Ko au, ko Ngāti Whātua
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This exhibition – Ko au, ko Ngāti Whātua – is a doorway into the physical, cultural, and spiritual threads that weave our story. Each taonga in this collection speaks of who we are – a people who have endured, adapted, and thrived, always grounded in the strength of our whakapapa (Lineage).
These are the treasures of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.
These are the treasures of Tuperiri.
These are the treasures for every generation of his descendants – ngā uri o Tuperiri.
He kohinga taonga ēnei e whakakanui ana i te whāinga nui o Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei kia ara ake, kia ora mai ai ngā taonga whakahirahira, ngā taonga tuku iho – nā ngā uri o Tuperiri, mā ngā uri o Tuperiri.
Open weekdays from 10AM - 5PM.
Open Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays from 9AM - 5PM.
Open late every Tuesday evening until 8.30PM.
Kapa Haka Whakamārama - Translations
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English Transliteration
Composed by Ngā Uri o Tuperiri
What is the wind that murmurs forth?
It is the four winds,the crashing tides,the raging seas of Waitematā,
Māhūhū-ki-te-rangi, haul in the multitudes that I may witness and feel the immense pride that brings the masses to these shores.
Come hither! Traverse the land!
You have arrived to Ngāti Whātua,
Upon Tāmaki binding all waka and peoples together
Stand and welcome the people!
Ā, iaha tērā!
Welcome! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!
The majestic mountains idly stand, holding the stories of those passed
As the tears of Rangi descend, reminding us of our losses and fortunes
We release on to the scared lands of Takaparawhau our laments and chants in acknowledgement of our tūpuna. Stand united and welcome the people! To this prestigious celebration.
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English Transliteration
Composed by Joe Pihema
The dog-skin cloak of Tuperiri - Rights of ancient bloodlines!
Ohomairangi, Ngāriki, Ngãiwi, the waters of Huakaiwaka
The black hawk, the white dogs
Rights of conquest
The battle where 'they all fell as one,' the hanging of Kiwi
Wahaakiaki, Waitäheke, the flax-laden canoe
The path-of-cloaks, the spotted dogs
The allocation of lands
From Mount Eden to Parnell, crossing over
To Cox's Creek, from a aristocratic hand
Enacted by Apihai, paramount chief of Tāmaki
Rights of occupation
Ko Tuperiri, Whakaariki, Tomoāure,
Paewhenua, Tarahawaiki e
Ko Whatarangi Ko Uruamo, Awarua, Te Paki o Rehua
Apihai, Atareta, Te Tinana, Tokotoko
The dog-skin cloak of Tuperiri will never be lost
Fetch the axe
We are in accord, let this be done
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English Transliteration
Prophesied by Ngāti Whātua rangatira, Tītahi
What is that murmuring sound
Upon the north wind
That cast my paper nautilus ashore
Which I plucked from the north wind
And thus claimed?
It is the carved pillar that stands in the Waitematā Harbour
That I see in my distressed state. -
English Transliteration
Composed by Joe Pihema and Te Kurataiaho Kapea
Distant signs afar sparkling above
My loved ones who have passed
I glimpse above to Matariki
to Autahi, to Takurua
to Puanga to the sacred stars of the year
I glimpse above to Matariki
Sparkle brightly (upon a new path)
Bind wellbeing (on land and sea)
Bind good health (on land and sea), sparkle brightly
Hiwa listen to us let our hopes manifest abundantly
Let our thoughts be active may our food be plentiful
A network of food and people
Go forth my many kin out into the wide world
Us the living take our tupuna as guardians
On our many journeys
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Whakamārama
Composed by Joe Pihema
E kore e riro is a bold declaration and statement that elevates the enduring tangata whenua and ahi kā status of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei in central Tāmaki (Auckland). “E kore e riro” - “Never to be taken from us”. This composition supportsthe powerful story of the historic 2021 Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei case against the Crown to challenge its approach to settling overlapping claims.
Explore & Learn More
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Mahi Raranga
From humble beginnings in 1964 as the first pre-fab building on the Ōrākei marae complex, Te Puāwai, blossomed into a central hub of important activities. Te Puāwai encapsulated and inspired the mātauranga (education) and mahi toi (arts) aspirations of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Today, the legacy of Te Puāwai continues through a rōpū of kairaranga (weavers) based at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Centered on wānanga-based transmission of knowledge, Te Puāwai weavers have nurtured the deep mātauranga held within weaving practice to ensure raranga traditions are safely held for future generations. -
Te Kawau Waka
On, 23 June, 2024 and in a stunning ceremony, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei launched Te Kawau on to our ancestral waters of the Waitematā. This is the first time in nearly a quarter of a century that Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei has a ceremonial waka designed to showcase the deep connection to our ancestral moana (ocean) Te Waitematā and reaffirm Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei as not only tangata whenua (people of the land) but also tangata moana (people of the ocean). -
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Kapa Haka App
The Ngāti Whātua Kapa Haka app is a digital platform that supports the resurgence of ngā mahi a te Rēhia by elevating the stories and narratives of Ngāti Whātua through a Māori performing arts medium. The digital app drives centralised accessibility to Ngāti Whātua waiata and haka, and provides comprehensive historical and musical information on all performed items, shared by the composers and experts in this field of Māori Performing Arts.