Te Tumu Herenga Waka Marae

After nearly a year working at Victoria University of Wellington, I finally managed to make it to the new staff Pōwhiri. They hold them a few times a year, but since my whole team basically started at the same time, and we can't all call in relievers and head off for a morning, we have had to take turns, and it was finally my turn last week. 

As part of of its commitment to ensuring that Māori students feel comfortable, connected, and supported, Victoria University has built its own marae and wharenui on the Kelburn campus. 

The open space in front of the building is the marae, where the initial introduction part of the pōwhiri takes place. Historically, pōwhiri often took place in a situation where it was not certain whether the manuhiri (guests) came in peace, or to challenge or fight the tāngata whenua (people of that tribe), and so the initial engagement happened outside, in the realm of Tūmatauenga (guardian of war). While pōwhiri are now exclusively peaceful welcoming ceremonies, they still begin outside, with statements of intention from both parties, before progressing inside the wharenui (carved house) where the rest of the ceremony and purpose of the meeting is conducted, in the realm of Rongomātāne (guardian of peace). 

In this particular case, all the new staff were the manuhiri, and the higher-up bosses, including the Vice Chancellor and all kinds of important people, were the tāngata whenua. This pōwhiri welcomed us onto the marae and made us a part of the tāngata whenua of Victoria University.

This is the peak of the roof of the entryway area, on which you can see the name of the marae: Te Tumu Herenga Waka Marae. This means "The Hitching Post for Canoes," which reflects the multi-tribal nature of this marae and wharenui. Typically, they are linked to one iwi (tribe), but this one represents all the faculty, staff, and students at the university, which is quite unique, in my experience. 

On the inside of the wharenui, you can see the continuation of the tahuhu down the peak, which represents the spine, and the painted roro coming down along the roof from it represent the ribs. All of this is to represent the body of a tipuna (ancestor), which would usually be an actual person from the iwi, but in this case is a mythical ancestor.

The walls of the wharenui are covered with poupou, which are carvings of people that tell the history of the iwi. The poupou in this marae tell lots of different stories, largely related to the value of education, which is appropriate. The designs on this face represent moko, which are traditional Māori tattoos. 

On either side of the poupou are tukutuku panels, which are woven patterns that can represent a wide variety of ideas, although I know next to nothing about how to understand what they mean.

This is another type of traditional carving, and I would say that this type is even more common in my experience. Interestingly, this one is holding a religious book with a cross on it. Many Māori were very interested in Christianity when the European settlers came, although I don't know what particular figure or story this poupou is representing. 

I have been to a couple wharenui, but it is always a special and meaningful experience, and this was no exception. I am glad to have made this connection to the community at Victoria University, and to have spent time in a building that is truly a work of art.