Local Maori have held a ceremony to celebrate ancestral house Te Awa I Manukau being commended by the New Zealand Heritage Trust, who have recognised the important wharenui as a 'Whare Tupuna'.
The Maori ancestral house will also be getting a fresh new look over the coming weeks.
Henare Walmsley from Paekiri Northcroft-Moke Whanau Trust, said the ancestral house was built for Bella Papakura by her husband Aperiama Wiari around 1925 and still stands today.
Ihapera (Isabella) Pattison Thom, who later became known as Bella Papakura or Guide Bella, was one of the most requested guides of her time, showcasing the cultural and natural wonders of Whakarewarewa to tourists from all over the world.
Bella Moke, whose grandmother was Guide Bella's niece, currently lives beside the ancestral house and grew up in the village.