Honouring the past inspiring the future
Home of our Whakapapa
It is a fundamental aspect of our identity and is seen as an important link to the past, connecting individuals to their ancestors, their land, and their cultural heritage. Whakapapa is not just a record of biological relationships, but encompasses cultural, spiritual, and environmental connections as well.
Whakapapa is a storytelling of people, places and times that is our security to stand certain and true. It is a pou (pillar) we attach to, a source of courage to be who we are. The connection is deep, strengthened from the support of the many who have contributed to and inspire us on our journey.
Ngati Whatua Tribe
The Main Meeting House Orakei Marae
The meeting house is named after the central ancestor of the Ngati Whatua tribal group and represents one of the main lines of ancestry for all the Northern Tribes. His face mask or ‘koruru’ will be at the apex of the large board. The large boards or ‘maihi’ represents his arms and the ridgepole his backbone. In the same manner the ‘heke’ or rafters and ‘poupou’ (well slabs) represents the ribs of the ancestor and the interior space the ‘polo’ the belly of the ancestor.
This unity is maintained in the exterior carvings as well. The left hand ‘Amo’ or upright depicts kui one wife of Tumutumuwhenua who is also a symbol for natural forces of the world and is often depicted as a ‘tarakihi’ or cicada larvae under ground. The right hand amo depicts Tarepo, Tumutumuwhenua’s other wife who was a patupaiarehe’ or spirit being and also a symbol for the spirit world.
This unity is maintained in the exterior carvings as well. The left hand ‘Amo’ or upright depicts kui one wife of Tumutumuwhenua who is also a symbol for natural forces of the world and is often depicted as a ‘tarakihi’ or cicada larvae under ground. The right hand amo depicts Tarepo, Tumutumuwhenua’s other wife who was a patupaiarehe’ or spirit being and also a symbol for the spirit world. The maihi are carved to depict the two main lines of tribal scent of the Ngati Whatua O Tamaki. The top portion of the left hand maihi is carved in Ngati Whatua style which blends into carving of the Taranaki style over the rest of the maihi.
The Ngati Whatua tribes originated from the Ngati-awa and Ati-awa groups which originally inhabited the north of the North island. Titahi of Ngati-awa was traditionally the man who started building the volcanic hill forts on the Auckland isthmus. He is said to have designed the layout of Maungakeikei using his own tattoo as a guide. For this reason one of the maori names by which this hill is known is ‘Nga Whakairo a Titahi’ – literally the carvings of Titahi’. The right hand maihi is carved in the Hauraki and Waikato styles. In 1970 when Ngati Whatua conquered the Auckland area they vanguished the Waiohua tribes which had strong links to the Waikato. These ties were reinforced by intermarriage between the two tribes.
The Hauraki link also originates from intermarriage with the Ngati Whatua Paoa tribe who originally came from the Thames area as part of the larger Ngati Maru group, a group which is recognized as tangata whenua on all Ngati Whatua maraes.
The Hauraki link also originates from intermarriage with the Ngati Whatua Paoa tribe who originally came from the Thames area as part of the larger Ngati Maru group, a group which is recognised as tangata whenua on all Ngati Whatua maraes. The Ngati Paoa had moved North conquering the off-shore islands and coastal areas as far as Nahurangi, arriving in the Auckland area about the same time as Ngati Whatua.
The tie was cemented by a gift of the land made by Te Tahuri a chieftainess of Ngati Whatua, as a wedding present. The area gifted comprised a strip from Otahuhu to Tamaki West Head and the Ngati Whatua Paoa predominantly settled in this area.
Apihai was the Ngati Whatua chief who negotiated the sale of the Tamaki area to Hobson and Paora Tuhere was a member of the Auckland District Provincial Council. These two chiefs have added significance as the represent thee two main lines of descent of the maori people of Orakei.
Two famous Ngati Whatua chiefs at the time of the conquest of Tamaki, Tuperiri and Tarahawaki will be depicted on one of the interior poa tou aro. Tuperiri established a small pa on the summit of Maungakiekie (One Tree Hill) now the site of the grave of sir John Logan-Campbell.
The front door and window lintels and the interior of the meeting house are carved in Ngati Whatua form. This form is part of the Northern carving style which ranges from at one extreme the Bay of Islands form which is very square and upright to the sinuousness of the Ngati Whatua form which is typically shown in the form of the Maraki motiff – the guardian sea monsters.
Within the house the poupou or wall slabs prescribe the place of the Ngati Whatua O Tamaki in the New Zealand tribal structure. For example one pair of poupou will sepict the descent from Arawa with a representation of Tama Te Kapua (Captain of the Arawa Canoe) and Huarere his great grandson who founded a tribe in Coromandel and established a pa at the western end of Okahu Bay named Onepuwhakatakataka (now Paratai Drive).
Finally the interior of the house will also depict some of the famous 18th and 19th century warrior chiefs of the Ngati Whatua such as Nurupanga and the bearded giant Kawharu who was reputed to stand at least 10feet tall and 5fett broad.
Complied by D Simonds
Auckland Museum
20 July 1976
