Discovering Maketu

It was a brilliantly sunny morning when I discovered the tiny coastal settlement of Maketu in the North Island's Bay of Plenty for the first time last year. Although I spent my childhood visiting Bay of Plenty beaches, I'd never been to Maketu before. I fell in love in an instant. There was just something about the place - an intangible sense of familiarity and belonging that had me thinking I could happily live there.

As I drove into the village, I stopped outside the Whakaue Kaipapa Marae (Te Arawa iwi), which is a lovely complex perfectly located on the shores of the estuary (see lower image). It was a hive of activity as a group of men wheeled barrow loads of soil and busily hammered their way through a working bee.

Whakaue Kaipapa was opened in May 1928. It is said to be one of the first efforts of the Maori School of Arts and Crafts at Rotorua. When it was built there were no carvings inside the wharenui and that's still the case today. The wharekai, which has been rebuilt three times (most recently in 2001), is called Rangiuru, who was the first wife of Whakaue. There are also two delightful Maori churches in Maketu, which I've featured in an earlier blog.

Two Maori Churches

I was delighted to discover the tiny Bay of Plenty seaside settlement of Maketu on my recent trip around the North Island. I fell in love instantly and spent considerable time roaming about taking photographs. I loved these two little Maori churches - the very cute St Peter's Catholic Church above; and St Thomas's Anglican Church, established in 1869, below.

On the day, I took dozens of photographs - expecially of the little carved gateway to St Peter's - but it wasn't until my next stop in Rotorua, that I noticed I'd accidentally knocked the camera onto the wrong setting and all my best shots were in total blackness. These are all I could salvage - not the best, but they give you an idea. Maketu also has a wonderful little marae, which I'll feature another time; and a marvellous little holiday community overlooking a wide spread of ocean and estuary. An overlooked gem for sure and one I will be returning to.

East Cape Church

It was late afternoon when I finally drove into the tiny East Cape settlement of Raukokore. The sun was shifting seaward and the wind was blowing a gale. But I was determined to stop at this cute little historic church - the well known Raukokore Anglican Church that has become something of a landmark on the Cape.

I had seen the church a decade before but had not been able to get inside. Unfortunately that was the case on last year's trip too. It was solidly locked. The church sits on a small elbow of land that juts out into Papatea Bay, just up from the shore on a grassy rise; and if it wasn't for its somewhat remote location, it would probably be one of the most photographed churches in New Zealand. It's just across the road from the Catholic Church, which was once marked by a huge whalebone arch - a relic of the old whaling days, which saw much of this area settled. The whalebone arch is now housed for safe-keeping in Whakatane Museum.

Reflecting on St Faiths

This is one of my favourite shots of St Faith's Church in the lakeside settlement of Ohinemutu at Rotorua. I've taken dozens of photographs of this are and you'll see plenty more by clicking on either St Faith's Church or Ohinemutu in the label line below this post. In fact, if you scroll down, you'll see I've written a number of successive Ohinemutu posts this week.

Church Glass

I'm a big fan of churches. From an architectural point of view, they're one of my regular photographic subjects and when it comes to Maori churches, there is so much more to be inspired by. One of the largest and most ornate is St Faith's Anglican Church on the banks of Lake Rotorua at Ohinemutu in Rotorua itself.

Te Hahio o Te Whakaporo

The Church of the Faith

I love that almost every available surface is decorasted - either carved, painted or woven; and that the windows are embellished with beautiful Maori designs.

One of the most distinctive features at St Faith's is the Galilee Chapel Window, which features a life-size figure of Christ wearing a kiwi feather korowai (cloak). The figure is sandblasted on plate glass and by virtue of its placement, it appears as though Christ is walking on the waters of Lake Rotorua behind the church.

Church on a Hill

I turned into Wairahoraho Road on Karikari Peninsular in the Far North to see if I could get to this gorgeous little Maori church that sat high on a hill overlooking the peninsular. Unfortunately, the way up to the church was a heavily rutted clay track that would have ruined my car, so I had to content myself with this long view with a telephoto lens. I adore Northland's red-roofed Maori churches and I photographed dozens of them on last year's trip. Well-known New Zealand photographer, Laurence Aberhart made a comprehensive photographic study of them - usually in black and white - and many of his images are in major New Zealand art collections. When I lived in Wanganui many years ago (back in the mid-eighties), Laurence Aberhart was the artist-in-residence at Sarjeant Gallery's Tylee Cottage and he was often seen wandering about the town, wheeling his photographic gear in a wheelbarrow.

Ringing the Bell

This is one of my favourite little carved bell-shelters.

This one, outside the very beautiful St Mary's Church at Tikitiki on East Cape.

To see more of this exquisite Maori church filled with elaborate carvings and tukutuku panels, click on St Mary's Tikitiki below this post.

A Sunday Church Moment

Rotorua. May 2009. Ajr

I LOVE Maori churches and the fact that elaborate decoration is the order of the day. This one, the Catholic Church - The Church of the Immaculate Conception - at Whakarewarewa Thermal Village in Rotorua is a little more restrained than others I've been in, but it's beautiful nonetheless - serene, quiet, peaceful. Built in 1904, it is the oldest building in the village and it sits at the highest point of the village.

Rotorua 2009. Ajr

The church is surrounded by a fascinating, beautifully kept urupa (cemetery), where many whanau (family) of the resident Ngati Wahiao people are buried in pristine white tombs. Because the village sits on an active and very hot geothermal field, the people are unable to bury their dead underground. Instead they are interred in these white tombs above ground.
www.whakarewarewa.com

A Quiet Marae Moment

Northland. May 2009 Ajr

It was still early when I turned onto the little gravel road that lead to Te Karae Marae, not far north of Kohukohu, in the Far North. When I parked my car there was total silence but for a pair of spur-winged plovers chuckling together on the front lawn of the marae. This little Catholic church sat apart, on the brow of the small hill I had driven up. I sat there awhile, just enjoying the peace and prettiness of the scene, as the morning sun came out from behind clouds.

Northland. May 2009 Ajr
Then the silence was broken - down below, I could hear laughter coming from the watercress-filled creek.. I couldn’t see anybody but maybe they were gathering the watercress? I drove down the hill hoping to meet someone but there wasn’t a soul about and I had to keep moving. A lovely stop nonetheless.

A Northland Church

Northland. May 2009. Ajr

On my recent whirlwind trip around New Zealand, I encountered dozens of gorgeous little, red-roofed churches, many of them in Maori communities and many of them in Northland. Almost without exception I stopped to photograph them - unless there were too many cars for me to safely negotiate a stop. (Always frustrating!) It was a grey, rainy day when I came upon this one - sweet little St Mary's Anglican Church, not far north of Dargaville and very close to Taita Marae. I haven't been able to find out anything specific about the church but for now it can stand alone for us to admire. Suffice to say, I came away from Northland with a much better understanding of why well-known New Zealand photographer, Laurence Aberhart made such a concerted study, over a number of years, of Northland Maori churches.

Meet the People - 16

Another in the Series Meet the People – Contemporary Maori Doing Ordinary and Extraordinary Things – William Pepere (Ngati Porou), surprised me greatly when he turned the key in the lock of the rear door of St Mary’s Church, in the tiny East Cape township of Tikitiki. It was 8.30 on a Sunday morning and I had called in to see this exquisite example of traditional Maori craftsmanship. There wasn’t a soul about and, as the church’s front door was open, I thought it would be okay to sneak inside. What I discovered there took my breath away! It truly is THE most amazingly beautiful place – every interior surface a credit to superb craftsmanship. I was standing there taking in the total silence and calmness of the place and trying to etch every detail into my memory, when the front door banged suddenly and then the back door rattled. Next minute, William Pepere came in. I’m not sure which of us was more surprised.
Turns out William is the Kaikarakia, or Lay Reader for the church and he had arrived early, to prepare the church for the morning’s 9am service. We stood and chatted, he pointing out the memorial boards on one side of the church, dedicated – as in fact the whole church is – to the Ngati Porou soliders, who died in World War I. He talked about the tukutuku paneling, the ornate carving, the incredible stained glass windows – and I just stood there in awe. He told me about 1,000 people live in Tikitiki and that he is very pleased to have around twenty at his services each Sunday. I wanted to stay on be part of the service but it would have greatly encroached on my travel schedule; so instead I asked Mr Pepere if he would let me take his photograph. He agreed, switching on all the lights, so I could get better shots of the interior detailing. I left him then, as he was vacuuming the floors. He waved as I made my way out, reluctant to leave.

All Photos May 2009 Ajr

It is an understatement to say that St Mary’s at Tikitiki is one of the finest churches in New Zealand. It was built in 1924 by local Ngati Porou people and the interior was a collaboration between Ngati Porou and Te Arawa master carvers, orchestrated by Sir Apirana Ngata. For anyone with an interest in traditional Maori crafts it must be the penultimate experience! I would visit it again in a flash to once again have that incredible mixed feeling of awe and contentment that I felt there.

Seaside Church

This is the cute-as-a-button Whare Karakia (church) at Rapaki Marae. A Maori mission was established here and in 1865 when the Methodist missionary, Te Koti Te Rato moved to Rapaki, the local community built this little church on the rise above the beach. It opened on May 4, 1869 with a multi-denominational service with hymns sung in both Maori and English. It’s still used today for occasional services.

Whare Karakia, Rapaki, Banks Peninsular. March 2009. Ajr
It’s a peaceful retreat tucked under giant trees and surrounded by a small cemetery. I sat awhile and thought about the photos of kaumatua hanging at the front of the church, wondering what their lives may have been like in 1869; and I admired the tukutuku panelling on the little altar and the shelves at the rear of the church, neatly stacked with old bibles.

An Early Maori Mission

Te Where Tipene, Tuahiwi, Canterbury. Han 2009. Ajr

Te Where Tipene – St Stephen’s Church sits to the side of a field in the little rural settlement of Tuahiwi, six kilometres north of Kaiapoi. Governor George Grey laid the foundation stone of this cute kauri church in 1867 and the leader of this, the first Maori Mission in the South Island, Reverend James Stack, soon encouraged local Maori to settle nearby. The community still has an established Maori presence and St Stephen’s, the Tuahiwi School and Tuahiwi Marae are all strongly connected. Te Where Tipene has a Category 1 Historic Places Trust listing and it was the first church in Canterbury to have a spire.