ŌPŌTIKI

Historic whare brought out of the shed and into the light

Damaged during the 1931 Hawke’s Bay earthquake, a beautiful whare whakairo (carved house) in Ōpōtiki was carefully dismantled and then stacked in a shed. This year the carvings, panels and stories were finally reunited with their people.

WORDS: Niki Partsch IMAGES: Normsby Photography

It was mid-morning on Tuesday 3 February 1931 when the ground began to heave and roll. Large cracks appeared, Feelings before, during and after the three-day wānanga were intense. There were tears of joy for the living and of tears some so wide that cars fell into them. Children held onto school yard fences to stop themselves falling. Across the town of Napier buildings crumbled and dust rose. Approximately 180km to the south of the epicentre, the heaving and rolling caused serious damage to Tānewhirinaki, the treasured whare of Ngāti Ira. The 7.8 earthquake lasted less than three minutes but when it was over the whare was leaning dangerously. The people who lived there were at risk of serious injury. Knowledge of the ancient building methods used in its construction had been lost with the passing of a generation, and so, despite three attempts to straighten their whare, there was no choice but to take it down. Tānewhirinaki was built in the late 1800s under the leadership of rangatira Hira Te Popo. The entire whare was a physical embodiment of their history. Every carving, tukutuku panel and kōwhaiwhai board held crucial historical narratives, which supported the oral history of Ngāti Ira. Unable to restore their whare safely, the people of Ngāti Ira were left in despair until last year when a group collaborated to do something about it. Inspired by stories about what lay in the shed, and with crucial support from kaumātua, Tama Hata successfully applied to Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga to fund a project through our 2021 Mātauranga Māori Programme. This year the raising of Tānewhirinaki at Ōpeke marae became a beacon for Ngāti Ira who gathered there for a three-day wānanga. There were many speakers present, including kaumātua Te Rua Rakuraku (Koro Roger). They shared ngā kōrero tuku iho (stories passed down) and described the significance of the many taonga within the whare. of sadness for those who had passed on before ever seeing the whakairo (carvings) on display. Tama described how “it was really emotional for kaumātua, some of whom remember being very young when they were told not to go into the shed where the carvings were stored.” Girls and women particularly were subjected to tapu (restrictions) and as a consequence some kuia (elderly women) were reluctant to engage with the process and hesitant to attend the onsite wānanga. Their stories were heard and discussed alongside others. Before the earthquake and during the time of Hira Te Popo, Tānewhirinaki was a place of whānau well-being, where babies had been born and grew up in a culturally rich environment. A trip to visit significant sites was arranged for the last day of the wānanga. This strengthened the learnings shared by the speakers over the previous two days. The project has re-affirmed identity for the people of Ngāti Ira through reengagement with their history. Many people contributed their time and expertise to this significant undertaking, including renowned architect Anthony Hoete whose work on the project has recently been shortlisted for the 2022 Waikato and Bay of Plenty Architecture Awards. The carvings have been taken down again, but the people remain uplifted and grateful for the time they had. Going forward the conversation will focus on permanent restoration and rebuilding, and the future for the next generations of Ngāti Ira. n

Ngāti Ira whānau.