HISTORY

INTRO

The story of Ngati Poneke is a story of whanaungatanga and a story of cultural survival with local hapū in Wellington. Ngati Poneke provided a source of strength for Māori in migration to the city to gather and celebrate their enduring traditions that define their identity as Māori. It was Apiranga Ngata who saw Ngati Poneke as a cultural sanctuary and the place where the new urbanized Māori could nurture their identity in the form of traditional arts (tukutuku) and traditional performing arts. To date, descendants of that historic 1936 Ngati Poneke group and others make up the whānau of the Ngati Poneke Māori Arts. And so it was that in 1995, with the blessing of original Ngati Poneke members: Mrs. Meri Mataira, Mrs. Mihipeka Edwards, Mr. Jock McEwen, Mrs. Whetu Tirikatene-Sullivan and the blessing of marae, in and around Te Whanganui a Tara, we celebrated Te Whakanui i a Matariki festival on 23 June to 8 July 1995.

Ngati Poneke Maori Arts Claim

1. In 1995 we created the Matariki Festival.
2. The name “Te Whakanui i a Matariki” was bestowed on it by Tohunga Jim Rahi.
3. It ran for sixteen days at Pipitea Marae the home of Ngati Poneke.
4. We combined traditional rituals with contemporary events-wananga.

Te Whakanui i a Matariki celebrates the beginning of the Māori New Year which traditionally starts with the heliacal rising of Matariki in the month of Pipiri.

The idea of staging this festival arose out of our growing concern that within the Wellington region there was no longer an identifiable cultural framework which could both confirm our own perception of the world, and which was capable of being developed within a contemporary environment.

Holding our own festival celebration (through the Arts), 155 years after the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi ensures our voice can be heard accurately and with a greater authenticity of expression where we can claim ownership over our own cultural territory.

Later in the year, a story that resonated with us was called “Te Whanau Marama o Matariki” written by Kaa Williams. It is a beautiful story about 7 mischievous sisters who are stars of Matariki.

Alongside this Kaupapa we also supported current nationwide themes “The first year of the decade celebrating Indigenous people” and “Te Tau O Te Reo”

Rituals Events-Wananga

The official opening of Te Whakanui i a Matariki was on 23 June 1995 pre-empted by a Marae Run from Petone with Manu Aute.

Manu Aute are steeped in ancient Māori tradition. Flying Manu Aute over the Pipitea Marae palisade is to:

1. Honour our past
2. To herald in the Māori New year.

The Kaumātua Lunch was a prestigious event and a highlight of Te Whakanui i a Matariki.

The art exhibition “Ki Te Whei Ao, Ki Te Ao Marama” which showcased 60 plus Māori traditional and contemporary artist’s work throughout the festival; this had never been done before to this magnitude.

Traditional Rituals:

Karakia

To honour those passed on.

Manu Aute,

Dawn Ceremony up Tangi Te Keo Maunga

Hakari mo nga Kaumatua,

Nga Kakahu a Tane Mahuta,

He koha ki a Tangaroa tribute

Contemporary Events-Wananga:

• Shadow puppets by Erena Hammond performed entirely in Te reo
• Ngati Poneke in concert
• Forums on issues confronting Māori of the time
• Waiata evenings of composed and resurrected old waiata
• Daily art workshops and demonstrations
• Childrens’ workshops and womens’workshops
• Weaving demonstrations
• A historical presentation by Charlie Hohaia about Wellington Tenths
• Pat grace workshop, Demonstrating bone manipulation
• Māori physiotherapy by Mrs Teawhina Riwaka
• Māori nutrition with Rongoā Māori
• Traditional net making demonstrations by Tamati Holmes
• A Drum Ceremony by Bruce Stuart of Tapu Te Ranga Marae
• Drama “A Day at the races” performed by Jim Moriaty and Company
• Te Ao Tawhito Seminar with Amster Reedy
• Dennis Sullivan Astronomer
• Carter Observatory viewing
• School tours
• Seminar by Sue Clark
• Computer Graphics and animation presented by Ian Taylor