Moving moments at Hawke’s Bay marae as Manahau meeting house opened

The opening of the Manahau meeting house at Wharerangi Marae is the realisation of its people's long-held vision. Photo / Supplied

At 4.30am on Saturday, November 26 history was made with the dawn opening ceremony of the Manahau meeting house at Wharerangi Marae.

This has long been a dream of the people of that marae and all their hard efforts came to fruition with the celebrations held at the official opening.

The dawn ceremony was carried out by a kāhui tohunga comprised of local practitioners and also those of the Te Pōkaitara academy. The incantations rang out one after the other as the hundreds of visitors advanced on to the marae to witness the ancient ceremony.

The karakia lasted close to 30 minutes. Once the traditional Māori ceremony was completed in the house, the Ringatū church undertook a special service. The Ringatū faith was invited given the history between the church and Wharerangi Marae.

The kaumātua of the marae, Piri Prentice, deemed it appropriate to ask the faith to participate in the official ceremony in recognition of the ancestors of that marae who were followers of the faith.

It was a very moving ceremony where several members of the hapū were visibly moved to tears as they witnessed the embodiment of their vision to see the Manahau meeting house completed.

The locals proudly shouted the names of the components of the house as the tohunga posed the question during his karakia. Their pride was evident as their ancestors were celebrated through depictions on the house.

Later that morning, visitors from neighbouring marae and tribes were welcomed with a mass haka party comprised of kura and hapū members. Several speakers on the home side shared the history and whakapapa of the house.

The visitor speakers shared their own histories and connections to Wharerangi and paid homage to the new house that had been opened that morning.

During the dawn ceremony, the entire marae was pitch black. One had to marvel at the glorious display of stars across the chest of Ranginui.

Tautoru and Matariki shone brightly upon the proceedings.

Once the prayers were complete, the lights were switched on to reveal a grand house adorned from top to bottom with carvings, tukutuku panels, painted kōwhaiwhai and photos of ancestors of the marae.

A sole female voice let out a call to welcome the house into the world of light, and she asked the house to awaken and rise when she used the simple expression of “maranga e te tipuna e, maranga mai, maranga mai, maranga mai”, which resulted in a spray of affirmative support from the house – “kia ora, kia ora!”

Openings of new whare like this are one of the few occasions where Māori can fully execute traditional kawanga whare practices that involve ancient incantations.

The prayers are entrenched in the stories of our gods, where they are invoked through mesmerising recitation.

The most poignant moment perhaps was the entrance of kaumātua Prentice, who entered the whare and sat in the middle of a packed house.

Upon the conclusion of the final prayer, I said “E koro! Kua tutuki te wāhi ki a mātau. Kua tāia te kawa o tō whare, kua tutuki i a mātau tāu nā tono. Anei ka whakahokia te mauri o tō whare ki a koe! Kua oti! Kia ora huihui tātau katoa! Our role is completed. We have completed the opening ceremony of your house and have achieved what you have asked of us. We now return the life force of your house to you! It is completed!”. To which kaumātua Prentice replied with a humble yet powerful “Kia ora! Kia ora!”