Kopinga is the cultural heart of the modern Moriori community — a contemporary meeting house and visitor centre, opened in 2005, that asserts a Moriori identity distinct from the New Zealand Maori narrative that dominated for so long. The building is a striking architectural statement, with timber wings spreading from a central hall and a small museum-style display about Moriori history, language, and the catastrophic events of 1835.
Visiting is by arrangement only — call ahead through the Hokotehi Moriori Trust to book a tour. The hour or two you spend here is one of the most substantive cultural experiences you can have anywhere in New Zealand.