Keeping safe at The Den
Health & safety in general and around COVID has always been a priority at The Den. We want to remind you of the things you need to know to ensure you can enter and experience The Den safely, be considerate of everyone on site and respect the land.
Please respect The Taniwha’s Den, the Whenua & the Awa.
⬙ Leave only footprints.
⬙ Please pick up and collect all your rubbish in the rubbish bags we provide on entry and take your recycling and rubbish home with you.
⬙ No dogs.
⬙ No glass.
⬙ No fires, gas or charcoal BBQs.
⬙ Do not swim in or drink the river water. Pollution run off from the surrounding farms, combined with high water temperatures in February, mean that drinking or swimming in the river water is not Advisable. You could get very sick doing so.
⬙ Bring a sun hat, sunblock, water, sensible shoes, a warm jacket, something to sleep in, bug spray, cash.
⬙ Bring your friends and please look after them and yourself.
⬙ Please feed the Taniwha with Aroha!
Food & non-alcoholic drinks available (cash only).
Free hot and cold showers.
Most importantly: If you think you or someone else needs help, please seek assistance from our onsite medics or security.
KnowYourStuffNZ are on site this year, check the services they offer here: knowyourstuff.nz
The service is free of charge and is an excellent resource to help keep you safe
COVID Requirements
We will be operating under the Government’s mandated Covid requirements at the time for 2023.
On Entry:
On arrival to Taniwha’s Den you will need to have any of the following depending on what has been mandated by the Government for 2023.
⬙ You may be asked to scan in with your COVID TRACER app via our QR code.
⬙ If required you will be asked to scan your Vaccination Pass and present matching ID for verification. (Note: hand written Vaccine Cards not accepted.)
⬙ We will of course ask for your ticket as well.
If we are mandated for 2023 you could be asked to complete all 3 of the above items to enter.
As previously mentioned, there is no cellular reception at The Den site, so make sure you download your pass to your phone before you arrive.
We know that the additional requirements can be a hassle, and we will only require them if mandated to do so by the Government in 2023.
If you are unwell please stay at home, it’s your responsibility to look after your own health and in doing so keep us all safe.
We reserve the right to REFUSE ENTRY. If you are showing cold or flu-like symptoms you could be REFUSED ENTRY.
While you’re here:
For your Health & Safety
⬙ Complimentary Taniwha’s Den face mask (1 per ticket)
⬙ Hand-sanitisation stations through-out the site
⬙ Free drinking water that has been tested and certified for human consumption.
New for 2023:
⬙ Free hot & cold showers that are sanitised daily will be onsite for personal hygiene.
The site area is around 80,000 square metres which provides for 80 square metres of open space per person. Meaning there’s lots of room for us all to be together but happily spaced (out) 😉
We respect everyone’s right of free choice and sovereignty over their own body. Therefore please act responsibly and decide what is best for you.
If you have any health conditions or fears about catching COVID at The Den please consider waiting until 2024. We will miss you but completely understand.
And just finally… we probably all agree that we do not want to think or talk about COVID during the event. The Den team is doing everything to ensure you don’t have to worry about it for at least 3 days of the year.
The Whenua on which we gather is sacred, all the earth’s tribes recognise the Isthmus, a rare geological formation as a gateway to the spirit world.
This gateway is protected by our Taniwha Pahaoa. She created the Awa, the river of hearts, the Isthmus and cliff-face. There has always been something unique, a vibe of love, kindness, and letting go, that happens at The Den, which is why so many have come every year for a whole decade to dance on the earth and share the greatest gift humankind has, our AROHA. Read more about the whakapapa of The Den here.
Respect the Taniwha
The Den family are a respectful tribe of music lovers. We know how to have a good time, we respect all who are on or off the dance floor, as well as the land that we are so blessed to call home for the three magical days we come together every year.
We reserve the right to deny entry or to ask you to leave the Taniwha’s Den. This has hardly ever happened, and we don’t want to start now. Which makes the party that much more fun for us all.
To preserve our beautiful location and to help ensure that we can party here for many years to come, please check, and respect our guidelines below.
Leave only footprints and good memories This place is special to us, respect it as you would your place. Above all have a fucking great time.
No means No This goes for us all gathering in this very special place. Respect your mates and their choices. Consent is an obvious YES. Anything else is a NO.
Look after each other Look out for your mates, and everyone else. If you need assistance, come speak to any member of our crew, security team, or volunteers. The Den crew are here to help, but we are not here to babysit you.
Respect everyone Discrimination on the basis of gender, race, sexual orientation or origin and any form of sexual harassment be it physical or verbal is not welcome at the Den.
No dogs There are resident Kuri born on the Whenua, most of you have met them. But if you bring a dog, you will be denied entry.
No swimming or drinking the river water.
No Glass It was great to see everyone trying to bring cans or had decanted into plastic for the 2021 event. We will be a lot more observant in 2022, so please no glass.
Rubbish Please dispose of all of your little in the bags and bins provided, any rubbish from your campsite please drop at the rubbish stations before leaving site
No open fires or barbecues It’s a total FIRE BAN in Hinakura for February. But we will have all our food vendors here on time and electric sockets for kettles and a cuppa available in the camp zone.
