The waharoa (entranceway) to Te Herenga Waka marae being removed for safe keeping.
Te Apa Māreikura a Māui Tikitiki a Taranga (Te Apa Māreikura) is the carved waharoa (entranceway) that leads the way for manuhiri (visitors) to the marae ātea (forecourt) on Kelburn Parade. Once a big presence on Kelburn Parade, the photograph shows the waharoa being removed for safe storage until the Living Pā has been completed.
While Te Apa Māreikura was unveiled in 2011 and the Living Pā will be opened in 2024, they both represent another step in the journey of creating a place on campus where Māori values and our Te Herenga Waka identity can be expressed.
The marae’s waharoa, flagpole, meeting house, dining room, Te Kawa a Māui (School of Māori Studies) and the new Living Pā all connect through the narratives of Māui.
The name of the waharoa speaks about female leadership and, more specifically, the carvings represent Māui and the women who play pivotal roles in his narratives, including Taranga, Murirangawhenua and Mahuika just to name a few.
The feats of Māui are found throughout the Pacific and provide some insight to our intrinsic relationship with the environment. The rituals, attributes and teachings of Māui serve as a reminder of the need to push the boundaries of knowledge, innovation and technologies to make transformative change.
When the Living Pā is opened Te Apa Māreikura will be re-positioned on the marae ātea site to welcome more manuhiri onto our marae and University.