This is a story from our monthly newsletter, Heritage this Month.

Niki Partsch | Arowhena, South Waikato

The recent conservation clean of Hoturoa, a 135-year-old whare tupuna standing at Aotearoa Marae, involved one of our most seasoned Māori Built Specialists and one of the newest. 

Opened in 1888, the striking black and white painted whare tupuna (ancestral house) was named by King Tawhiao for the tohunga and captain of the Tainui waka. Rangikatua is the name of the whare moe. The people of Aotearoa Pā are Raukawa ki Wharepūhunga.

Jasmine Hemi Poārahi Tautiaki Taonga and Jim Schuster Senior Pouārahi Māori Built Heritage were called in to assess the condition of Hoturoa, and found some issues related to moisture and mould. In Jim’s words, this wharenui, “needs a bit of work.”  

Mya Dixon, who has recently joined the team as Mātauranga Māori Pou Taituarā, had the opportunity to work alongside Jim and Jasmine. As this is a large whare, the task ahead of them was quite extensive. Working at height, from scaffolding and ladders, they cleaned all the kaho paetara (purlins), heke (rafters), the tāhuhu (ridge beam), pou tokomanawa (central poles) and kākaho (toetoe stems) that line the ceiling. During the cleaning, the team shifted any kākaho that had dropped out of place and removed the frayed sheaths. “This mahi was very satisfying. Our cleaning allowed us to reveal the true colours of the kōwhaiwhai and kākaho,” says Jasmine. 

"It's not every day that you get to spend time up-close with a wharenui. From the kōwhaiwhai details to the kākaho craftsmanship, it was gratifying to see the project brought back to its original form. I was also privileged to learn from not only Hoturoa, but Jim and Jasmine, who welcomed my curiosity and eagerness by holding space for me to listen, understand and engage throughout the project. Their wisdom imparted a strong sense of responsibility and pride in preserving the traditions for future generations," says Mya.