Waipapa Poukai Update

 Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII has cancelled all poukai in March. 

Kaumātua, Te Papi Cunningham says Waipapa marae has never missed a poukai celebration in the last 131 years.   We would like to honour our poukai again this year because it also marks the birth of King Tāwhiao who was born 200 years ago in 1822.

“King Tāwhiao instituted the poukai to feed the bereaved, the widowed and the poor.  However, this year our poukai celebration will be scaled right back because our marae is a construction site.  We have no water and no electricity on the marae. This means we will not be able to host our whānau pani, our pouaru and our hunga rawakore in person. 

Our poukai is supported this year by the:

·        Office of the Kiingitanga

·        Building company, ASAP who is managing our infrastructure rebuild

·        Waipapa Marae Trustees

It will be a small gathering of 12 that symbolises the Tekau Mā Rua, the 12 carvings above the mahau of Taku Hiahia.  The 12 carvings hold the historical significance of the Waipapa poukai with symbolic ties to Christianity including the 12 tribes of Israel and 12 disciples of Jesus Christ.  The carvings also represent taonga like Te Ua Haumene's Pai Marire that King Tawhiao brought back from Taranaki.

The Tekau Mā Rua will include 6 representatives for King Tuheitia and 6 for Waipapa marae mainly domiciled in Kāwhia.” 

They are:

Te Papi & Rangi Cunningham

Nick Tuwhāngai

Bessie Porima

Horahaere Scott     

Jack Porima

Te Papi says, they will be our only representatives on the marae for the Tekau Mā Rua who will welcome the King’s 6 representatives at 11 am with a karakia at the flag pole led by the King's representative, a short mihi, followed by kai and then the Te Kau Mā Rua will lower the flag and the King’s representatives will depart Waipapa. 

“We know all of our whānau would love to attend the Te Kau Mā Rua ceremony but we're unable to host you because the marae is a construction site.  Furthermore, with the risk of Covid infections rapidly rising, we're compelled to restrict numbers for the flag ceremony to 12.  So we invite you all to join Kawe Roes virtually over the internet and social media at 11 am, Saturday 12 March 2022.  We will be filming the whole event on Facebook Live so keep your eye out for Kawe's virtual updates on Facebook.

If you'd like to send us photos of your loved ones who passed away last year, we will have a virtual kawe mate to commemorate their passing.  We know whānau always remember their deceased loved ones and this is one way we can all share in that.  However, if whānau feel uncomfortable sharing in this manner, kei te pai tēnā, kawea mai o koutou mate ki te poukai o Waipapa a te tau e tū mai nei, a tōna wā rānei. 

Otherwise, send high definition photos of your loved ones with their full name, date of birth/date of death via email to waipapamaraetrust@gmail.com by this Sunday 6 March, 5 pm.  We also have our Waipapa marae website where we can post your kōrero as well as a photo. Mā koutou e whakaaro ake.  

The aim for our marae trustees was to have the infrastructure rebuild completed by the poukai.  However, due to government lockdowns, that didn’t happen.  Building materials and resources were held up in Auckland and construction was delayed because builders were unable to work.   

This means we have to modify our poukai this year with specific health and safety measures aligned to a Covid-19 Health and Safety Plan. 

Predictions from public health experts have confirmed so far this week a rapid rise to more than 13,500 new community cases of Covid-19 with 263 people in hospital and five further deaths.  

We’re currently facing a potential outbreak of Omicron around the Kāwhia Harbour this week with three families infected.  Their identity remains under wraps in alignment with MoH protocols. 

Therefore our King has supported our plan to scale back our poukai celebrations to the Tekau Mā Rua ceremony as well as a whānau day at home within our whānau bubble, holding online kaupapa to keep everyone safe. 

We must be positive and committed wholeheartedly to protecting our well-being, that’s the priority coming from the Office of the Kiingitanga. We can achieve that with our small Tekau Mā Rua ceremony, small whānau day gatherings and a huge social media presence.

Follow the Waipapa Marae website page to keep up to date with all our online kaupapa.”

“Amohia ake te ora o te iwi, ka puta ki te wheiao.”

Paimaarire.