Tangatarua Marae

The concept of a marae complex to be established on the Mokoia Campus at Waiāriki Institute of Technology – Whare Takiūra was first mooted by Māori students studying at Waiāriki in 1987.

Their thoughts were expressed to the late Mr Tom Rēweti, the first Head of Te Kura Māori. Tom had already nurtured similar thoughts and set about creating a vision for such a complex. Once given time to ponder and deliberate over this vision, the Chief Executive at the time, Mr Malcolm Murchie, endorsed it.

In 1991, the Chief Executive, Mr Arapeta Tāhana, and Kaumātua, Dr Hikoōterangi Hōhepa, picked up on the vision, and a year later it began to materialise with a project plan set in place.

A ground breaking ceremony using ancient karakia (prayer) and rituals took place on the land where the marae was to be situated. The ceremony would allow the site to be cleared of the fully grown blue gum trees. The karakia themselves were to acknowledge the god of the forest Tanemāhuta, and to apologise for the removal of some of his children, the huge blue gum trees, that were to be felled and removed.

A second ceremony, the recitation of whakapapa (geneology) and the insertion of a carved mānuka stake into the foundations of the tupuna whare (ancestral meeting house) beneath the Paepae Poto a Houmaitawhiti (sacred beam) between the whatitoka (entrance to the tupuna whare) and the Pou Hurirōpa a Houmaitawhiti (corner to the left as you enter the tupuna whare). The stake is a symbol of the Mauri (life force) and Tapu (sacredness) being placed upon the tupuna whare. On opening day, that sacredness was lifted, and so the tupuna whare was free to be used, and to be enjoyed by all.

Tangatarua is the name of the Marae, Tangatarua being an ancestor of the Tūhourangi/Ngāti Wāhiao tribe. He was a peacemaker in his time, and lived on the land where the Mokōia Campus is situated today.

Ihenga is the name of the tupuna whare, an ancestor who came on the Te Arawa Canoe. He, too, was a peacemaker and an intrepid explorer, naming most of the place names around the Rotorua area, including the mountains, rivers, and lakes. Te Kura Māori tutors, Lyonel Grant and Tina Wirihana, were master carver and master weaver, respectively. Art tutors George Andrews and Debbie Thyne were responsible for the artwork throughout the tupuna whare with George Andrews and art students taking the lead for the ceramic designs. It took three years to complete the carvings and weavings of Ihenga, and on the 5th of October 1996, before sunrise, the karakia hiki i te tapu (the lifting of everything sacred) began. And so, Tangatarua Marae was officially opened.

Rāwiri Te Whare was the co-ordinator and Master of Ceremonies for the opening, and ensured that all areas were covered and coordinated to a successful conclusion.

Walking on to the marae is a time of remembrance, sadness and showing of respect. It is polite to be silent during the powhiri and important to stay close together as a group.
Process

1. Manuhiri (visitors) gather outside the waharoa (marae entrance), or, designated area.
2. The wero (challenge) is issued by the tangata whenua and accepted by the manuhiri.
3. A woman (sometimes more than one) from the tangata whenua will karanga the visitors on to the marae. A woman (sometimes more than one) from amongst the manuhiri will reply and lead the visiting group on to the marae.
4. Once the manuhiri are seated, either on the marae or in the wharenui, the whaikōrero process takes place.
5. At the conclusion of the whaikōrero and appropriate waiata, the tangata whenua and manuhiri come together and hongi.
6. The visitors are now recognised as being tangata whenua and are taken to the dining room to partake in a meal.

Karanga is a “welcome call” performed by the kaikaranga or wahine karanga, and as the second name implies, is always done by women.

These represent a part of history and encompass three main kaupapa (ideas) - record of history and events, identity and decoration.
Whakairo in Tangatarua created by Master Carver Lyonel Grant. The carved Pou Tiaki (ancestors) throughout Ihenga represent not only ancestors of the Māori, but also those of Polynesian and European ancestors. Through the wisdom of Kaumātua Dr Hikoōterangi Hōhepa, and because Waiāriki is passionate about being uniquely bicultural, it is most appropriate to have those ancestors mentioned inside the tupuna whare.
The Tekoteko
The tekoteko (carved figurehead at the apex of the wharenui) is Ihenga’s great, great, grandfather, Atuamatua. The kōruru (figurehead below Atuamatua) is Ihenga. The poukaiāriki [figurehead at the base of the poukaiāwha (centrepole in the mahau or porch)] is Tūmatauenga. The amo taha matau (the carved pou on Ihenga’s right) is his father, Tūhoromatakaka. The amo taha maui (the carved pou on Ihenga’s left) is his uncle, Kahumatamōmoe.
Pou Tiaki
The Pou Tiaki in the mahau are “Ngā Waru Pūmanawa o Te Arawa” (the eight children of Rangitihi). Each pou tiaki of the eight children are named. The pare (lintel above the doorway) represents the ira wahine (female ancestors). They are Kearoa, Motuōtaku, and Whakaotirangi. The lintel above the window represents the four wives of Rangitihi, they being Rongomaiturihuia, Kahukare, Papawharanui and Manawakotokoto.
Left Side of the Whare
Inside the tupuna whare, Te Pou Hurirōpa a Houmaitawhiti (the corner to Ihenga’s left from the doorway), we have Tūhoe Pōtiki. In sequence from this corner to the rear wall we have, Tamakihikurangi, Toroa, Hoturoa, Turiā Nui, Ruātea and Maungaroa, Whata and Manāia, Kāpene Kuki (Captain Cook), Pawa, Ruanui, Rongomai, Tura, Tangatawhenua Tūturu and Te Hau Wāhine.
Right Side of the Whare
Te Pou Hurirōpa a Whakataupōtiki (the corner to Ihenga’s right from the doorway) we have Whakaue Kaipapa. In sequence from this corner to the rear wall we have, Māāka and Tahu Matua, Tia and Hei, Ngātoroirangi, Kuiwai and Haungaroa, Ruāeo, Tamateaārikinui, Tahimana (Abel Tasman’s ship the Heemskerck), Paikea, Nukutawhiti, Whātonga, Araiteuru, Huiterangiora and Te Hau Tane.
Back Wall
The rear wall represents Te Ao Tawhito (the ancient world of the Māori, where the knowledge base is), and is called “Te Wāo Tapu Nui a Tanemāhuta” (the sacred forest of Tanemāhuta). Ancestors and gods representing Polynesia are featured within the sacred forest. The huge centre Pou represents the whakapapa pertaining to the Te Arawa tribe. The figurehead at the apex is Pūhāorangi (a spiritual being who lived amongst the heavens). The base of the centre Pou is Te Kuraimonoa who descended from the earth mother Papatuānuku. Pūhaōrangi and Te Kuraimonoa had a son called Ohomairangi (the figurehead in between). From Ohomairangi the descent begins, generation to generation to Te Arawa living on the land today.
Front Wall
The front wall represents Te Ao Hurihuri (the world of today). The high structures represent the skyscrapers of our large cities. The blue design represents the face of Māori looking at the world they are living in today. The figurehead at the apex, is Kupe, below him is Ngāhue, below Ngāhue is Kupe’s wife, Hineteaparangi, and the base is Muturangi the octopus.
Poutokomanawa (centre pole)
The Poutokomanawa is the heart of Ihenga. The figurehead at the base is Tangaroa (the god of carving, also god of the sea).
Tāhūhūroa
The Tāhūhūroa o te Tupuna Whare (the backbone at the apex of the tupuna whare) is not only the Te Arawa canoe, but also Te Waka o Te Mātauranga (the canoe of education). The canoe represents the rowing of knowledge from the ancient world through to the world we are living in today. The front of the canoe is situtated in the mahau, and is taking all that knowledge on, for our tamariki and mokopuna (children and grandchildren) of future generations.

While a meeting house is considered sacred, it is not a church or house of worship, but religious rituals may take place in front of or inside a meeting house. The meeting or ancestral house both represents and depicts the ancestor of the hapū or tribe, and is named after an illustrious tupuna (ancestor). The Waiariki Wharenui is named after the great Te Arawa explorer Ihenga, who is the one who named a few of the lakes in the Rotorua area.

No food may be taken into a wharenui. It is customary to remove one’s shoes when entering the wharenui. However, there are some iwi that allow men to leave their shoes on. To avoid any inappropriate actions, it would be wise to remove your shoes before entering any wharenui.

This is the eating house, the place where the "inner being" is satisfied. The wharekai is named after the wife of Ihenga, Hinetekákara. A few rules for the wharekai:

1. Do not sit on the tables ANYWHERE
2. Do not smoke in the Wharekai
3. Do not throw food AT ALL
4. Do not pass food over anyones head

The Kawa and Tikanga pertaining to Tangatarua Marae are in accordance with Te Arawa protocol. The kawa for Tangatarua is Tauutuutu. This means that the karanga and the whaikōrero are performed using a similar procedure.

There are some dos and don'ts that you must abide by when visiting the Marae:

• No food will be eaten inside the wharenui. Only medication and water
• No clothing to be displayed or attached to the whakairo (carvings) around the walls
• Do not sit on tables or pillows
• Tangatarua Marae is smoke free
• Do not play on the sacred courtyard in front of the wharenui

This reflects how harakeke (flax) can be used to make wháriki (mats). Tangatarua flax work was created by Master Weaver Tina Wirihana. The weavings within Ihenga join everything together.

The main two themes were the whāriki and kete (kit) using the harakeke plant, and the pingāo (tussock) plant. Tina likened the fibre used in Ihenga to the tōtara timber which is also fibre.