Maori Place Names - 99

Ratana

Near Whanganui, North Island

2010 Ajr

A Whanganui Marae

The Carved Waharoa

(gateway)

At a Whanganui Marae

Aramoho

May 2010. Ajr

A Ngati Apa Marae - Turakino

It was a grey day and pouring with rain when I spied this sign at Turakina, on State Highway 1, south of Whanganui. I lived in Whanganui for two years (1985-87) and never once ventured down here. So on this grey May day last year, 25 years later, I decided to fix that once and for all.

As I wound down the narrow country road covered in mud and cow-poo and bordered by high maize fields, I felt like I was venturing into some lost frontier. And then, one last corner and I came upon this little rough-cast church - Te Mangungu, on the edge of a huge maize field and skirted by a small grave yard and electric fences. I wasn't about to brave electric fences in pouring rain - in any conditions actually - so I took these snaps from my car window. I sat there for some time, deep in thought. It was one of those times when the landscape, the 'dwellings,' the mood of the place toyed with my imagination. It felt forgotten and yet somehow 'alive' with history.

It wasn't until several months later, when I was home again, that I discovered that this little marae across the road from the church - tucked behind giant harakeke (flax) and maize - is in fact, the historic Te Horotaraipi of Ngati Apa meeting house, which dates back to the late 19th century. These days it's managed and maintained by several families of the Ngati Apa hapu, Nga Ariki.

A Decorated Back Alley

A Mythical Creature

Of Maori Legend

And Imagination

Striding the Wall

Whanganui Back Alley
May 2010.Ajr

Maori Place Names - 73

Main Highway, Turakina

Near Whanganui

North Island

May 2010, Ajr

Maori Place Names - 71

North of Whanganui

North Island

May 2010. Ajr

Teremoe - A Waka Taua

This is one of those times when I opted for the close up detail of a thing, rather than the traditional overview. I often think the details of an object say more about it that a simple shot that shows it in totality.
So this is Teremoe - a waka taua
(A War Canoe)
Photographed at the Museum of New Zealand, Te Papa Tongarewa

According to the Te Papa information panels the waka is made of totara and was a bequest of the Hipango family in 1930. "When Teremoe came to the Dominion Museum (Te Papa's predecessor) in 1930, it was reconstructed as a waka taua by Thomas Heberley, the museum's resident carver. He added the tauiho (prow), which came from Matata in the Bay of Plenty and the taurapa (stern post), which came from Papaitonga Horowhenua. he also carved the rauawa (upperside planking) [below].

"Teremoe once belonged to upper river leaders, Te Reimana Te Kaporere and Matene Rangitauira, both of whom were involved in wars against the Pakeha government in the 1860s. Teremoe saw action in the hostilities that broke out on the river, including the battle between lower and upper river parts of the Whanganui iwi, fought at Moutoa Island, near Ranana. Teremoe was also involved in the pursuit of the guerrilla leader, Te Kooti Arikirangi in 1869, when both syupporters and opponents of the colonial givernment collaborated to drive him out of the region." [Quotes from Te Papa information plaques]. www.tepapa.govt.nz

You've Got Mail

I loved this little letterbox, carved like a traditional wharenui (meeting house), spotted in Wanganui when I was there a week or so ago. It wasn't far from the Putiki Marae.