Toi RauNgāti Whātua – Our Story
A story about Ngāti Whātua and their sub-tribes or hapu from their website.
Ngāti Whātua – Our Story
Te Aka Matua ki Te Pou Hawaiki Marae
The name of the marae – Te Aka Matua ki Te Pou Hawaiki – acknowledges the history of the area.
Ancestors of the Tāmaki people brought soil with them from Hawaiki. It was buried on top of a hill which is now a part of Te Kura Akoranga o Tāmaki Makaurau.
This place was highly tapu (sacred) to the early Auckland tribes, especially the Waiohua people who lived on and around Maungawhau (Mt Eden). They came to Te Pou Hawaiki to perform their karakia (prayers) before beginning an expedition and again on their return. The tūāhu, or sacred altar, was located there.
In 1973 Mahuta Tuhura, a student at the Epsom Campus, promoted the idea of a marae. The idea was supported by staff and students within the Māori Studies Department and across campus. Tarutaru Rankin was the Head of Māori Studies at that time, and he was the main driver behind the project. Mark Klaricich was the main carver and on Saturday 19 November 1983, the wharenui – Tūtahi Tonu – was officially opened.