Te Pureora o Waitaha - a place for Waitaha to reconnect with their history, stories and each other

Te Pureora O Waitaha - A Place For Waitaha To Reconnect With Their History, Stories And Each Other

Project 2022-04-28 19:02:25 +1200

Te Pureora o Waitaha - is sited on a former church site at Pareora near Timaru. Purchased in 2021 we have been renovating it so that Waitaha people will have a place to share their history and stories with the world. The former church is now a Waitaha Whare-karakia (prayer house) named Awearaki. Awearaki sits alongside the former church hall; the hall is now used as a Whare-manāki (dining hall). The whanau have contributed to getting Awearaki repainted and re-roofed.

Why we're crowdfunding

We have now run over budget and need to get the hall insulated as well as completing other rennovations such as double glazing lighting and heating. We managed to get a lot of use out of it over summer, however with winter upon us its not really usable.

Tena koe, ko Anthony Olsen taku ikoa.

The ancestors of my mother were Waitaha, and I am a Waitaha historian. I have been privileged during my life to have collected a large number of Waitaha verbal narratives told to me by several Waitaha Tāua and Poua, almost all no longer alive. On behalf of Te Runanganui o Waitaha, my whanau have fully funded a number of items to date, as part of an upgrade of the Papakaika; including the purchase of the property.

What we've done so far

Both the Whare Karakia and the Whare Manāki have updated electrical codes of compliance. Our plumber has installed a 300l low pressure hot water cylinder and installed a shower. These also have codes of compliance. We have also had the Whare-karakia repainted professionally, a brand new colour steel roof and 2 new large soakpits.

In the photo of the Flag left to right is ...  my aunt Anne Te Maiharoa-Dodds, me; and my son Nick

More mahi to do on Te Pureora o Waitaha

We still have a number of projects that need to be completed so that we can fully utilise the Papakaika year round.

1.     Insulating both the Whare-karakia and the Whare-manāki

2.     Installing upgraded LED lighting.

3.     Painting the Whare-manāki.

4.     Septic tank upgrade.

5. Upgraded kitchen facilities

6. A new heatpump in the hall

7. A new heatpump in the Whare-karakia

More about my research and experience with our Waitaha history

My independent research has been supplemented from a range of Māori and non-Māori sources. My guiding light and drive to write these narratives down and share them is largely based on the following comment.

“Since the late nineteenth century, a simplistic extermination model of southern Maori history has been encouraged to flourish, at least in popular literature; Ngati Mamoe wiped out Waitaha and then Ngai Tahu exterminated Ngati Mamoe”.

It was also unfortunate that a ‘Waitaha’ narrative emerged 30 years ago that was a version of prehistory, non-standard insofar as it presented a complex narrative of ‘ancestral traditions’ leavened with new age beliefs and selected scientific evidence.

By this and other means, actual Waitaha narrative traditions have been devalued and subordinated to the extent they now serve as a mythical preface to the traditions of their more populous and dominant relatives, or as a sub-Tolkien indigenous composition. ‘Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.’

I am frequently asked why Te Pareora o Waitaha is a Papakaika and not a Marae.

The Marae ātea, the space outside the front of the meeting house, is the domain of Tūmatauenga (or Tūmataueka), the god of war. Speeches that take place on the marae ātea are allowed to be forceful, representing the nature of Tū. Waitaha are a peaceful people, therefore anything related to war is not part of its tikaka or beliefs. Therefore Te Pureora o Waitaha is welcome to all, and therefore not a Marae.

Our Kawa is the kawa of peace, more visibly manifested in contemporary times by Te Ati Awa. Manuhiri or visitors to our Kaika are not subject to challenge on arrival. We meet and greet you first and then the exchange of greetings takes place afterwards inside our Whare-Karakia.

 

Who is Te Runanganui o Waitaha Iwi Authority Inc?

Te Runanganui o Waitaha is the governance entity for the Papakaika. Our most significant relationship is with Waitaha Taiwhenua o Waitaki Trust Inc. based on the ancient Waitaha lands of Korotuaheka and Huruhurumanu, at the mouth of the Waitaki River. Runanganui members belong to several hapu of Waitaha, primarily Awearaki and Kati Rakai.

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