Rongomaraeroa facts for kids

The marae (a special meeting place) with the main meeting house, called a wharenui, at Te Papa

Rongomaraeroa is a special meeting place, called a marae, inside the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington. It has a modern meeting house, or wharenui, named Te Hono ki Hawaiki. This unique marae is on the museum's fourth floor, looking out over Wellington harbour. It first opened its doors on November 30, 1997.

The design of Rongomaraeroa was led by Cliff Whiting, a famous Māori carver and the first Māori leader (kaihautu) at Te Papa. This marae is very special because it's the only one built specifically inside a museum. It shows Te Papa's strong commitment to biculturalism, which means respecting and combining both Māori and European cultures in New Zealand.

In October 2020, the New Zealand Government provided money to improve Rongomaraeroa and four other marae in the Central Hawke's Bay area. This project also helped create 12 jobs.

What is Rongomaraeroa Used For?

A pōwhiri (welcoming ceremony) for the return of Māori and Moriori ancestral remains at Rongomaraeroa in 2018.

Rongomaraeroa is not just an exhibit in the museum. It's a "living marae," meaning it's actively used for many events. These include pōwhiri (welcoming ceremonies), special functions, and tangi (funeral ceremonies).

For example, in 2017 and 2018, Rongomaraeroa was the site for important ceremonies where the remains of Māori and Moriori ancestors were returned from museums in Europe and America. This included toi moko (preserved tattooed heads). Rongomaraeroa is unique because it's a "national" marae, meaning it represents all iwi (tribes) across New Zealand. This makes it a perfect place for such important ceremonies.

Normally, marae are built on the ground. However, since Rongomaraeroa is on an upper floor, Cliff Whiting playfully called it "the marae in the sky." This name also helped show that it was the museum's own special marae, with its own rules (kawa). It is not connected to the local Te Āti Awa iwi of the Wellington area. Even though some people first had questions about it, Rongomaraeroa is now widely accepted as a true marae. You can also hire Rongomaraeroa from Te Papa for private events.

It's important not to confuse Te Hono ki Hawaiki with another very old wharenui called Te Hau ki Tūranga. This traditional meeting house, from the 1840s, belongs to the Rongowhakaata iwi. It is on long-term loan to Te Papa and is displayed in the Mana Whenua exhibition about Māori culture.

How Rongomaraeroa Was Designed

Rongomaraeroa has a large space of 350 square meters and can hold up to 250 people. Cliff Whiting used a modern material called medium-density fibreboard (MDF) for the carvings in the wharenui, instead of traditional rare native wood. This allowed him to create amazing and detailed three-dimensional shapes.

The design also includes non-traditional colors and ideas from European, Asian, and Polynesian art. This was done to represent all the different cultures in modern New Zealand. Arapata Hakiwai, who followed Cliff Whiting as a leader at Te Papa, said in 2013 that the design "reflects the nation's bicultural foundations while embracing everyone." He added that Cliff "extended the boundaries of Māori art by using contemporary materials." For example, the wharenui has a special three-part artwork that includes a Christian dove. This was done so that both Māori and European people could connect with it.

The carvings on the arches and pillars of Te Hono ki Hawaiki tell stories from Māori mythology. These include:

• The story of Māui slowing down the sun, shown on the maihi (the "arms" of the meeting house).
• The story of Hineahuone, the first woman, being created by her father Tāne Mahuta, the god of the forest. This is shown in the doorway.
• Māui turning his brother-in-law, Irawaru, into a dog.
• The story of Paikea, the whale rider.
• The changing relationship between Māori and Pākehā (European New Zealanders) is shown inside the cupboards of the poutokomanawa (the central post of the meeting house).

The design also made sure that visitors could be led directly to the marae space for ceremonies like pōwhiri, without having to walk through other museum exhibits.

What the Names Mean

In Māori stories, Te Hono ki Hawaiki refers to Hawaiki. This is believed to be the original home island of all Polynesians. Rongomaraeroa is another name for Rongo, who is the god of kūmara (sweet potato) and other farmed foods. Rongomaraeroa is also the name of marae belonging to several hapū (sub-tribes) of the Ngāti Kahungunu and Heretaunga Tamatea iwi along the South-Eastern coast of New Zealand's North Island.

Images for kids

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  A close-up of the modern carvings by Cliff Whiting on the wharenui.

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  A detail of the stained glass door, showing Ranginui (the sky father). When the door opens, it moves upwards away from the floor, which shows Papatūānuku (the earth mother). This movement acts out the traditional Māori story of their separation.

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  Tukutuku (woven panels) on the walls. These were made by students from Toi Haukura.

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  Panels on the opposite wall.

See also

• Māori mythology
• New Zealand design