MARAE BOOK: OVERVIEW

This is a brief overview of the physical and spiritual structure of the marae, the meeting ground of the Maori people. Hopefully it will help explain the importance of the marae to Maori, the customs and rituals surrounding it, and the significance of features like the wharenui. In modern society a marae’s role is largely governed by its location. In rural areas the marae retains its traditional role as the centre of all village life and the hub of tribal activity. It continues to provide both shelter for the people and a platform from which to guide them. In pre-European society most marae had one main fire, which was kept alive 24-7. It was known as the ahi-ka-roa (long burning fire) and it signified the on-going life of that marae. It was never extinguished as the living flame represented the mana of the tribe. The families who maintain the fires through successive generations were recognised as keepers of the ahi-ka-roa and as such keepers of the mana whenua. Today we no longer keep the fires burning 24-7 but the responsibility for keeping the marae alive still falls to the people, the whanau of that marae.

Marae illustration by Warren Pohatu

In urban areas the marae is but one of many community focal points and has very little impact or influence over tribal initiatives. Urban marae simply accommodate the people and house a host of independent kaupapa. Often the people involved with that marae are not the tangata whenua. The sense of belonging, ownership and whanaungatanga is much harder to define. The influx of Maori into urban settings has seen a mass detachment from the usual whakapapa based tribal groupings. Its led to a large percentage of Maori living away from their tribal lands. This, in turn, impacts on the theory, the importance and the relevance of the ahi-ka-roa in an urban setting.

Another modern adaptation sees many forums in many different locations afforded a temporary ‘marae’ status for the purpose of servicing our customs and our culture. Powhiri (welcome ceremony) and mihi (acknowledgements) take place in a wide range of environments from school halls to sports clubrooms to corporate castles. For the duration of that function, that location assumes the spirituality of a marae and allows us to engage the associated customs and/or traditions.

Warren Pohatu (Ngai Tamanuhiri)

Te Poho-o-Tamanuhiri , Muriwai, Te Tairawhiti

Marae

The marae is undoubtedly the focal point of any Maori community. Consisting of communal buildings on tribally owned land, the marae serves as both a public plaza and a gathering place for the iwi (tribe). Here the iwi can host their hui (meetings), discuss tribal issues, welcome manuhiri (visitors) and host important functions such as tangihanga (funerals) to farewell friends and family. During these official occasions the marae is controlled by tribal protocol, with rules and regulations applying to both the tangata whenua (hosts) and manuhiri (visitors). It is important for hosts and visitors to understand their respective roles during a powhiri (welcome) or at tangihanga. Protocols differ from marae to marae; if you are unsure, it is OK to ask. Basically the marae cannot exist without the people. The marae symbolises the land and the people symbolise the life. The people need the land to live and the land needs the people to be alive. That is the true relationship between a marae and its people.

Tangata whenua

The hosts on a marae are known as the tangata whenua (people of the land). It is their marae: they decide how things work there and they will always defend their right to do so. After all it represents one of their tipuna. The tangata whenua are responsible for welcoming their visitors, making them comfortable, feeding them and ensuring they all have a place to sleep. As part of the welcome the tangata whenua issue a wero (challenge) to determine whether the visitors are friendly or not. Having completed that and confirming the peaceful motives of their visitors, the tangata whenua move to the right side of the building. There they begin their speeches of welcome, usually with a karakia (prayer). Each speech is usually concluded by a waiata (song). The tangata whenua keep the marae alive and are often referred to as the keepers of the fire (te ahi-ka-roa). In ancient tribal society the cooking fires were maintained 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and thus the term ahi-ka-roa (long burning fires) became associated with the life of a marae. It represented occupation, ownership and an on-going association with the land.

Kawa and tikanga

Kawa and tikanga refer to the protocol and rules of a marae. In very general terms, the kawa of a marae refers to the religious protocol, or to a protocol as defined by the important tribal gods. Tikanga, on the other hand, refers to the rules imposed by man — related to dress, schedule of ceremonies, timing of events and location. As man evolves so does the tikanga and there are several examples of this evolution. Today it is widely accepted that kaikorero (speakers) must wear long trousers yet it is obvious that this tikanga is a fairly recent adaptation. There are many variations in kawa and tikanga from marae to marae. For example, not all marae allow visitors to arrive during the hours of darkness. It is the host tribe’s prerogative to detail the kawa and tikanga of their marae — that is their way, and it is not appropriate for any iwi to impose its kawa on another tribe’s marae. It’s also inappropriate for other cultures to impose their social doctrine upon Maori protocol. Having said that, Maori culture has definitely compromised itself to ensure its survival and maintain some relevance within the ever-changing modern world.




WARREN POHATU CREATIVE: ONLINE IWI 2013

TOITEHUATAHI

Te Paepae-ki-Rarotonga was the canoe of the great chief Toi-te-huatahi, or as some knew him Toi-kai-rakau. Toi lived in Hawaiki and was the most influential chief of his time. He had his family around him and enjoyed a life filled with pride and privilege. His eldest son was a man called Rauru-ki-tahi. He was a famous carver and also a waka builder of some renown. Rauru had a son called Nga Puna Ariki-a-Whatonga (Whatonga). One day a waka race was held to celebrate the launch of Whatonga’s new waka Te Hawaii. Many waka were involved in the race.

The course saw them travel way beyond the horizon and back again. Unfortunately the weather turned bad and a great storm engulfed the fleet. Many waka did not return to shore that day, including Whatonga’s. Toi was devastated by the loss of his loved one but would not give up hope of finding his grandson alive. He went in search of Whatonga and received word that he had survived and was now recuperating in the south. Toi travels the pacific in search of his grandson and eventually arrives on the shores of Aotearoa. Toi approaches the local people and enquires after his grandson. Unfortunately for him, Whatonga had already returned to Hawaiki. 

It seems they passed each other like ships in the night. Toi likes the look of this new land and decides to settle here. He builds a pa called Kapuaterangi near Whakatane. Members of his extended family soon join Toi. They soon begin to establish their roots in the area. Many tribes trace their descent from Toi and the Nga tini o Toi clan that flourished in the early days. Ngati, Ngai and Nga are simply abbreviations of the term ‘Nga Tini‘ and mean ‘the many

Toitehuatahi... his son Raurukitahi and grandson Nga Puna Ariki o Whatonga

WARREN POHATU CREATIVE: ONLINE IWI 2013

THE MURIWAI HANGI PIT

Remember the days when kids gathered to watch the men pull up the hangi. Back in the 70s it was the ultimate time of every occasion. The hangi would be set as per usual... but wrapping the meat was... how should I put it... not quite as professional as today... the baskets weren’t so robust either... but when the hangi was uncovered and removed from the pit... all us kids would rush in to retrieve any meat stuck to the red hot rocks. Back in those days there was always heaps. We were super tuff back then... the heat from the rocks was no deterrent... some of us were in bare feet and some tried the snatch grab approach... run off with the rock (haha). It was awesome anyway... and one of my favourite childhood memories. 

It’s not ‘PC’ having kids hang around the hangi pit these days... but back then... PC still meant Police Constable... back then if you stepped out of line... if you ‘F’ up accidentally on purpose... you got a swift kick up the arse (or 2)... there and then... from almost anyone... how bloody un-PC is that... no need for the Police Constable BUT... that was just the village... raising the child. I was raised by that village... and met that boot... but more importantly I was raised by an over-whelming sense of belonging... of being included... of being supported... and being valued as a member of the whanau, hapu and iwi. Taku he ki te huatea... no muri te huauri.

THE HANGI or earth oven is pretty basic. A pit is dug maybe a couple of feet deep or so. This is done to channel the heat upward. When the fire and hot rocks are placed in the pit... the surrounding compact soil helps focus the heat upwards and through the food etc. Of course the rocks need to be heated and this will take a couple hours. You would stack enough wood (see inset) to burn for 2 hours... then place all your rocks on top. The stones need to be red hot when you set your hangi.

Make sure the pit is clean before you lay the rocks in place. You don’t want dust to mix with the steam etc. Lay most of the rocks along the bottom... but leave some of the smaller rocks to place between the food parcels to help disperse the heat. When the rocks are in place start adding the food baskets. Remember put some of the small rocks in amongst the parcels. Back in the old days... the food was all wrapped in leaves... today we tend to use tinfoil. Stack the baskets in place and add any further items to the top. Now take your inner cloth... (all cloths should be soaking in water while the rocks are being heated) and completely cover the stack of food.

Make sure the inner cover is wrapped tight and well tucked in. Back in the day we would have used large leaves to completely cover the food but today we use heavy cloth. Cover the whole pile with the heavier cloth... as many as needed to make sure it’s well covered... Make sure the steam stays in and the soil stays out. Add water... it’s important the steam is really pumping at this point. Now cover the whole thing with about 6 inches of soil... or at least until any steam leaks are stopped... Timings and basic protocols tend to differ from place to place.

Of course all iwi are different... every hapu... every whanau and every marae has its own way of doing things... different timings... different food preferences... different ways of covering the food... different ways of heating up the rocks... even different methods of achieving the steaming process... AND we’d like you to share your experience... tell us how you guys do it back home.

Let us know your tips for a good hangi... ahakoa te aha... your tips about your iwi protocols... your tips about whanau methods... your tips about which food is best etc. Make your comments below... If you start with the words TIP: I’ll add that korero right here... so all those who share this post can get a better idea of tribal defences etc... Be an awesome resource... tera pea ka korero i te reo... he pai tena... kei a koe te tikanga... MAURIORA WHANAU






WARREN POHATU CREATIVE: ONLINE IWI 2013

NGAI TAMANUHIRI MAPS

This map was created between 1996-2010... the presented to Rakaipaaka at Muriwai Marae to illustrate our claim to the whenua. It was put together by Noel and Warren Pohatu. 

The maps below are an indication of how each land block is divided. The pa and villages that make up this land have long gone... but the names remain attached to the land. If we look very carefully we will see... that the names in our whakapapa are also attached to the land. Te Whare o Tamanuhiri, Te Ana o Tamaraukura, Te Kohe o Paea, Rangiwaho, Te Taumata o Puraho, Te Toka o Tutekawa, Te Pahangahanga o Tapunga... the land is talking to us... the land is telling it's story of our history

WARREN POHATU CREATIVE: ONLINE IWI 2013

WHANAUNGATANGA

If you see your whakapapa as a series of names listed on a piece of paper… then that’s all it will ever be - a list of names on a piece of paper. To really appreciate who you are... it is important to know the stories of those who contribute DNA to your existence.

This is my male line (ure-tarewa)… but it is not exclusive to me… indeed all male Pohatu whanau members share this exact same whakapapa including all my uncles and my cousins. My dad had several brothers and each of those brothers had several sons and together we are the conscious portion of a never ending story. Collectively and individually we contribute in our own way to the future of our whanau/hapu/iwi.  

My uncle Nick (Takaratua) was a sign writer with a real creative side when he was young. He was our happy-go-lucky uncle and nothing was ever a problem. The community at large knew him as ‘Amigo’ and he went everywhere in his gumboots. Uncle Nick was a really funny guy and I always loved my favourite uncle. My dad was his older brother and by all accounts they had their rivalries but I remember we lived next door to my grandmother and Uncle Nick was there to see her on a daily basis. He spent hours in the garden next to our house. Many times my dad would see him working away in the garden and tells us to get out there and help uncle. When we collected shovels to go help Uncle Nick he would tell us to put them back and go to the beach before our dad came out again… he was so cool. Mind you I was thinking to myself “wheres uncle Nicks three sons” but we had an awesome extended whanau and life was good.

My Uncle Hare was brought up by the Taipiha whanau and spent much of his childhood in Teteko. By all accounts when ever he visited Muriwai he didn’t really appreciate that half the boys he hung out with were his brothers. But uncle eventually returned to Muriwai and began to unravel the whanaungatanga that was kept from him for so long. When I began my journey of discovery (about our whakapapa), Uncle Hare was a staunch supporter of my efforts. When I recited our tribal whakapapa from Maui to my dad… uncle had tears in his eyes… and in his mihi to me afterwards he told me he had never heard that whakapapa delivered inside Tamanuhiri meetinghouse ever. From that point on Uncle Hare insisted I was involved in our tribal research. He also helped bridge the divide between myself and our kaumatua and help watea the paepae so that I might speak on our behalf. I remain indebted to my handsome uncle and very close to his whanau.

Me, Barry and Lester were all born in the same year… I’m the oldest (Oct 24)… Barry was born three days later and Lester popped out a couple of months after that (me and Barry use to joke that our parents were probably at the same party). We all went to school together… that’s when Lester caught up and overtook us… but Barry was the smooth ladies man, Lester was an academic genius and I was the creative smart arse. Nothing has changed. Barry is up in Kakadu and as handsome as ever. Lester is working for the Trust and using his powerful brain to guide our iwi… and here I am telling tales and loving every second of history. I love these two guys like brothers and we will always be there for each other… But hey there are many many cousins and whanau out there that I hold very near to my heart. Whakapapa is all about horis with stories… start collecting yours… Mauriora!!!

SPELLING OF NAMES (MLC)

Toitu te Mana Maori

This was taken from our Mana Whenua Report 2009... As stated above, Native Land Court minute books have been the principal primary source for this project. Many of the whakapapa presented throughout this report have been sourced from the evidence given by Ngai Tamanuhiri claimants, as recorded in the minute book. However, the written record contained within the minute books is the evidence as transcribed by the court clerk. The minute books contain many different spellings of the names of hapu, individuals and places. In addition, there are wide variations in the use of hyphens.

When writing research reports, CFRT usually requires that the normal academic practise of quoting the evidence as written is followed. Thus, names are usually quoted as they were spelt in the minute book, even if that is not in accordance with the commonly accepted spelling.

In the case of this report, the Ngai Tamanuhiri Whanui Trust have requested that previous spelling errors made by others should not continue to be reproduced. While the writers of the minute books may not have been certain as to how to spell a name spoken by a witness, the witnesses themselves knew who they were referring to. We have therefore agreed that where names have obviously been mis-spelt in the minute book, that the preferred spelling will be used in this report. Any changes made in quotations or whakapapa are therefore noted in the footnotes. We have followed the direction of Ngai Tamanuhiri Whanui Trust as to the correct spellings, and Warren Pohatu has been our guide in correcting the mistakes of others. 

written by Heather Kay

HINEHAKIRIRANGI

Hine Hakirirangi and her pet Riroriro

Hinehakirirangi was the sister of Paoa, captain of Horouta canoe. According to east coast oral traditions Horouta began it’s journey from the Gisborne region. It traveled up to Hawaiki under the leadership of Kahukura to collect seed kumara. 

When they were ready to return Kahukura decided to stay on and he made Paoa captain for the journey back to Aotearoa. Paoa’s sister Hinehakirirangi was given the task of protecting the tapu of the kumara. Whenever they boarded the canoe Hinehakirirangi would always be first. 

She would straddle the bargeboards of the canoe and all who followed her would pass between her legs thus removing any tapu they may possess. When they left the canoe the process was the same but in reverse. While she was onboard Hinehakirirangi would also be responsible for the kumara seed itself. When Horouta canoe eventually arrived back on the Tairawhiti, Hinehakirirangi returned to her home at Papatewhai, near Te Muriwai. From there she set about looking for suitable land to grow the kumara. As she walked along the riroriro accompanied her and sang it’s favourite song. Hinehakirirangi walked the length of Oneroa beach. 

Hine Hakirirangi lived at Papatewhai

Then she walked along Onepoto but still she could not find a good spot. She turned inland and walked the banks of Te Arai River. After a while she climbed up into the foothills and came upon a piece of land that made her heart tremble. It was perfect and even the riroriro was impressed as it began to sing “tanu kai, tanu kai” (time to plant, time to plant). Hinehakirirangi named this place Manawaru (trembling heart) and there she dug her garden. She planted her kumara and soon the entire district had access to the valuable plant. 
Local History...

Moana Kemp (along with my dad) was a Ngai Tamanuhiri kaumatua (80s-90s)

Tena nga mihi whanui atu ra..