Hihiaua Cultural Centre Reclaim, Restore, Renew

Te Warihi Hetaraka at the Waka and Wave sculpture Photo by Michael Cunningham

RECLAIM

In 1993 a meeting was held in the Whangārei Council Chambers. The purpose was to understand how local Māori could be more involved in the development of the Town

Basin. Those that attended decided that they did not see themselves fitting into the northern end of the Town Basin which was filled with colonial buildings. So instead, the Council agreed in principle for a cultural centre to be put downriver on the Hihiaua peninsula. The idea had actually had its genesis in the 1980s when local Māori elders declared that Whangārei needed to unleash the latent potential and build the cultural capacity and capability of Māori, particularly in our youth. Their vision was for a cultural centre where identity and culture would be reclaimed, restored and renewed. Local carver, Te Warihi

Hetaraka was privy to those early conversations.

Three years later, the cultural centre project had dropped off the public radar, when Te Warihi was approached by Scott Pothan (Creative

Director of Whangārei Art Museum at the time) to be a part of a ‘millennium project’ with sculptor,

Chris Booth. The idea was that the two would work on a piece that would eventually end up riverside by the swimming pools. Te Warihi was in two minds about taking on the project, when

Chris Booth invited him to Paradise Valley Quarry to present his idea. It was there that Te Warihi had a vision that prompted him to announce to Chris,

“I’ll work with you but we're not going to build this thing by the swimming pool, it’s going on the Hihiaua peninsula”.

Although Te Warihi had Chris on board, his elders were not as keen. The peninsula was bushy, sometimes swampy and without the beautiful accessways provided today. Te Warihi’s response to their concerns was, “Ma te wa ki mua - one day you’ll know”.

Ten years later, in 2006, the Wave and Wave was unveiled on the Hihiaua peninsula. The waka tētē (fishing waka) was designed by Te Warihi and is positioned with the bow in the water at high tide, as if being launched into the Hātea Stream. Chris designed the stone waves which invade the shore from the Hātea Stream, partially submerging the waka and finally, like a tsunami wave, dispersing over the land. The work can be read as a comment on colonisation, but also acknowledges the history of the site as a landing place for waka and later as a point of arrival for Pākehā sea-farers. It was at the unveiling that the kaumatua realised Te Warihi’s intentions and responded with a challenge that reinvigorated the vision for a cultural centre - “Now we’ve got the anchor, where’s the real waka?”. And so began the work that led to the opening of Stage One of the Hihiaua Cultural Centre in June 2019.

Dawn blessing for the Hihiaua Cultural Centre in the final stages of renovations that transformed it from boat shed to cultural centre.

RESTORE

Out of this vision has risen what is now an architectural icon, looming large on the riverbank at the end of Herekino St. The first stage of development saw the renovation of an existing boatshed into a high spec carving workshop with additional learning, meeting and exhibition spaces. A new whare waka (waka shelter) with automated launching gantries, a covered walkway and viewing platform completed the $2m stage funded by the Whangārei District Council, Foundation North and the Provincial Growth Fund. Moller Architects expertly designed and project managed the build undertaken by Whangārei construction company Arco Ltd.

In 2021, the buildings’ practicality, beauty and versatility were acknowledged with three prestigious architecture awards including the John Scott Award for Public Architecture in the New Zealand Architecture Awards - the country's premier award for public architecture. However, it is not just the architecture or the feng shui, but the spirit of the wide variety of people who choose to visit, work and learn which makes Hihiaua so special. In Te Warihi’s own words, “It is the people that imbue the whare (building) with spirit and soul”.

Special thanks must be paid to the late Richard Drake, who served tirelessly as chairperson for the trust from 2008 until 2019. He was determined and committed to seeing Stage One built on time and under budget for

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NZ Fudge Farm

The NZ Fudge Farm was Established in Whangarei in 1992, and moved to the Whangarei Town Basin in 1999, with Grant Snelgar taking over the reins in 2005. The NZ Fudge Farm still make their uniquely famous in New Zealand traditional old fashioned handmade crumbly melt in your mouth fudge. To add to that – they now have 24 different flavoured scoop ice creams, with sizes from kidicone to the large double scoop. These come with the option of two flavoured waffle cones. Only at the NZ Fudge Farm will you find the ever popular fudge flavoramas and unique fudgercinno coffees. Parents - when you’re visiting the wonderful new playground down at the Town Basin, stop by with the kids for an ice cream and make sure you grab one of our full range of espresso coffees made with Allpress beans. And while you’re here don’t forget our chocolate range, “Mum’s Treat” – they have Whangarei’s largest boutique chocolate selection from their cabinet, or gift boxes for that special gift.

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Trustees of the Hihiaua Cultural Centre with Mayor Sheryl Mai and architect Craig Moller, celebrating at the opening in June 2019. the community of Whangārei and Te Taitokerau, and we are privileged to be sheltered by the fruits of his efforts. His legacy lives on at Hihiaua, which acts as a hub for the community to build relationships and hope for a shared future.

As part of the thriving Hihiaua precinct, the centre has hosted during the first two years of operation nearly 70 artistic, cultural, environmental and community events. Many of these have been nationally and internationally significant including the Tier 1 Haka Powhiri for Tuia 250 and Rātā Ahurei Tarai Waka International Waka Carving Symposium which brought waka carvers from around the Pacific together to share knowledge and skills. Our carvers have also been involved in significant local and national projects, including the Whangārei Camera Obscura, Te Hononga in Kawakawa, Mokau Marae in Whangaruru and Te Rau Aroha in Waitangi.

Hihiaua has been and continues to be a source of pride for the Whangārei community and the Northland region. Our reputation as a world-class centre (physically and socially) can be seen simply in the many deliveries of wood from the community because they trust it will be respected and wellused here, as well as the many requests for advice on taonga, tikanga and toi (treasures, protocols, and art) we get from the community. It is the manifestation of the original wish of our elders. The original purpose of Stage One was to provide a hub for carving and weaving. The various and numerous events we have been privileged to hold at Hihiaua have placed some strain on this original purpose and we look forward to the next stage of development which will eventually house the retail, gallery and event space more appropriately.

Stage Two will include a unique indoor/ outdoor performing arts space, exhibition hall and retail and dining spaces linked by pathways and planting. It will be a dynamic showplace for Māori creativity and support regionally, nationally and internationally significant events, performances and creative practices. The potential also exists in Stage Two for greater collaboration through exhibition, wananga of different kinds and more formalised leasing of space. Building will begin as soon as funding is secured.

There are two themes which have flowed from the genesis of the cultural centre into the future visions. Firstly that Hihiaua will always be a local asset serving the Whangārei and Te Taitokerau community and provide a touch point for local Māori to support ourselves economically as well as a location where multiple cultures come together to create a sense of community wellbeing and linkage when isolation and fragmentation are rife.

Secondly, that Hihiaua will always provide a space where youth can unleash their potential, be inspired, and build relationships and hope for a shared future. One example is HĀ - Histor y of Aotearoa, a group of youth who are passionate about developing education programmes which explore the shared histor y of Aotearoa. On Februar y 5, 2021 HĀ presented their proposal for a genuine treaty partnership to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her cabinet colleagues at Hihiaua. Then, in accordance with HĀ’s programme, they challenged the ministers to create an artwork which reflected their desire to see histor y taught in schools. The ministers’ pieces then formed part of HĀ's Fundraising Exhibition which helped raise funds to run the Kakano programme in schools, which encourages Year 10 students to use art as a tool to embrace the collective histor y of Aotearoa, and imagine our future.

In preparation for Stage Two, we hold fast to the words of our former chairman Richard Drake, who said, “There is only one Hihiaua in the world and we hope our plans can exceed the expectations of all the people who have been involved in one way or another over the years”.

R E N E W

HĀ - History of Aotearoa with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, February 2021.

Stage 1 of the Hihiaua Cultural Centre complete! Stage 2 coming soon… The gallery and shop area at Hihiaua which showcases authentic Māori art and unique local creations from nationally renowned artists.

T H E B O AT S H E D E S T 2 0 0 3

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