mano whenua
1. (noun) heart of the country, interior, heartland.
Ka tukuna a Tamarau, ka hoki ia ki Waikaremoana, ka noho atu i reira tae noa ki te wā ka whāia mai a Te Kooti ki te mano whenua o Te Urewera (TTR 1994:115). / On his release Tamarau returned to Waikaremoana where he remained until Te Kooti took refuge in the Urewera heartland.
See also mano o te whenua