Hokonui Celtic Pipe Band is based in Gore, Eastern Southland, New Zealand. It was formed in 2014 through the amalgamation of Mataura Kilties Pipe Band and Gore Pipe Band, two local bands with histories stretching back more than a century. The merger was intended to keep Scottish piping and drumming strong in Eastern Southland.

The band’s name comes from the nearby Hokonui Hills, famous locally for moonshine whisky history. Its tartan is McRae Ancient Hunting, chosen partly because the McRae family was linked with that Hokonui moonshine story.

Hokonui Celtic has developed quickly since formation. It won the Grade 4A title at the 2020 New Zealand Pipe Band Championships in Invercargill, and by 2025 had enough playing strength to field two bands at the national championships: one in Grade 4A and another more social mixed-age band in Grade 4B.

The band is also active in local performance, including parades, RSA concerts, Daffodil Day, Scottish nights and its popular Celtic Unleashed variety concert fundraiser.