Rangatira Marae holds burial ceremony for taonga lost to Cyclone Gabrielle

Tairāwhiti Museum staff and manuhiri carry taonga to be buried on the former site of the Cyclone Gabrielle-devastated Rangatira Marae, which is being relocated. Photo / Te Awariki Lardelli

A Gisborne marae has marked another step forward in its Cyclone Gabrielle recovery journey with a ceremony burying lost taonga following the demolition of its wharenui and kāuta.

“It was a time to reflect, to remember and to sit in the present with those present,” Rangatira Marae trustee Whitiaua Ropitini said.

When Cyclone Gabrielle swept through the region in 2023, Rangatira Marae was severely damaged when the nearby Waipaoa River breached its banks – floodwater reaching 3m up the wharenui wall.

It is one of five flooded marae in Tairāwhiti’s Category 3 areas to receive funding to relocate to safer ground.

The Rangatira Marae wharenui and kāuta (cookhouse) were demolished between October and late November this year.

Key elements were extracted from the buildings for preservation with the intent to incorporate the elements into the marae rebuild at a location just a few minutes’ drive away.

On Saturday, Rangatira Marae Trust held a karakia tanu taonga – a ceremony to inter treasured items, which included cyclone-destroyed whānau photographs and materials from its former buildings.

Despite a cold start, the day was “moving” and filled with reflection, memories and excitement at what was to come, Ropitini told Local Democracy Reporting.

The morning began with karakia led by the Ringatū and Anglican faiths at the spot of the entrance to the former marae.

Rev Wini Peta-Douglas gives a blessing and karakia at the Rangatira Marae Trust karakia tanu taonga. Photo / Te Awariki Lardelli

The karakia of the two key religious movements within Te Karaka “demonstrated the ability to mahitahi [work together] and kotahitanga [solidarity],” Ropitini said.

A bell rang to welcome everyone back onto the grounds.

Seeing the landscape without the wharenui and kāuta was emotional, he said.

The sight of the demolished buildings and rubble could stir “deep sentiments and feelings” among whānau, so it was decided both buildings would be buried before the ceremony.

Many kaumātua and pakeke were quiet, “sitting in their reflections and memories”.

“There were a lot that had tears.”

People who attended said it was “a time to remember their past”.

They recalled how the marae was, the old people who used to occupy it and their upbringing there.

Whānau place parekawakawa (greenery) on the taonga. Photo / Te Awariki Lardelli

Alongside the sadness, however, there were also tears of excitement about what was to come.

Around 60 attended the ceremony, with several whānau expressing their desire to be included in updates and the next steps.

“What showed on Saturday was the strength of whānau, hapū coming together, working together and drawing off each other’s strengths.”

The day was also about welcoming back and returning photos that had been in the care of Tairāwhiti Museum.

Following the cyclone devastation, the museum led the recovery of taonga Māori within Rangatira Marae and Takipu Marae (south of Te Karaka).

Treasured taonga of Rangatira Marae were extracted, preserved and digitised by the museum.

Thirty severely damaged photos were interred, along with a kākahou (cloak), a flag and timber samples returned by Heritage NZ, Ropitini said.

Rangatira Marae trustee Himiona Taingahue receives and places taonga in the burial hole. Photo / Te Awariki Lardelli

They were fortunate the museum, under the leadership of Tapunga Nepe and Taharākau Stewart, guided the process.

As the photos had been identified as reprints, once the rebuild was complete, whānau would bring “these loved ones” to the new marae.

As part of the day, a pōhutukawa tree was planted in commemoration of the “significant mahi” achieved.

This was followed by a report from Heritage New Zealand representatives.

A kaumatua plants a pohutukawa tree at the former Rangatira Marae site on Saturday. Photo / Te Awariki Lardelli

They gave a historical account of the materials and trees used to build both buildings, which included kauri, totara and rimu, Ropitini said.

They also gave recommendations on the interment of the buildings - flattening them “to their footprint” and putting a layer of earth over the top, “so we weren’t going to disturb the land by digging it and burying the rubble in it.”

Ropitini said over the next few months the trust would consult with hapū members on long-term plans for the site of the former marae and its rehabilitation.

This was a topic of discussion on the day.

It has marae reservation status and the trust is looking to apply for wāhi tūpuna (site of significance) status under the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act.

It is also considering planting the area with native trees identified as construction materials of the former buildings.

The day finished with a Christmas ham hakari at the Rangatira Tavern.