Voices of Kahungunu exhibition links crucial events in Hawke’s Bay: Te Hira Henderson

MTG holds a link to Kapi Tāreha’s whakapapa which can be seen in Kuru Tanga: Voices of Kahungunu, where Kapi Tāreha’s grandfather, Tāreha Te Moananui (pictured) is featured.

Opinion

Te Hira Henderson is curator Taonga Māori, MTG.

OPINION

Late last year I wrote a column to acknowledge the passing of kuia Mei Wahitiri.

I inadvertently made a couple of mistakes.

In the column I said Mei’s parents took her to see Kapi Tāreha, when it was in fact Mei’s grandparents who took her. I also said Kapi (whose full name is Ngawhakapingaoterangi) was Ngāti Pāhauwera – he is Ngāti Pārau. I acknowledge my mistakes and appreciate those who reached out and corrected me.

This reinforces the importance of whakapapa. We hold a link to Kapi Tāreha’s whakapapa in MTG Hawke’s Bay Tai Ahuriri. This can be seen in Kuru Tanga: Voices of Kahungunu, where Kapi Tāreha’s grandfather, Tāreha Te Moananui is featured.

In this exhibition is a photo of Tāreha holding his musket, taken in a time of Te Matau-a-Māui land loss – transitioning to the new Hawke’s Bay. Tāreha’s whakapapa, both backwards and forwards, links to important events in Te Matau-a-Māui.

Tāreha’s grandfather, Te Kauru o Te Rangi, and uncle, Te Hauwaho, both died in the battle of Pakake Ahuriri in 1824. This battle resulted in the greatest loss of Ngāti Kahungunu lives during the musket wars, predominantly from Waikato, Raukawa, Maniapoto, Tuwharetoa, Hauraki and Ngā Puhi tribes. Kahungunu took a generation to recover while in refuge at Nukutaurua, Mahia.

When they returned from Mahia, Tāreha asked Sir George Grey to send Pākehā to settle in Te Matau-a-Māui with their new tools. Tāreha was the first to give land to Pākehā. He pledged to care and protect them from troubles when outside tribes were at war against the Crown. Eventually, a new Hawke’s Bay was born.

Becoming disillusioned by methods of land acquisition, Tāreha became the first MP for Eastern Māori in 1868 and he was the first to speak te reo Māori in the New Zealand Parliament.

Tāreha is grandfather of Ngawhakapingaoterangi (Kapi) Tāreha. It was Kapi who gave permission for Mei to model for Pania of the Reef to Mei’s grandparents, Ike and Mei Robin. Pania of the Reef is Ngāti Ponāturi, sea people, who have a special intertwined relationship with Ngāti Pārau – hence Kapi, as a chief of Ngāti Pārau, could approve Mei as the model.

For many years the museum held and cared for four pou related to Ngāti Pārau - four toa/warriors who fell during the Pakake Ahuriri battle. These pou are Te Kauru o Te Rangi and Te Hauwaho (Tāreha’s grandfather and uncle), and Te Humenga and Te Pou a Mate. Once Ngāti Pārau built their new wharenui/meeting house at Waiōhiki, the four pou were returned home.

Getting whakapapa right is everything – from whakapapa we know ourselves, our tūpuna/ancestors, and our history.