Te Kohinga Mārama Marae
Te Kohinga Mārama Marae, established in 1987, embodies Te Ao Hurihuri, Te Otinga, and rich cultural practices of Ngāti Haua and Ngāti Wairere.
'The gathering of diverse understandings and enlightenments'
The original carvers of the marae were from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, who participated as a part of their carving classes at the time and the revival of the art of carving back in the mid 1980’s. The carvings were last renovated by Bill Te Kanawa in 2012. Although most marae are named after tīpuna, there are examples of marae that aren’t named as such e.g. Kī Kōpū at Ratana Pā or Kimiora at Tūrangawaewae. Te Kohinga Mārama is another marae named after a kaupapa rather than a tīpuna. It was named accordingly as a whare kaupapa, with the main kaupapa being Mātauranga (education). The pieces that are depicted on the whare are that of geographical and traditional landmarks or things that symbolise the acquisition of knowledge. The mahau of Te Kohinga Mārama marae is said to be a map of the Waikato-King Country, as well as the Bay of Plenty-Rotorua-Taupō regions.
The marae of the University of Waikato is Te Kohinga Mārama. The Meeting House is Te Ao Hurihuri and the Dining Hall is Te Otinga. The marae was opened in 1987 as part of the College of Education, and comes under the mantle of Kīngi Tūheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII , the Māori King, who resides with his people here in the Waikato region. The marae is under the stewardship of the people of Ngāti Haua and Ngāti Wairere, and the University community of staff and students.
Te Kohinga Mārama Marae provides a place for students and staff of the University of Waikato to uphold and maintain the use of Te Reo and Tikanga Māori. It is an integral part of the University, where occasions such as formal welcomes, graduations, wānanga and celebrations take place.
Ngā Whare e Tū Nei
Wharenui - Te Ao Hurihuri
Te Ao Hurihuri can comfortably accommodate up to 45 adults. All mattresses, pillows and linen are provided for your use.
Wharekai - Te Otinga
Te Otinga has the capacity to provide for up to 72 people for meals. Catering services are available and is a specialist function of Te Kohinga Mārama Marae. Whatever the occasion, catering can be provided on request through the Marae Manager.
Kōwhaiwhai on the Mahau
INGOA: Te Tikitiki o Ngāti Hauā
This heke (rafter) was painted black and white as a connection to Ngāti Hauā, who associates with this area closely along with Ngāti Wairere. The kōwhaiwhai on Ngāti Hauā wharenui are known to be black and white and the designs are also simple. This particular pattern was replicated from a heke of Ngāti Hauā’s status as Tangata Whenua “tūturu” to acknowledge them as the occupants of old.
Kōruru
INGOA: Tāwhaki
This kōruru represents Tāwhaki, The Polynesian ancestor, Tāwhaki is attributed to ascending the heavens to collect the three baskets of knowledge. It is said that his younger brother, Karihi, joined him. At the foot of the ascent they find their grandmother, Whaitiri, who is blind and sits continually counting the tubers of sweet potato or taro that are her only food. Whaitiri is the guardian of the vines that form the pathway into the sky. Karihi tries first, but makes the error of climbing up the aka taepa, or hanging vine. He is blown violently around by the winds of heaven, and falls to his passing. Tāwhaki, however, climbs by the aka matua, or parent vine, recites the correct incantations, and reaches the highest of the 10 heavens. His acquisition of the three baskets of knowledge, te kete uruuru matua, te kete uruuru rangi and te kete uruuru tau represents the quest and lifelong journey of learning.
Te Pou o Mua
INGOA: Te Akeake o Tāwhaki
Te Pou o Mua is a symbol of a Deity or god. It is a ceremonial feature distinguished as the strong, prestigious centrepiece of the mahau. In traditional times, te pou o mua was a separate pou placed in a clearing in the bush, separate from the whare wānanga. When students (training to become tohunga) would arrive at the pou, they would recite karakia to it on their way in, as well as on their way out after their lesson. At graduation, the tohunga of these tauira would take them to te pou o mua and commence the appropriate kawa or ceremony. After that took place, the tauira would then graduate as novice tohunga, and after time and experience would become fully fledged tohunga. According to Matua Paki Harrison (master carver from Ngāti Porou), this pou was incorporated into the mahau because of its association with learning and with ngā whare wānanga o mua. You can see in the design of this pou the ascension of Tāwhaki into the heavens to collect Ngā kete o te Mātauranga, which was done by his climbing of the akeake or supplejack (hence the name). The carvers of the whare were halfway through the carving of this piece when the Rainbow Warrior was mined and blown up in Auckland Harbour in 1985. To commemorate this, the carvers decided to incorporate the white dove of peace in the pou.
Maihi
INGOA: Te Rohe o Tainui
The Maihi represent the rohe of Tainui and Te Rohe Potae and the style of carving and choice of painting is in alignment with that of Tainui. They are an extension of the kōruru as this marae is on whenua that comes under Tainui. The carvers decided that Tainui would be the main all encompassing feature. Metaphorically speaking, it is likened to Tainui enveloping all those who come on to the mahau in its arms.
Amo
INGOA: Tamatekapua (Left side when facing the wharenui) & Toroa (Right side when facing the wharenui)
The amo of Tamatekapua is an acknowledgment and representation of the Central Bay of Plenty-Rotorua-Taupō areas. The amo of Toroa represents the Eastern Bay of Plenty area.
Pare Kuaha
INGOA: Tāne-nui-a-rangi
Tāne was said to be the first born of Ranginui and Papatūānuku. He is known to be the Atua of the forests and all things that dwell within them. He also helped to create the first being, Hineahuone and from their started mankind. For others, Tāne was the one to retrieve Ngā Kete o te Mātauranga.
Pare Matapihi
INGOA: Hine-nui-te-pō
Hine-nui-te-pō is a deity and ancestress of Maui. She is also more widely known as the Atua of death and the night (Te Pō). In this carving, we can see Hine-nui-te-pō in the middle with Maui featured beneath her shaped as a fish hook. The depiction of Maui beneath Hine-nui-te-pō makes reference to the kōrero of Maui trying to gain immortality by climbing up through her. Maui has been carved as a fish hook made from the jaw bone of his grandmother, as a nod to the kōrero of him fishing up Te Ika a Maui or the North Island.
Pou Tāhu
INGOA: Te Ao Hurihuri
This particular piece was made with a strong representation and focus on children - their nurturing, education and enjoyment. The thought process for this came from the Hamilton Teachers College, as it was/is the institution that educates and trains others to teach children/youth. The creators envisaged a multi-figure poupou showing children in a changing world. The poupou also has symbols that are from modern culture, such as the sciences. This is an acknowledgment that taonga are not only past products of a culture, but present creations of science, technology and innovation tp be taught to present generations in this ever changing world. Hence, the name of this piece is Te Ao Hurihuri.
Pou Tuarongo
INGOA: E tipu e rea
The carvers had designed three pou to represent each part of Sir Apirana Ngata’s kōrero where the name for this piece stems from. The kōrero is as follows:
“E tipu e rea mo ngā rā o tō ao
Ko tō ringa ki ngā rākau ā te Pakeha hei ora mō tō tinanaKo tō ngākau ki ngā tāonga a ō tīpuna Māori hei tikitiki mō tō māhungaKo tō wairua ki tō Atua, Nānā nei ngā mea katoa
Grow up and thrive for the days destined to you.Your hands to the tools of the Pakeha to provide physical sustenance,
Your heart to the treasures of your ancestors to adorn your head,Your soul to your God, to whom all things belong”.
Tāhūhū
INGOA: Waikato Taniwha Rau
“Waikato Taniwha Rau, He piko He Taniwha, He Piko He Taniwha”.
The design of the Tāhūhū is very symbolic. The main zig-zag line signifies the Waikato River and that on each bend is a “Taniwha” which is a word metaphorically used to mean a Rangatira or Chief. The Waikato River was used as a main highway for those who lived inland of Tainui to travel out to sea. Because of this, eerie bend had a village and within those villages, were a Chief. The sacred maunga of the area such as Taupiri are depicted in the shades of green with the white koru over it signifying a shroud of sorrow covering those who are buried on Taupiri.
Ngā Heke
INGOA: Ngā Purapura
“Ngā purapura i ruia mai i Rangiātea”
This rafter represents the above whakataukī. Rangiātea is regarded as the original homeland for most Māori. Not only were seeds of sweet potato brought back, but so were seeds of knowledge that could be planted and grown like any other seed. Learning then in this traditional sense is likened to planting seeds and seeing them grow. The long, wavy red band represents the sacred journey of the purapura from Rangiātea; the black are the seeds and the knowledge within them; while the white are the generations to be taught in the new land.
INGOA: Te Whanaketanga
“Te Whanaketanga te Rangatahi”
This rafter represents the growing period of adolescence; a process of stress, learning and discovering one’s identity. The design of this one is not as clearly defined as the other ones as the process of pakeketanga is not yet complete and one’s identity is still being formed. Thus signifying that the person is still “getting it together”.
INGOA: Ngā Reanga
This heke represents each generation or each intake of students that is depicted as overlapping rea or seedling shoots starting and merging into each other, It also represents a hope that each new reanga takes on and continues those traditions of their predecessors. One of the difficulties of these institutions and the temporary and travelling nature of students is the maintenance of continuity. Current generations are unaware of the accomplishments and the traditions established by their predecessors. They do not stay long enough to ‘grow’ their own or see it bear fruit. Often their whakahīhī (youthful arrogance) does not acknowledge those before. The threads of present learning are not woven into those of the past.
INGOA: Te Ako i te Matauranga
These heke are meant to illustrate the learning process between tohunga (teacher) and tauira (student). It is one of interaction; a model of an ideal process when sacred knowledge (red) is exchanged between teacher (black) and student (white) in an extended whānau nurturing environment.
INGOA: Te Kimi i te Matauranga
This heke applies to the learning of Māoritanga within an environment that acknowledges both the sacredness of knowledge and its availability to all. It also represents all the taonga symbolised in the poupou.
Ngā Pou/Ngā Taonga
INGOA: Te Aroha
There is a saying that of all the taonga, Aroha or “Love” is the greatest. It is depicted in female form chewing food to be fed to a baby in the traditional way. By doing this, the mother’s chewing and digestive juices helped to soften and digest the baby’s food. It symbolises the broad notion of “Love” and concern for all rather than a specific feeling for one person.
INGOA: Te Manaakitanga
If a marae exists for any reason then this must be important; that is to help, care, cater and look after manuwhiri and show them hospitality. This poupou depicts the obligation that a tangata whenua should have for their manuwhiri. The kaupapa is unfulfilled if this obligation is not met. The basket depicts the abundance of food as an expression of hospitality. The appropriate whakataukī is; “Ko tō rourou. Ko tōku rourou, ka ora ai te iwi”.
INGOA: Te Whanaungatanga
The marae belonged to and bonded the tribe relating people to each other through kinship; bonds not based on economic, social class, interest, occupation, or emphasis on the individual but on the kin, group, community, cooperation, sharing and manaakitanga. It tried to ensure that people did not stand alone but related to and identified with one another. The tribal way through kinship. Today we find other ways and means. Relationship is depicted in the band that begins at the shoulder, arcs over the head and comes around the lower body. It is a “here tangata” or a bond between people.
INGOA: Te Mana
One purpose of marae is to instill, provide and be a symbol of Mana. The carvers decided to have these carvings inside as a way to create Mana. It wasn’t originally intended, but they saw a need for the marae to be taken seriously as a learning and teaching marae. The poupou were put in place to stand tall to replicate how if one is to stand tall, people need to have self esteem, pride, identity and mana.
INGOA: Te Ihi
Te Ihi in traditional times was the charismatic or spiritual quality and personality of the person. This taonga was said to be a part of a person’s authority and education as a leader and/or as a tohunga. It showed in the person’s performance of their duties especially if these were done without flaw. The person was said to shine. It was the height of excellence. Ihi applied to actions, performance, skill, knowledge and accomplishment. For example, a piece of carving well carved was to have Ih. This taonga was sometimes depicted with two tongues.
INGOA: Te Wehi
Wehi was a condition of humbleness that enabled one to stand in awe of Taonga that the culture considered worthy such as beauty, quality, power, love as well as the people. It involved the need to recognise Taonga and people worthy of admiration and respect. Sometimes the wehi was said to be so powerful that the person’s awe turned to fear. It was thought that we should respect the culture’s sacred taonga. A person who stands in awe of nothing knows nothing of value.
INGOA: Hau Tonga, Hau Rāwhiti, Hau Raro, Hau Uru
Of the tribal areas Mataatua, Te Arawa and Tainui are already depicted in the mahau. The carvers decided to depict Ngā Hau e Whā rather than tribes and depict each wind according to the carving style from that area. The north wind is “Te Hau Raro”, east “Te Hau Rāwhiti”, west “Te Hau Uru” and south “Te Hau Tonga”. This ensures representation of all Aotearoa’s people and regions. The “Four Winds” is also a metaphor for visitors from many places.
Kawa Pōwhiri
The customs pertaining to the marae have been developed and nurtured over many generations. It is therefore essential for visitors to have an understanding of the culture, ritual and protocols.
In preparation for the Pōwhiri (welcome), the Manuwhiri (visitors) require one Kaikaranga (female caller) and at least one Kaikōrero (speaker of Māori – male) to respond to the mihi (greeting) on behalf of the visiting group. Manuwhiri should also support their kaikōrero with a waiata (song).
Te Kohinga Mārama Marae follows Tainui kawa (marae procedure) in the following order:
- Karanga (call of welcome) from the Tangata Whenua (Marae hosts).
- Karanga (call in reply) from the Manuwhiri (visitors). Move on the Marae for whakamaumahara (remembrance). Manuwhiri pause and stand in front of the Wharenui, heads bowed in remembrance to the Hunga Mate (Ancestors whom have passed away). Tears are often shed by both manuwhiri and tangata whenua.
- Whakatau (sit on seats provided). Manuwhiri seated first. Kaikōrero and other males only to sit on the Paepae (front seats).
- Whaikōrero (speech) from the Tangata Whenua.
- Whaikōrero from the manuwhiri.
- Tauutuutu - speakers alternate between hosts and visitors.
- The last Kaikōrero for the Manuwhiri will lay the Koha (gift) on the Marae. This indicates to the Tangata Whenua that the Manuwhiri speakers have finished.
- Karanga from the Tangata Whenua for the Koha. The Koha will be acknowledged and picked up by the Tangata Whenua.
- Whaikōrero from the Tangata Whenua – the hosts will provide the concluding speeches.
- Ruru (hongi and shake hands) or the physical greetings where the Manuwhiri file past the Tangata Whenua, Hongi and shake hands.
