Hapū from Northland's Bay of Islands sad its story missed from Tuia 250 events

Monday, 30 September 2019

Kara George, kaumatua of Ngāpuhi hapū Te Kapotai, says an official Tuia 250 event at Waikare Marae would recognise Te Koukou's encounter.

A Far North hapū is dismayed to be left out of events commemorating the first onshore encounters between Māori and Pākehā.

It comes just weeks after a Northland iwi banned a replica of The Endeavour from docking in Mangonui as part of the same commemorations.

The Tuia - Encounters 250 commemorations acknowledge Captain James Cook's coming ashore in 1769.

Kara George, kaumatua of Ngāpuhi hapū Te Kapotai wants an official Tuia 250 event at Waikare Marae to recognise Te Koukou's encounter.

But the $23 million nationwide events have been marked with controversy, with indigenous rights activists calling them 'tone-deaf' and Far North iwi Ngāti Kahu banning The Endeavour replica from docking, calling Cook 'a barbarian'.

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The HMB Endeavour, a replica of Cook's original ship, is in New Zealand for the Tuia 250 commemorations.

Now Ngāpuhi hapū Te Kapotai is upset to be left out of the formal celebrations in the Bay of Islands, saying tourism is being favoured over history.

Kaumatua Kara George said the hapū would like one day at Waikere Marae in the formal events, to mark the story of tīpuna (ancestor) Te Koukou and his interaction with Cook's Tahitian navigator Tupaia.

But he was told there was no time and no money for a hapū commemoration at Waikere, with the focus on Waitangi and Kororāreka (Russell).

'This probably isn't about hapū – this is probably more about business and tourism, which is OK, but I thought we were celebrating duel heritage history,' he said.

Manatū Taonga, the Ministry of Culture and Heritage, said the Waikere Marae event clashed with a powhiri at Te Tii Marae in Waitangi, planned months in advance.

Waikare Marae in Northland's Bay of Islands will be the site of an unofficial Tuia 250 commemoration.

The marae would not get funding for the event because its request came after funding applications closed.

George said Te Kapotai would have to dip into its own pocket to hire marquees and seating for the commemoration.

Waikare Marae's event will feature double-hulled sailing canoe (waka hourua) from Tahiti such as Hoturoa Barclay-Kerr's Haunui.

While he acknowledged some Māori did not support commemorating Cook's landing, he said history could not be reversed.

However, he said Tuia 250 organisers should have involved hapū from the start.

'They were naive to think everybody would want to celebrate 250 years of Captain Cook … The number of people killed should've given them some warning.'

Ministry for Culture and Heritage deputy chief executive Tamsin Evans said it was hoped everyone could be involved in the Tuia 250 commemorations, including whānau, hapū and iwi, as well as school children.

'Tuia 250 is about providing a platform for everyone to express or tell their stories in an environment and in a way that best suits them.

'There are untold stories being shared, there have been protests and disagreements – it is all part of ensuring all voices and views are heard.'

TE KOUKOU'S STORY

Te Koukou's interaction with Cook turned out to be positive, thanks to the intervention of the Tahitian Tupaia, George said.

When Cook and his men landed in Motuarohia Island in the Bay of Islands, they were greeted by a large number of Māori, most likely performing pōwhiri and haka, he said.

Feeling threatened, Cook drew a line in the sand, with his men shooting Māori who crossed the line, including Te Koukou, who was a young chief at the time.

But later that day, Tupaia – who spoke a language similar to te reo Māori – visited Te Koukou at Waikare and treated his gunshot wound.

As a sign of thanks, Te Koukou gave Tupaia a carved whale tooth pendant and bone heru (comb). Those items were now in a United Kingdom museum, George said.

To mark the interaction, Waikare Marae would have a celebration on November 8, starting at 5.30am with Tahitian waka bringing mauri (life force) stones from Raiatea.