WHARENUI
KaupapaMāor
i
Education Resource
Laurence Aberhart Photographer
Laurence Aberhart
City Gallery Wellington
May 12 –July 29, 2007
Laurence Aberhart, Te Waiherehere, Koroniti, Whanganui River,
29 May 1986. Courtesy of the artist.
This resource includes:
1. Cliff Whiting, Te Hono ki Hawaiki, Museum of New Zealand
Te Papa Tongarewa.
 A definition of wharenui
 Selected examples of wharenui.
 A architectural work of artist Cliff
Whiting -- Rongomaraeroa and
artist biography.
 A study of L
aur
enc
eAber
har
t
’
s
photographic investigation of
Māor
i
culture
 Pre and post visit suggestions
Education resource compiled Janina Konia, Educ
at
or
,Māori and J
ul
i
eNoanoa,
Educ
at
or
,Māori, City Gallery Wellington, Te Whare Toi.
City Gallery Wellington Schools Education Programmes are supported by LEOTC (Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom), funded by the Ministry of Education.
All images contained within this Education Resource appear courtesy of the artist and are for education and research purposes only. The artist retains copyright of the
images. No image may be copied or reproduced without permission of the artist.
1
WHARENUI
“
On the marae, spiritual and physical centres of our communities, our art continues to live
alongside our ancestors. Because our art is centred within the more formal setting of the marae,
all the different forms are able to interact and relate with each other. The significance of the
marae, then, is its importance as the context for all our art –music, the haka or dance, the oratory,
painting and weaving, carving –al
l
ofwhi
c
hr
ei
nf
or
c
et
heMāor
i
wayofl
i
f
e.Forwhi
l
et
hef
or
msof
the art may change, the marae will always be the same”
.
Quoted by Cliff Whiting in Te Waka Toi Contemporary Art from New Zealand, 1992.
Wharenui (Meeting House)
The wharenui stands on the marae, and is a powerful symbol of identity and community. New
Zealand has thousands of wharenui around the country. Each is representative of local iwi and is
carved and uncarved, large and small.
Symbolism
•Tipuna/Tupuna/ancestor
•Identity
•Community
•Tribal History
•Shelter
•Comfort and belonging
•Ranginui and Papatuanuku
and their children
Artistic features
•Whakairo/ Wood carving
•Tukutuku/Latticework
•Kō
whai
wahi
/
non-fugurative
painted rafters
These are visual practices still practiced today that tell usaboutwor
l
dv
i
ewsofi
wi
,hapūand
whānauf
r
om s
pec
i
f
i
cpl
ac
eandt
i
me.
Cont
empor
ar
yMāor
i
Vi
s
ual
Ar
t
s
•Relating past, present and future
•Investigations of cultural change
•New ways artists respond to their environment
•Personal history and stories
•Acknowledgement of ancestral ties
•Use of traditional customaries in a new and innovative way
‘
T
aong
aort
r
eas
ur
esembodyal
l
t
hos
et
hi
ng
st
hatr
epr
es
ent our culture. The histories, tribal
narrative and traditions, memories, experiences and stories all combine to help define and
identity us as Māor
i
peopl
e.Ourt
r
eas
ur
esar
emuc
hmor
et
hatobj
ec
t
sd’
ar
tf
ort
heyar
el
i
v
i
ngi
n
every sense of the work and carry the love and pride of those who fashioned them, handled and
c
ar
es
s
edt
hem,andpas
s
edt
hem onf
orf
ur
t
herg
ener
at
i
ons
’
.Hak
i
wai
,1996,pag
e54.
Education resource compiled Janina Konia, Educ
at
or
,Māori and J
ul
i
eNoanoa,
Educ
at
or
,Māori, City Gallery Wellington, Te Whare Toi.
City Gallery Wellington Schools Education Programmes are supported by LEOTC (Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom), funded by the Ministry of Education.
All images contained within this Education Resource appear courtesy of the artist and are for education and research purposes only. The artist retains copyright of the
images. No image may be copied or reproduced without permission of the artist.
2
EXAMPLES OF WHARENUI
Pipitea Marae Thorndon Quay,Wellington/1982
This whare is positioned close to the original site of the Pipitea
Pa. The meeting house was built in 1982, but is of the
traditional shape. Carved bargeboards and ridgepole
complete a resemblance to older meeting
houses. Both the design and construction were carried out by
Wilkins & Davies.
Rongopai Waituhi, Poverty Bay/1883
This house is also associated with Te Kooti, created in
anticipation of Te Kooti's return to his people after he was
pardoned by the Government. Te Kooti planned a visit in 1887
to open the house but was rearrested and
imprisoned in Mt Eden Gaol. This is a painted house and
representing Maori architecture in transition.
Awhakaueroa Kai Iwi, near Wanganui/1911
For this whare fret-worked bargeboards are used instead of the
carved maihi. Such appropriation of European architectural detail
was not uncommon during a period when the survival of
traditional Māor
i
ar
t
swere in doubt.
Maketu House Otawhao Pa/1844
Maketu House was built by Puatiai, the late chief of Otawhao Pa, to
commemorate the talking of Maketu on the East Coast. The two figures
withprotruding tongues on each side of the verandah entrance represent
Hikarea, a chief of Tauranga and Tarea another chief. The lower figure
supporting the central pole is Taipari, a chief of Tauranga. The upper
figure is for Tara, who was slain at Taranaki. The figure on the central
gable represents Puke, killed at Rotorua, and the one on the top,
Wakatau. The figures surrounding the exterior of the house all represent
various parties connected with the war.
Images and information sourced from:http://www.ucnet.pe. And: A History of New Zealand Architecture 2003, Peter Shaw
Photography Robin Morrison and Paul McCredie
Education resource compiled Janina Konia, Educ
at
or
,Māori and J
ul
i
eNoanoa,
Educ
at
or
,Māori, City Gallery Wellington, Te Whare Toi.
City Gallery Wellington Schools Education Programmes are supported by LEOTC (Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom), funded by the Ministry of Education.
All images contained within this Education Resource appear courtesy of the artist and are for education and research purposes only. The artist retains copyright of the
images. No image may be copied or reproduced without permission of the artist.
3
CLIFF WHITING
“
Cl
i
f
fi
soneoft
hehi
g
hl
ys
i
g
ni
f
i
c
antMaor
i
ar
t
i
s
t
swhot
ookt
het
r
adi
t
i
onal
ar
t
sofMaor
i
i
nt
ot
he20t
h
c
ent
ur
yandbey
ond.
”“
Now,asi
ny
ear
st
oc
ome,whenourmok
opunas
t
udyar
toft
hi
ser
a, Cliff
Whi
t
i
ng
’
swor
kwi
l
l
s
t
andoutashav
i
ngf
or
g
ednewc
ul
t
ur
al
di
r
ec
t
i
onsf
orMaor
i
”
.“
I
npar
t
i
c
ul
ar
,
hei
s
renowned not only for his exceptional and bold use of colour but also his unique treatment of form and
shape. His work challenges misconceptions about how Maori carving and contemporary art can be
s
uc
c
es
s
f
ul
l
yf
us
edt
og
et
herasi
nT
eMar
ae,T
ePapaT
ong
ar
ewa”
.
Quot
edbyEl
i
z
abet
hEl
l
i
si
n
http://www.creativenz.govt.nz.
•Bor
ni
nT
eKaha in 1936
•Teacher trained
•Art advisor for the Department of Education
•L
ec
t
ur
eri
nMāor
i
ar
tatPal
mer
s
t
onNor
t
hT
eac
her
’
sCol
l
eg
e
•Illustrator for school publications
•Memberoft
heMāor
i
Adv
i
s
or
yBoar
doft
heNewZeal
and
Historic Places Trust
•Te Kaihautu of Te Papa Tongarewa, Museum of New Zealand
(1995-2000)
•Deputy Chair of the Queen Elizabeth ll Arts Council
•Foundat
i
onmemberandc
hai
roft
heMāor
i
andSout
hPac
i
f
i
c
Arts Council
•Member of the Order of New Zealand
Artist Themes, Ideas and Influences
•Cul
t
ur
eandI
dent
i
t
yi
nNew Zealand
•Māor
i
Ar
tandCul
t
ur
e
•Mar
ae
•Bi
-culturalism
•Cul
t
ur
al
r
epr
es
ent
at
i
onsandi
deasaboutMāor
i
andPakehahi
s
t
or
y
•Cont
empor
ar
ypr
oc
es
s
esandpr
ac
t
i
c
es
•I
nnov
at
i
v
er
epr
es
ent
at
i
onsofi
dent
i
t
y
Whiting has created some of the most memorable and prominent installations in New Zealand such
as the work in the Christchurch High Court, the National Library of New Zealand, National Archives,
Otago Museum and the marae at Te Papa Tongarewa.
Education resource compiled Janina Konia, Educ
at
or
,Māori and J
ul
i
eNoanoa,
Educ
at
or
,Māori, City Gallery Wellington, Te Whare Toi.
City Gallery Wellington Schools Education Programmes are supported by LEOTC (Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom), funded by the Ministry of Education.
All images contained within this Education Resource appear courtesy of the artist and are for education and research purposes only. The artist retains copyright of the
images. No image may be copied or reproduced without permission of the artist.
4
RONGOMARAEROA
Te Hono ki Hawaiki
Cliff Whiting, Te Hono ki Hawaiki (Te Papa Wharenui), mixed media.1
T
ePapaT
ong
ar
ewa’
sUr
banMar
ae
T
hev
i
s
i
onofT
ePapa’
smar
aewast
oc
r
eat
eac
ommunal
s
pac
ef
oral
l
NewZeal
ander
st
of
eel
c
onnec
t
edt
o;
a
place for all to stand and belong. Cliff Whiting helped Te Papa realize their vision with the wharenui Te Hono ki
Hawaiki. The space consists of a Te Ara a Hine and Te Ara a Tane (paths into marae) Marae atea (place of
encounter) and a Wharenui –Te Hono ki Hawaiki (meeting house) - this is collectively known as
Rongomarearoa.
Themes
* Identity * Bicultural identity * Bicultural partnership * A sense of belonging * Spiritual acceptance * Iwi
relationships * The natural elements.
Symbolism
Tipuna/Tupuna/Ancestor. The marae floor is Papatuanuku/Earth mother. Above is
Rang
i
nui
/
s
k
yf
at
her
.T
hewhar
enui
i
sr
epr
es
ent
at
i
v
eoft
hei
rs
onT
ānemahut
a.
What does it mean?
Whi
t
i
ng
’
swor
kmakesdes
i
g
nr
ef
er
enc
est
oPāk
ehā,As
i
anandPol
y
nes
i
anc
ul
t
ur
e.
T
hec
ar
v
edf
i
g
ur
esr
ef
l
ec
t
the origins and occupations of these people. All iwi and other cultures whose treasures and stories are at Te
Papa are represented throughout the contemporary carved and painted figures. The marae is about identity, in
par
t
i
c
ul
arournat
i
on’
sbi
c
ul
t
ur
al
i
dent
i
t
yandi
satt
hehear
toft
heMus
eum,s
y
mbol
i
s
i
ngT
ePapa’
sbi
c
ul
t
ur
al
partnership. There was much consultation and flexibility during the development of protocols for
Rongomaraeroa, to ensure all iwi were accommodated.
What
’
si
naname?
Rongomaraeroa is the name of a place in the heavens where issues were discussed and peace made. Te
Hono ki Hawaiki is about our spiritual origins and connections to Hawaiki. ‘
Ac
c
ept
i
ngt
hi
ss
pi
r
i
t
ual
i
deaof
Hawaiki enables all people to regard the Marae as a place for them to stand –a place to which they can
2
belong.’
1
Image credit: www.tepapa.govt.nz, May 2007.
2
http://www.tepapa.govt.nz
Education resource compiled Janina Konia, Educ
at
or
,Māori and J
ul
i
eNoanoa,
Educ
at
or
,Māori, City Gallery Wellington, Te Whare Toi.
City Gallery Wellington Schools Education Programmes are supported by LEOTC (Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom), funded by the Ministry of Education.
All images contained within this Education Resource appear courtesy of the artist and are for education and research purposes only. The artist retains copyright of the
images. No image may be copied or reproduced without permission of the artist.
5
Laurence Aberhart
Laurence Aberhart, Te Waiherehere, Koroniti, Whanganui River,
29 May 1986. Courtesy of the artist.
“
Over the past twenty-five years, Aberhart has photographed marae and urupa (graveyard) in
Northland, Urewera and elsewhere. These images are the byproduct of a great many car rides along
rough roads, many preliminary visits, much observance of protocol, korero and, finally, the slow
business of setting up the camera and taking the picture.
Without ignoring the entanglements of place, culture and history that permeate the history of New
Zeal
and/Aot
ear
oa,Aber
har
t
’
si
magesofmar
aeandwhar
enui
ev
okeas
t
at
eofequi
l
i
br
i
um.L
i
kehi
s
Northland churches, they are meeting placesofMāor
i
andWes
t
er
nt
r
adi
t
i
onsi
nwhi
c
hf
r
amed
photographs coexist with traditional rafter patterns.
At the heart of Aberhart’
s meditations onMāor
i
culture and history is the five-par
twor
k‘
T
hePr
i
s
oner
s
Dr
eam’
,amedi
t
at
i
onsont
hepl
i
ght
soft
heMāor
i
pr
i
s
oner
staken f
r
om Par
i
hakaPā,T
ar
anaki
,af
t
er
the settlement was invaded by colonial troops in 1881. Many of the prisoners were detained on
Ripapa Island in Lyttelton Harbour- where Aberhart made four of his five exposures- then shipped as
far south as Dunedin, where they were held, in some cases for years, without trial. The photographs
convey not only the sensory deprivation suffered by the prisoners but also their homesickness as
their thoughts returned to Maunga Taranaki –the landform at the c
ent
r
eoft
hes
equenc
e.
”
Gr
eg
or
yO’
Br
i
en, 2007, Senior Curator, City Gallery Wellington.
Education resource compiled Janina Konia, Educ
at
or
,Māori and J
ul
i
eNoanoa,
Educ
at
or
,Māori, City Gallery Wellington, Te Whare Toi.
City Gallery Wellington Schools Education Programmes are supported by LEOTC (Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom), funded by the Ministry of Education.
All images contained within this Education Resource appear courtesy of the artist and are for education and research purposes only. The artist retains copyright of the
images. No image may be copied or reproduced without permission of the artist.
6
WHARENUI
At the Gallery:
Bas
edont
hewor
kofL
aur
enc
eAber
har
t
’
ss
er
i
esofphot
og
r
aphsi
nt
heAberhart exhibition titled
‘
T
angat
a’
,s
t
udent
swi
l
l
ex
ami
nephot
og
r
aphsofwhar
enui
.St
udent
spar
t
i
c
i
pat
i
ngi
nwor
ks
hopswi
l
l
identify elements of traditional wharenui and the place of wharenui in communities.
Curriculum Links:
NgāT
oi
/
The arts –Students will investigate the form and purpose of traditional poupou (carved
figures) and how the motifs and designs used on them represent different Iwi (tribes).
Tikanga-a-iwi/Social Studies - Students will investigate various forms of whare-nui and their place in
T
eaoMāor
i
.
Te reo Maori/Māor
i
l
anguage- Students will learn the terminology for the cultural and structural
elements of the whare-nui.
PRE AND POST VISIT SUGGESTIONS
T
er
eoMāor
i
/
Soc
i
al
St
udi
es
/
Vi
s
ual
Ar
t
s
Symbols in Whakairo
•Find two or three examples of whakairo from different wharenui and try to identify as many of the parts as
you can. Identify the following symbols:
t
i
ki
,manai
a,kor
u,kōwhai
whai
.
•Research regional styles of whakairo, and write about the styles of your chosen examples. Which region are
your examples from and how can we tell? Discuss or write about symmetry, representation, symbols and their
significance, similarities and differences.
•I
npai
r
sr
es
ear
c
hands
el
ec
tanex
ampl
eofawhar
enui
f
r
om t
heear
l
y1900’
s
,andonef
rom later than 1950.
Identify the differences, and look at how the houses have changed over time. What are the reasons for these
dev
el
opment
st
hr
oug
houtMāor
i
v
i
s
ual
c
ul
t
ur
e?
•Discuss with students the meaning of the word tipuna/tupuna/ancestor. Ask them to think about how
ancestors are remembered in their homes. Get students to research stories that are told about their
ancestors. See how far back they can trace their family history.
•I
naMāor
i
di
c
t
i
onar
y
, look up the words mauri, mana atua, mana tangata and mana whenua. Identify the
parts of the wharenui that make reference to these words.
Education resource compiled Janina Konia, Educ
at
or
,Māori and J
ul
i
eNoanoa,
Educ
at
or
,Māori, City Gallery Wellington, Te Whare Toi.
City Gallery Wellington Schools Education Programmes are supported by LEOTC (Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom), funded by the Ministry of Education.
All images contained within this Education Resource appear courtesy of the artist and are for education and research purposes only. The artist retains copyright of the
images. No image may be copied or reproduced without permission of the artist.
7
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Peter Shaw, “
AHi
s
t
or
yofNewZeal
andAr
c
hi
t
ec
t
ur
e,photographs by Robin Morrison and Paul
McCredie, revised edition, Hodder Moa Beckett, 2003.

HeWhakahui
aT
oi
Māor
i
Māor
i
Vi
s
ual
Cul
t
ur
ei
nVi
s
ual
Ar
t
sEduc
at
i
onYear
s7-10. Ministry of
Education, Learning Media Limited, 2004.

Sandy Adsett and Cliff Whiting, Mataora The Living Face, David Bateman, 1991.
 Huhana Smith, T
ai
āwhi
oConv
er
s
at
i
onswi
t
hCont
empor
ar
yMāor
i
Ar
t
i
s
t
s
, Museum of New
Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, 2002.

D.R. Simmons, Whak
ai
r
oMāori Tribal Art, Oxford University Press, 1985.
Education resource compiled Janina Konia, Educ
at
or
,Māori and J
ul
i
eNoanoa,
Educ
at
or
,Māori, City Gallery Wellington, Te Whare Toi.
City Gallery Wellington Schools Education Programmes are supported by LEOTC (Learning Experiences Outside the Classroom), funded by the Ministry of Education.
All images contained within this Education Resource appear courtesy of the artist and are for education and research purposes only. The artist retains copyright of the
images. No image may be copied or reproduced without permission of the artist.
8