Uewhati now stands at Te Mahurehure Marae
Auckland-based descendents of Hokianga iwi, Te Mahurehure, now have their ancestor, Uewhati, depicted in a Pou (Column).
The Pou was commissioned by Te Mahurehure Cultural Marae Conference Centre standing 2.8 meters within the Point Chevalier complex. Head Carver, Te Taonui-a-Kupe Rickard describes illustrating Uewhati very interesting, especially when identifying the links between various tipuna.Te Mahurehure Chair Christine Panapa says a chance meeting with Mr Rickard while in Rotorua for other matters was the beginning of the process “there was a real connection, a wonderful connection. I had all the building plans in my car so I had a hui with him and his staff [Te Wānanga Whakairo Rakau, Te Puia] and talked about what we would like and went back and did the homework.”
The Marae was established in the 60’s for those of Te Mahurehure who had settled in Auckland.
Since taking over in 1999, Ms Panapa says the decade-long project has cost around $1.7 million dollars topped off with the Pou of Uewhati “We were so blown away when we saw it, it wasn’t what we had expected. It was stunning”.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Without preservation Maori Culture will die
A Tohunga Whakairo says fragmenting traditional Maori art will be the demise of its culture.
Te Taonui-a-Kupe Rickard is the Head of Te Wananga Whakairo Rakau at Te Puia, NZ Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. The school is responsible for the carving and restoration of over 40 marae around the country, currently undertaking the carving of whakairo for a marae being erected in Kaiaua for Ngati Paoa.
Mr Rickard, the son of the late Eva Rickard, was a student in the first intake of Te Wananga Whakairo Rakau in 1967 under the tutelage of Tohunga Whakairo Hone Taiapa. He believes the preservation of traditional art forms such as whakairo is key to the future of Maori culture past and as it is today.
"This school is a necessary part of that survival of our culture, as it is now, as we know it. If you continually change bits and pieces of your culture you're going to end up with nothing. So hopefully the legacy of Te Puia will be to maintain. Maintain what we have."
The school currently has 9 students enrolled in the fulltime 3-year programme and 2 post-graduate students.
Te Taonui-a-Kupe Rickard is the Head of Te Wananga Whakairo Rakau at Te Puia, NZ Maori Arts and Crafts Institute. The school is responsible for the carving and restoration of over 40 marae around the country, currently undertaking the carving of whakairo for a marae being erected in Kaiaua for Ngati Paoa.
Mr Rickard, the son of the late Eva Rickard, was a student in the first intake of Te Wananga Whakairo Rakau in 1967 under the tutelage of Tohunga Whakairo Hone Taiapa. He believes the preservation of traditional art forms such as whakairo is key to the future of Maori culture past and as it is today.
"This school is a necessary part of that survival of our culture, as it is now, as we know it. If you continually change bits and pieces of your culture you're going to end up with nothing. So hopefully the legacy of Te Puia will be to maintain. Maintain what we have."
The school currently has 9 students enrolled in the fulltime 3-year programme and 2 post-graduate students.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)