Manawatū tamariki embrace Rangitāne's past and present

Wednesday, 23 September 2020

Pupils of Somerset Crescent Primary School in Palmerston North visit Te Rangimarie Marae at Rangiotū.

Primary school pupils laughed and learned about their local iwi as kaumātua wove tales of tipuna (ancestors) and taught tikanga (customs) at a Manawatū marae.

Wiremu Kingi Te Awe Awe welcomed Somerset Crescent School pupils, from Palmerston North, on to Rangitāne o Manawatū marae with open arms on Monday.

His marae, Te Rangimarie, the heavenly peace, at Rangiotu, was built in 1868 as an ode to the peacemaking nature of the iwi.

Rangitāne’s Hoani Meihana, one of the first Māori in the region to convert to Christianity, helped bring peace between the warring Rangitāne and Ngāti Raukawa as they stood ready for battle.

**READ MORE:

Lucien Robinson Teni-Teni learns to hongi with Rangitāne kaumātua Wiremu Kingi Te Awe Awe, left. Waiting in line are fellow pupils.

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Te Awe Awe teaches the pupils to role play important events in local Māori history.

* Te Marae o Hine: Turning ignorance into understanding

Trieste Te Awe Awe watches as Aareta Mohi explains aspects of Māori culture to the pupils.

Te Awe Awe, with the help of pupils, re-enacted the discussions Meihana had with Rangitāne chief Te Peeti Te Awe Awe and Ngāti Raukawa chiefs.

Meihana used the Bible to bring peace before Te Peeti could unleash the firearms he’d bought to take down the neighbouring tribe.

It’s part of what sparked the name Te Marae o Hine in the heart of Palmerston North. The acceptance of the name only furthered the peaceful relations Rangitāne enjoyed with Ngāti Raukawa, as well as cultivating positive relationships with Pākehā settling in the region.

Te Peeti told his whānau before his death, “kua kaupapa i au te aroha, ma koutou e whakaoti”, which translated to: “I have laid the foundation of friendship for you to bring to completion”, and more than 130 years later his mokopuna (descendants) are keeping to his kaupapa (principles).

Somerset Crescent School teacher Darnielle Wright is glad the children had an opportunity to visit the marae.

Aareta Mohi, Te Awe Awe’s mokopuna, spoke to the tamariki (children), teaching them about traditions such as the role of wāhine (women) on the marae.

The 18-year-old kura kaupapa student said it was sad many people didn't have much knowledge about Te Marae o Hine, Rangitāne or Māori history.

“For our kids to come out here, they’re the ones that are going to carry that on tomorrow.

“It's really important because if we don't share it or pass down our knowledge to the next generation then that information is going to be lost.”

About 2000 tamaraki from locals schools visit Te Rangimarie each year.

Arihia Te Oka, 10, was excited to learn about Rangitāne and its history in Manawatū.

“I love Māori. I love to go anywhere that involves Māori.”

It was good visiting the marae because some pupils hadn’t been exposed to Māori culture before, Arihia said.

“I think it’s because they weren’t really raised with it, but they’re starting to learn it in school.”

Somerset Crescent School teacher Darnielle Wright, of Bay of Plenty iwi Whakatōea, said it was great to give the tamariki the chance to embrace Māori culture and Rangitāne.

“I think it’s a priority that we should acknowledge indigenous culture. The kids are just having so much fun.

“Building that relationship with the local people here, now that we’ve set that I know that we will return all the time. We might have a noho (sleepover) and the kids will learn some more stories.”