set off on an 87-kilometre adventure across Te Tai Tokerau. Eugene, Adam and James introduce themselves, explain why they're learning te reo Māori, and begin their ride on Te Pou Herenga Tai, the Twin Coast Cycleway. Along the way they meet trail manager Trace Dalton, as well as Far North mayor Moko Tepania, who shares his pride in his rohe and te reo Māori.

It's a journey through spectacular landscapes, rich history and living language, beginning with a karanga and an invitation to travel along with them from Taumārere to Hokianga.

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Three friends learning te reo Māori together take an unforgettable ride across the Far North. Whether you're fluent in te reo, just beginning your own reo journey, or simply curious about the stories of the north, climb on the bikes and come along for the ride.

Join journalists Eugene Bingham and Adam Dudding, alongside musician James Dansey, as they cycle Te Pou Herenga Tai, the Twin Coast Cycleway, from Taumārere in the Bay of Islands to Hokianga on the west coast.

Along the way they meet kaumātua, historians, artists and local champions, uncovering the stories, history and language woven through Te Tai Tokerau. Blending English and te reo Māori, Reo Journeys is both a travel adventure and a language journey, filled with laughter, powerful kōrero, practical reo, and a deeper understanding of the people and places that make this part of Aotearoa so special.

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