He Pakiaka

Tu Tangata, Issue 31, 1 August 1986, Page 32

He Pakiaka

na Janet Hetaraka

HE WHAKAAHUA

He Pakiaka, the carved meeting house in the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing, China, is seen as yet another symbol of the drive of maoridom today.

As the first carved wharehui in any of our embassies overseas, He Pakiaka is also symbolic of the renaissance of maori culture and its firm foothold in the world today.

He Pakiaka was officially opened by the Prime Minister, Mr David Lange, during his recent visit to the People’s Republic of China. It was built by master carvers Pakiariki Harrison of Ngati Porou and Te Warihi Wallace Hetaraka of Ngatiwai during a month long stay in Beijing.

A delegation of 30 Maori were present for the opening to represent their tribal groups who had contributed kowhaiwhai, whakairo, tukutuku and furnishings for He Pakiaka.

They had travelled around the world, undaunted by air stewards strikes, in time to see the finishing touches being made to He Pakiaka.

For Paki, Te Warihi and 15-year-old Fred Harrison it had been a long, hard slog to have the room ready in time, but a challenge that had been met and won.

The taonga had been shipped to China late last year and arrived only a short time before the carvers. In spite of numerous problems and the difficulties of working so far from home a concrete conference room was rebuilt as a wharenui.

Using the skills of their training, patience, humility and heaps of Maori ingenuity they overcame the problems.

On the day of the opening the dawn ceremony to lift the tapu was filled with the wairua created by the mana of He Pakiaka and all those there to bless it.

As some of the nine million citizens of Beijing went about their Tai Chi Chuan on the streets around the embassy they heard a strange and stirring sound ringing through the smoggy chill of the dawn. It was the karanga from the steps of the still sleeping embassy.

Led by Waikato elder Bob Kerr the ancient rite began as the Maori contingent filed silently inside. After blessing their taonga the men broke into haka and the women softly wept. The kaumatua offered their blessings and waiata and the service concluded with a karakia by former race relations concilliator, Mr Hiwi Tauroa who with his wife, Pat, had spearheaded the organisation of the project.

Hiwi asked that all who entered the room would feel peace and be blessed. He said as He Pakiaka represented the root of a tree he hoped the tree would

grow to touch all races. His speech later in the day during the official opening ceremony was delivered in Mandarin, the ancient language of northern China. It was his third visit to China and it was during his previous tour that the idea for He Pakiaka was born.

Mr Lange paid tribute to the drive from within maoridom which had seen He Pakiaka become a reality.

‘‘There was some assistance from the Government —but it was little,” he said.

“The drive from the Maori people with some commercial sponsorship is a symbol of the renaissance in New Zealand today and the Government is trying to catch up,” he said.

Mr Lange thanked the Maori people for venturing to show something of their

heritage to the world and for what He Pakiaka would do for New ZealandChina relations.

“Thank you to all those people whose traditions are now here for all to see. It is a moving occasion in this place to know there is in the Maori world a commitment to keep the flame of tradition alive,” Mr Lange said.

A high point of the opening ceremony came when, aided by his Chinese companions, Mr Rewi Alley took his place amongst the manuhiri.

Mr Lange told him that although he may never see New Zealand again, what he could see there in He Pakiaka was a whole new movement from within the country of his birth.

‘And I am proud of it,” Mr Lange said with more than a hint of emotion in his eyes and voice.

Whaikorero during the official opening was kept remarkably brief to allow Mr Lange to keep to his busy schedule. Speakers were Wanganui elder Peti Tu-

Shown inspecting the panel - which was sponsored by the Auckland-based public company, Ceramco Ltd - are Mr Hiwi Tauroa (right), with his wife, Pat. and Mr Stev e Antunovich, Commercial Manager of the Ceramics Group of Ceramco.

Following negotiations with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the O ffice of the Race Relations Conciliator has been responsible for co-ordinating a project to provide the necessary decoration for a Maori room. As a result seven tukutuku and twelve poupou were shipped to China in late September.

Standing six feet high and four feet wide the panel shown above was created by the Ngati Awa people ofWhakatane and features a traditional arapaki design. This design represents a ladder of human progress, firmly based on mother earth.

Other panels produced for the embassy represent themes based on the heavens or family groupings but, according to Mr Antunovich, Ceramco selected this one as being particularly appropriate to its own process of drawing on the earth for raw materials.

mango, Whata Davis of Ngati Raukawa, Otaki, Rangi Downes of Ngati Tuwharetoa, Joe Karetai representing Ngai Tahu and Toby Curtis, principal of Hato Petera College. Mr Doug Owens of Wellington spoke on behalf of the business groups who provided sponsorship for the project.

He called on Mr Lange to create such a “house of peace” in every New Zealand embassy and others went further and demanded more Maori diplomats to be appointed overseas.

Waiata and karanga were led by Mrs Martha Taiaroa of Taumarunui, Mrs Margaret Davis of Ngati Raukawa and Mrs Beatrice Kerr of Waikato. Maeva Tauroa, 14, a pupil of Auckland Girls Grammar School acted as te puhi for the occasion.

Ambassador, Mr Lindsay Watt, and Mrs Watt hosted a buffet dinner at the embassy for the Prime Minister and the Maori delegation that evening.

It was then the carvers and those involved in the project could begin to relax, their job was finally over.

They have left He Pakiaka, a monument to Maori skill and craftsmanship, as a taonga to be looked after by the diplomatic staff.

The final words must go to Pat Tauroa who has compiled a book about the project to be published soon.

“Because these taonga are the ancestors of the Maori people who created them, they cannot be given away and will always belong to those who gave them. We hope that these ancestors will stand beside Rewi Alley to provide an honoured, trusted and ever strengthening bond between the peoples of China and New Zealand. And in the true spirit of the meaning of He Pakiaka, we hope that these links will extend to all peoples of the world.”

Credit

Credit for He Pakiaka must go to the many skilled minds and hands which worked together to see it to completion.

A book explaining the project in detail has been written by Patricia Tauroa. Along with her husband Hiwi, Pat was involved in the project from the very beginning. Together they undertook the organisation after a visit to China in 1984.

Business groups who are part of the New Zealand China Trade Association gave their financial support.

Nga whakairo

Two epa of Ngati Whatua carved by Allan Nopera. Sponsored by the New Zealand Trade Association and L.D. Nathan & Co. Ngai Tahu epa by Murray Tuatini of Ngai Tahu and Thomas

Morgan, Ngati Maniapoto at Te Awamutu Work Skills Centre under direction of Paki Harrison, Ngati Porou. Sponsored by Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd.

Taranaki epa by Melville Manukonga of Nga Mahanga-a-Tairi at the Tu Tangata Centre, Palmerston North. Sponsored by Westpac Banking Corporation.

Mural sponsored by Bank of New Zealand was carved in China by Te Warihi Hetaraka of Ngati Wai.

Poupou

Ngati Porou by Paki Harrison and Vince Leonard of Ngati Maniapoto sponsored by ANZ Banking Group.

Tuwharetoa carved at the Rangatahi Carving School, Wharauroa Marae, Taumarunui by John and Eddie Ashford and Bill Jonathon who represent the large number of carvers from many tribes at the school. Sponsored by Jesbens N.Z. Ltd.

Waikato by Laurie Nicholas of Ngati Whakaue, Te Arawa at Te Awamutu Work Skills Centre. Sponsored by N.Z. Forest Products Ltd.

Wanganui by Bill Ranginui of Ngati Poutama sub-tribe of Te Atihaunui-a-Paparangi sponsored by the Shipping Corporation of N.Z. Ltd.

Ngati Raukawa by Hone Heke of Ngapuhi now living in Otaki. Sponsored by McDonald Vadco Ltd. Hone attended the opening also. Nga Puhi by Te Warihi Hetaraka and students Albert Taua, Tainui, Aporo Watene and Nathan Haika both Ngati Wai under work skills project of Ngatiwai Trust Board at Whangaruru, Northland. Sponsored by Mair Astley Ltd. Ngati Awa carved by Samual Te Hau-o-te-rangi (Ching) Tutua of Ngati Awa, Whakatane. Sponsored by Tasman Pulp and Paper Co. Ltd.

Whakawae by Paki Harrison sponsored by Turners and Growers. Pou Tuarongo designed by A. Manaki Wilson of Tuhoe and Te Arawa carved by Brian Mitchell, Shane Tamatea, Peter Paul and Dean Karaitiana at Te Purapura Pai

Kokiri Centre, Birkdale, Auckland. Sponsored by Seatrans N.Z. Ltd.

Tukutuku

Arapaki made by the family and friends of Ching Tutua of Whakatane sponsored by Ceramco Ltd.

Purapura Whetu made at Te Runanga of Raukawa by Lorna Perawiti, Loraine Perawiti (who were both in China for the opening), Joe Henare, all of Ngati Wehiwehi, Karen Wiwarena of Ngati Tuwharetoa and Karen Hollow of Ngati Kahungunu. Sponsored by U.E.B. Wool Group.

Mumu by Rii Templeton of Ngati Tuwharetoa, Wanganui assisted by her husband. Sponsored by N.Z. Co-operative Wool Marketing Association Ltd.

Aramoana Taupo by Martha Taiaroa of Taumarunui who also went to Beijing, assisted by her mother-in-law, Mrs Grace Taiaroa. Sponsored by the Bay of Plenty Harbour Board, Port of Tauranga.

Poutama, Pororangi & Purapura Whetu by Hinemoa Harrison of Ngapuhi assisted by Debbie Smith, Ngati Kahungunu, Raewyn Taute, Waikato, Mereana Hohepa and Loretta Wihi, Ngati Maniapoto at Te Awamutu Work Skills Centre. Sponsored by M.A.C. Armstrong & Family on behalf of N.Z. Fasteners Stainless Steel Group and Bank of New Zealand.

Kowhaiwhai

By staff, students and visitors to the Maori Studies Department, Palmerston North Teachers College under guidance of senior lecturer in Maori Studies, Sam Rolleston of Ngaiterangi-Ngatiraninui of Matakana Island in the Bay of Plenty.

More than 80 people contributed to these works. Sponsors were ANZ Banking Group, Owens Investments Ltd., L.D. Nathan & Co. Ltd., N.Z. China Trade Association, Fletcher Wood & Panels Ltd., Pyne, Gould, Guinness Ltd. and Timaru Harbour Board.

Drapes were designed and screen printed in Chinese silk by Don Soloman of Nga Puhi and Te Aupouri at the Outreach Centre, Auckland. Sponsored by H.R.B. Jacobi Ltd.

The woollen floor rug was designed by Maud Cook of Nga Puhi and handcrafted by Sallee Carpets in Auckland. Donated by the New Zealand Wool Board. Maud was also there to see her work in place.

Lamp bases were made by the Whakatohea Maori Trust Board School of Pottery, Te Maori Ethnic Art unit in Opotiki sponsored by Westpac.