Ngai Tahu's education programme leader Nola Tipa said the event was learning about where they were from and the Maori language.
''It was designed to meet the needs of whanau members who were working so couldn't attend day classes or had whanau commitments and couldn't study at night.
''Over the years we have composed waiata specifically for Moeraki and we make sure each time we go for walks to learn about our area.
''This is particularly beneficial for those whanau members who have not been back to Moeraki for a long time.
Visitors have been visiting the pa harakeke at Trotters Gorge, climbing Poutaiki, learning about the biggest hill in Moeraki and harvesting karengo, a type of edible seaweed.
Mrs Tipa said the annual gathering was increasingly popular and more people had made the journey each year since it started six years ago.
Preparation for the event started about a month ago.
Accommodation for attendees is being provided by the Moeraki Marae and holiday homes.
Food is being sourced locally, from gardens, the land and the sea.
''For some it will have been many years since they have tasted the delicacies of paua, crayfish, cockles or whatever we can source through the customary entitlement,'' Mrs Tipa said.
The gathering held importance for those who went for a variety of reasons.
For some it was a reconnection to the marae, while for others it was about meeting extended whanau, opportunities to show children their ancestral lands, and sites of cultural significance.
The gathering began on Tuesday and will conclude on Saturday.
