1. Mark Adams and Nicholas Thomas 2. Roger Neich Carved Histories, Context is everything Raaru, Tene Waitere, Ma¯ori carving, Nga¯ti Tara¯whai Woodcarving, colonial history, University of Otago Auckland University Press, 2001 Press, 2009

The journey of the whare Hinemihi Hinemihi and Waitere steps Ma¯ori took to secure the site of the Buried Village. begins in the early 19th their cultural patrimony in Funded from revenues from the desolation of the Mt Tarawera century before the artist’s the face of these, at times, created by visitors to the birth in 1854. In the mid life threatening forces. Terraces (which at their peak eruption in 1886 to a new home in the 1820s the traditional Te Tene Waitere’s early history topped 6000 pounds per grounds of a Palladian manor house in homelands of the is ample demonstration annum or about one million Rotorua Lakes area was of the deeply interwoven dollars in present day terms) an English country garden is a grand the subject of numerous bloodlines and kinship the whare was intended battles and skirmishes with that sit at the heart of the as a community centre for arc that encompasses war, devastation raiding Nga¯puhi war parties, Nga¯ti Tara¯whai school. It functions and performances. and recontextualisation. It is also the most notably led by Hongi brings to mind a similar It was also very much Hika. It was after the 1823 vigorous, dynastic and intended as an assertion of story of the enduring legacy of one of attack on Mokoia island creative powerhouse: that of Te Arawa commercial mana. ’s greatest carver artists that Waitere’s mother Ani the Bellini of 16th century Legend has it that Hinemihi Pape, herself a half- sister Venice and bears all the o te Ao Tawhito (of the old Tene Waitere. A+O’s Hamish Coney to another Nga¯ti Tara¯whai same hallmarks: multi- world) was soon referred to master carver Anaha Te generational, with blurred as Hinemihi of the golden visited Clandon Park in Surrey to gain Rahui (1822 – 1913), was lines of authorship and eyes in reference to the gold an insight into Hinemihi’s physical and carried away as a prisoner collaboration, but most of sovereigns that reputedly by Nga¯puhi to the Bay of all both the Nga¯ti Tara¯whai replaced the more usual cultural context. Photographs by Sarah Islands. Forcibly married carvers of the 19th and paua shells used to represent into the Nga¯puhi tribe, Ani early 20th century and the eyes within carved figures – Smuts-Kennedy. bore two children before Bellini in their era were a ‘new world’ affectation, but she was returned to Rotorua acknowledged as peerless tellingly an indication that Driving through the leafy in the colony, effectively by her brother Anaha in exemplars of their art. Te Arawa were very much lanes of Surrey on a balmy saving the ailing whare 1857. The influence of aware of the commercial English summer’s day is not and removing it from its Christian missionaries had The story of Hinemihi power they had developed. In one of life’s greater chores. homeland forever. That discouraged the traditional is bound up with that less than ten years Te Wairoa After an hour or so bowling Hinemihi is still standing practice of taking battle of the resourceful and became one of the wealthiest along the M3 from London some 122 years later is a slaves and moves were made entrepreneurial Te Arawa villages in New Zealand. we take the Guildford turn cause for celebration and to repatriate those taken people of the mid 19th off and soon find ourselves thanks for the prescience of during the conflict of the century. Tarawera and Lake That all changed early on in an extremely green and the Earl of Onslow at a time 1820s. Anaha returned his Rotomohana in the centre the morning of 10 June, 1886 pleasant land. The adjoining when the whare’s survival sister and children into the of their tribal rohe in the with the eruption of Mt. counties are Hampshire, was very much in the Nga¯ti Tara¯whai heartland of had become Tarawera, the destruction of Sussex, Kent and Berkshire balance. Ruato on the shores of Lake a major tourist attraction, the Pink and White Terraces of Wind in the Willows Rotoiti. It was here a young a geothermal wonderland. and the scattering of the fame. We are in the heart Hinemihi was not unknown Tene was apprenticed to be The jewel in the crown, Te Arawa people. Hinemihi of the fertile English Home to me, having first come a carver under the tutelage the famed Pink and White was one of the few surviving Counties – a pastoral idyll of onto my radar via both of the master Wero Taroi Terraces had become the structures in a volcanic thatched roofs, country pubs photographer Mark (circa 1810 – 1880) with biggest drawcard in Aotearoa onslaught which claimed and the occasional squirrel. Adams peerless body of whom he collaborated on in the 1870s. Tourism was 153 lives including many of work1 focussing on the numerous projects including in its infancy, but Te Arawa the residents of Te Wairoa. Our destination is Clandon achievement of the Nga¯ti Hinemihi. His sister were becoming wealthy on Tene Waitere and his family Park, the family seat of the Tara¯whai master Tene Mereana married another the proceeds of this dazzling were amongst the handful Onslow family, amongst Waitere (1854 – 1931) and Nga¯ti Tara¯whai master Neke natural wonder. of survivors who took refuge whose descendants was the pre-eminence accorded Kapua. Waitere’s turbulent within Hinemihi which the fourth earl, William Tene by Professor Roger early history throws into Hinemihi was almost buckled under the Hillier Onslow (1853 – 1911) Neich in his definitive relief two enduring threads: commissioned by the weight of volcanic debris. Governor General of New history of Ma¯ori carving in the effects of displacement Tu¯hourangi chief Aporo Te Zealand from 1889 to 1892. the post-colonial era Carved endured by Ma¯ori as conflict Wharekaniwha and opened Hinemihi arrived at Clandon It was Onslow who acquired Histories.2 and colonisation after the in early 1881 situated at the Park in April 1892 and has Hinemihi in the early 1890s Treaty of Waitangi redrew village of Te Wairoa near spent her last 122 years in as a memento of his time The dramatic sweep of tribal, economic, and the entrance to the Pink and relative seclusion on the political boundaries and the White Terraces. Today this is grounds of the estate. In

Content: Issue 2 page 25 this time she has acquired a of encountering a Ma¯ori opens a visual discourse that to take up the position of Dunedin. She also worked few odd additions including whare in the grounds of a is at once perplexing and House Manager at Clandon on an important project the thick thatch roof in Palladian mansion in rural inviting. Two very different Park it soon becomes clear documenting the extensive 1978, believed to be an error England. The visitor sees the but intertwined cultures are that Hinemihi is doing some collection of the Waitangi arising from the appearance house first, surrounded by engaged in architectural heavy cultural lifting for Treaty house and environs. of the whare covered in ash expanses of lawn and formal dialogue. For the New Aotearoa as a centre for the immediately after the 1886 gardens. The house is the Zealand visitor this first activities of the UK Ma¯ori Since 1956 The National eruption. work of Venetian architect encounter comes freighted community whose activities Trust has managed Giacomo Leoni (circa 1686 – with two centuries of history are co-ordinated by the Nga¯ti Clandon Park. In recent This dramatic history 1746) and dates to the early and feels emotionally Ra¯nana London Ma¯ori Club years Hinemihi’s condition precedes the visitor to 1730s. charged. Regardless of and as a site of pilgrimage and future conservation Clandon Park in 2014. whether the viewer has any for New Zealanders, requirements have become Hinemihi’s story and her At a distance of some one knowledge of Hinemihi’s including the New Zealand a priority and an active plan place within the narrative hundred and fifty metres journey it is impossible Olympic Team in 2012. has been formulated to of both New Zealand and from the mansion, Hinemihi not to be transfixed by the ensure that the 122 year old the grand Nga¯ti Tara¯whai sits sheltered amongst whare’s presence as well as Ms Nodder has extensive whare enjoy a long future as tradition is both incredible a grouping of trees and the magnificent setting. experience in New Zealand one of New Zealand’s most and assured. Still, all of shrubs. She faces the main via roles at Te Papa, The significant taonga outside that does not prepare the house and the tension In discussion with Claire Whangarei Museum and our shores. New Zealand visitor for the created between the two Nodder who has recently Heritage Park and the almost surreal experience very different structures returned from New Zealand Otago Settlers Museum in The establishment of the

Content: Issue 2 page 26 Content: Issue 2 page 27 friends of Hinemihi group work is undertaken. Basic lives of . Schuster is also Te Maru O Hinemihi3 in 2012 security and fire alarm a key member of Te Maru has helped to strengthen systems will be installed as O Hinemihi and uniquely ties to Nga¯ti Ra¯nana, the well and measures taken to placed to share his vision for local community and Nga¯ti ensure weather tightness the future of the displaced Hinemihi in New Zealand. all year round. There have whare, “she needs people The group has been working been a number of partial and to be able to cater for with the National Trust to cleans and restorations her visitors. When she is consult with stakeholders in recent times but the ready to come home she to formulate a plan for substantive plan proposed will. Probably that will not Hinemihi’s long term by the National Trust will be in my lifetime. Today she care. The aim is to restore require substantial funding. is doing an important job the whare as close to her As Content magazine is for UK based Ma¯ori, their original form as is possible. published the Clandon children and visitors.” He A number of significant Park team, the National goes on to explain that in changes are proposed. Trust in conjunction with the course of time most For example the house Te Maru O Hinemihi are marae houses are constantly is approximately a third preparing a funding bid upgraded to meet the needs smaller in form that her to the UK Heritage Lottery of a marae and iwi, “You original footprint at Te Fund to secure funds that know she has survived two Wairoa and the goal is to will greenlight this major world wars when there rectify this and to conserve restoration project. were bombs dropping all all of the twenty three major around but today she needs carvings. This work will Perhaps the final word a few basic upgrades like involve the dismantling of needs to come from Jim electricity, proper windows Hinemihi and conservation Schuster, Tene Waitere’s and floors and even and strengthening of all great, great grandson. sanitation so guests can stay of her structural parts and Schuster is a Ma¯ori heritage in the whare overnight. With the replacement of the adviser at Heritage New funding we can attend to Burton Brothers Frederick Muir for Burton Brothers current thatched roof with a Zealand Pouhere Taonga and these practicalities”. Aporo and Ngareta at Wairoa Rununga House, Wairoa, after shingle roof as she enjoyed has enormous experience Circa 1881–5 eruption June 10. 86 albumen print July 1886 when first constructed in engaging with marae albumen print in 1881. Already work has and historic whare as Burton Brothers image courtesy of Michael Graham- begun on the creation both important artistic Rununga House (Hinemihi), Wairoa Stewart of new woven tukutuku taonga and living buildings Circa 1881–5 panels to be installed when performing vital social 3. to find out about the activities albumen print of Te Maru O Hinemihi see www. the complete restoration functions within the daily hinemihi.co.uk/

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