NGĀ WHAKAAHUA O NGĀ TŪPUNA
Ngā whakaahua o ngā tūpuna me ngā uri whakaheke
Ko te timatanga o te whakaaro nui, e wehi ana ki te Atuā kia whakahonoretia tō tātou Kiingi, a Kiingi Tuheitia, e noho mai rā i runga i te ahurewa tapū o ōna tupuna mātua, o tōna whaēa.
E mihi ana ki tōna Whare Ariki, oti rā ki te kāhuiariki nui tonu
Tēnā koutou.
Ngā tini aituā o te wiki, o te marama, o te tau kua pahemo ake nei
Haere mai, e hoki!
E hoki ki te pae o maumahara, huri atu ki tua o te ārai
Ko te hunga wairua, rātou ki a rātou
E mahue mai ana tātou ngā kanohi ora ki a tātou
E tangi nei, e mihi nei ki a tātou, ki a koutou katoa o Ngāti Hikairo nui tonu.
Ngā uri whakaheke o rātou mā
E iri nei i roto i te ngākau aroha.
Pai marire ki a rātou.
Te pae o maumahara
Last year the photos of our tūpuna and family members were taken down from the walls of Ngā Taiwhakarongorua as part of the upgrade to the wharenui and the ablution blocks. This involved building a new undercover doorway access to the toilets and showers.
Trust chair, Cath Holland says the removal of the photos was in step with the building protocol to mitigate the risk of breakages and further damage to the photos because of the infrastructural upgrade.
“This was a monumental task. However, we were fortunate, the removal of the photos was carefully managed by Curator Barbara Moke and our very own kaumātua Te Papi Cunningham, Chair of Ngā Marae Toopū.
Te Papi says they will also manage the re-installation of the photos after the Poukai as part of a series of hui at Waipapa with our marae beneficiaries to outline the plan moving forward in anticipation of the approaching 140th- anniversary of the Waipapa Marae Poukai next year.
“Poukai 2025 is a huge milestone for our marae in celebrating 140 years since the first Poukai celebration at Whatiwhatihoe in March 1885. While we have tried our best to prepare the whakaahua for reinstallation for this year's Poukai, a preliminary inspection of the photographs has revealed that more time will be needed to prepare them properly before they are displayed in the wharenui. It will require patience and careful preparation to complete this mahi as we prepare for a memorable and meaningful event that pays tribute to our past, to the mahi our tūpuna did to lay the foundation for this monumental 140-year legacy our moko will inherit,” says Te Papi.
Regrettably, due to a high volume of Marae bookings and limited workspace at the Marae, Te Papi says there’s no secure and protected room available on the Marae grounds for the next phase of work.
“Our best option is to relocate the whakaahua to the house at 5491 Kāwhia Road next to Waipapa. Originally this was all one block of land where the marae was gifted to the people. Today, it will ensure a safe, alarmed, and private space for the comprehensive inspection required. This move is crucial for conducting a thorough assessment of each whakaahua, allowing us to determine the specific needs of each photo before their eventual reinstallation into the wharenui,” says Te Papi.
“At this stage, we anticipate that some photograph frames may need to be repaired; we would also like to produce high-quality photographic images of each portrait and ensure that the names and dates for each tūpuna are correct,” he confirms.
“To facilitate this process, we would like to call a series of hui a-iwi to keep all Marae whānau informed of the progress of the ongoing work leading up to next year's Poukai.
These gatherings will serve as a platform to provide updates, share insights into the mahi, and address any queries or concerns from the Marae community.
The hui dates will be posted on the marae website. In the meantime, the first hui will kick off at Waipapa in the lead-up to this year’s poukai:
Te Waahi: Waipapa Marae
Te Rā: Sunday 25 February, 2024
Te Wā: 10 am – 1 pm
It's an opportunity for open communication, ensuring that everyone is well-informed and engaged in the collective efforts towards successful preparation for the upcoming 140-year milestone,” says Te Papi.
“For our Marae, this is a significant kaupapa that seeks to inform and unite our Mārae as we acknowledge every generation who has contributed towards the poukai including our family members hanging on the wall. The endeavour to prepare the whakaahua for installation is a year-long commitment, culminating in their unveiling in time for the 140th Poukai anniversary next year.
In the meantime, a selection of photographs will be in Ngā Taiwhakarongorua to commemorate the poukai this year with the pounamu and kawenata that cements our allegiance to Kiingi Tuheitia,” concluded Te Papi.
Hei tā Te Papi, kia mau te titiro ki te 140 tau, mai i te timatanga o te poukai tuatahi i Whatiwhatihoe i te tau 1885 tae rawa mai ki te tau 2025 e heke mai nei. Koinā te kaupapa nui kei mua i te aroaro o Ngāti Hikairo. Kawea mai o koutou whakaaro ki tō tātou hui hei te Rātapu rā anō o te 25 Hui-tanguru, 2024.”
Paimarire ki a tatou katoa!
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