Tamatea Māori history on display to educate public and ground rangatahi

One of the displays has been placed at the top of the key site in Ngā Ara Tipuna, Pukekaihau Pa, in Waipukurau. Photo / Supplied

By RNZ

Crafted displays are being installed in Tamatea this week, to bring the historical stories of the rohe to life.

The project, Ngā Ara Tipuna, aims to educate people about the history of tangata whenua in Central Hawke's Bay.

At each site storyboards, re-creations of original features, art work, and links to online resources will tell the story of the tīpuna who lived there.

The main site is the Pukekaihau Pā, which the town of Waipukurau was built around.

The whole project focuses on significant historical pā sites in Tamatea with information either on the former pā sites or looking across them. The sites are Pukekaihau Pā, Moana-i-Rokia Pā, Kaimanawa Pā, Ruatangaroa Pā, Kaitoroa Pā, Te Waipukurau Pā and Lake Whatumā.

Mana whenua representative Brian Morris said there were many special places to see.

"This is for our local people and our visitors, so they can understand the place where they live and what's beneath their feet. We do that by sharing stories of our tīpuna who walked this land hundreds of years ago; feeding their families, building seasonal and permanent homes, travelling - all the things we do today, but in a vastly different way that was tied intrinsically to the land.

"We've got a structure that we call a whare korero which provides other information about the pā and what the environment was like when that pā was built and people were living there."

Te Taiwhenua o Tamatea chairman Dr Roger Maaka said Ngā Ara Tipuna would enable the history of Tamatea to be learned, understood and acknowledged, in a way that is unique in Aotearoa.

"As well as sharing knowledge with our wider population and bringing visitors to our rohe, it will enable us to make our history real for our rangatahi, so they can understand how it relates to them and where they are today, and give them a good grounding to become mentors for the next generation."

This signalled the near-completion of five years of planning and construction.

The project is being developed by hapū of Te Taiwhenua o Tamatea and the Central Hawke's Bay District Council.

Mayor Alex Walker said it "reawakened" Tamatea.

"Story telling is so powerful in bringing places such as Pukekaihau to life and for re-shaping the assumptions that we all make about the place we live in and its history. This project will teach the important place of mana whenua on our landscape and enrich our people in so many ways."

The project is funded by the Provincial Growth Fund, the Heretaunga-Tamatea Settlement Trust, the Eastern and Central Community Trust, the Lottery Environment and Heritage Fund and Central Hawke's Bay District Council.

- RNZ