THE TE PARAPARA MAORI GARDEN PROJECT

Te Ara Whakatauki

The Waharoa

The Carvings

Te Parapara was originally the name of the pre-European Maori settlement in what is now the centre of Hamilton Gardens. Before Europeans arrived the riverbanks throughout central Waikato were lined with many Maori gardens, so the Waikato /Tainui horticultural heritage in this area is of national significance. The Te Parapara /Hamilton Gardens site was at one time home to Haanui, a famous Ngati Wairere chief, and was particularly renowned as a site of sacred rituals associated with the harvesting of food crops. There was a Tuahu (sacred alter or shrine) called Te Ikamauroa associated with the rituals in this locality. Te Parapara Maori Garden lies between the brick Piazza and Waikato River and is one of the gardens in the Productive Garden Collection. Its theme is 'A pre-European Maori garden showing the significant local heritage and tikanga of the locality'.  It focusses on the plants, techniques and technology associated with pre-European Maori horticulture.

The Te Parapara Garden project is a joint project between Nga Mana Toopu and Hamilton City Council. It extends beyond a physical development to include records of traditional knowledge, interpretive material and ceremonies all focused on the heritage and tikanga associated with the local area.

Apart from a Waikato bush setting there are displays of plants of economic importance to the Maori and various forms of storehouse, including a Rua Kumara, a Whatarangi and a magnificent large carved Pataka. Stone tools have be used to create these carvings, which include stockade figures and a Waharoa or entranceway.

TE ARA WHAKATAUKI  (THE PATH OF PROVERBS)

 In Te Parapara there are two 'realms'. The realm inside the Waharoa, is the realm of cultivated food and is therefore ruled by Rongomatane, deity of the kumara and all cultivated food plants. The realm outside the Waharoa is the realm of the uncultivated food from the forest and grassland; the ruler of this realm is Haumia-tiketike.  Between the Piazza gate and the Waharoa lies a path through the uncultivated realm. It is called 'Te Ara Whakatauki' ('the path of proverbs') and it will take us on a journey through a garden full of representation and metaphor. 

 At the beginning of the journey, just inside the Piazza gate, we are at the landing of the Tainui waka in Aotearoa. Tainui was captained by Hoturoa, who is the figure represented in the pou (carved pillar) that stands in Te Ara Whakatauki. This pou is carved in a Tahitian style to recognise Hoturoa's origin in the South Pacific. Tainui made many stops before it came to its final resting place. It made first landfall at Whangaparaoa, and then made subsequent visits to Torere, Whitianga and Waitemata as it travelled west. At Waitemata it was placed on log rollers and pushed across the isthmus that separates the Waitemata harbour from the waters of the Manukau Harbour. It is said that the log rollers were cut from Pomaderris apetala (right) that had been brought from Hawai'iki as flooring for the waka. When the Tainui waka made its final landing at Kawhia on the west coast, the Pomaderris flooring sprouted in great profusion, and was later used as a medicinal plant to treat a wide variety of conditions. The introduction of Pomaderris by the landing of Tainui is represented by a Pomaderris apetala planted just inside the Piazza gate.

 Also just inside the Piazza gate is a pohutukawa representing Tangi te Korowhiti, which is the name of the pohutukawa to which the Tainui waka was tied, and which still stands at Kawhia.

Haumia-tiketike was a son of Ranginui (the sky) and Papatuanuku (the earth). Before the creation of the cosmos, it is said that Ranginui and Papatuanuku lay in a tight embrace into which no light could intrude. Their children inhabited the cramped, dark world between them. One of their sons, Tumatauenga, the deity of men, began to argue with his brothers, telling them that they should free themselves by killing their parents. His brothers disagreed, saying that they should merely push their parents apart. Haumia, Rongo and Tangaroa (deity of the sea) then tried to push Rangi and Papa apart, but to no avail. Then Tane, deity of the forests, tried by lying on his back and pushing with his mighty legs. This time the separation was achieved and the brothers were free to live in the light.  But Rangi and Papa still yearn for each other; Rangi's tears fall upon Papa in the form of rain, and sometimes Papa violently shakes in her efforts to return to her lover.

 Tawhirimatea, deity of storms and winds, was upset that his parents had been separated and so he sent his children down to attack the culprits: Tane, Tangaroa, Rongo and Haumia. The storm felled many of the mighty trees in Tane's forests and smashed Tangaroa's sea into the rocks. Papa became afraid for the safety of Rongo and Haumia so she hid them inside her body to keep them sheltered from the storm.

 Tawhirimatea then attacked Tumatauenga, but Tumatauenga stood fast against the onslaught, and eventually the conflict between the deities settled into an uneasy peace.

However, Tumatauenga became angry that his brothers had not followed his advice and had not killed Rangi and Papa when they had had the chance. His desire to punish his brothers explains why his human descendants snare Tane's birds, catch Tangaroa's fish, and pull the children of Rongo and Haumia out of the earth by their hair to be eaten.

The children of Haumia can be seen along the edges of Te Ara Whakatauki: they are the edible plants that grow in the wilderness of Aotearoa. For example, the kiekie (Freycinetia banksii) whose bracts and fruits are eaten; the karaka tree (Corynocarpus laevigatus) whose starchy fruit kernels must be carefully prepared at the risk of permanent paralysis to the eater; and the aruhe (Pteridium esculentum) which is dried, soaked and dried again, roasted and then pounded to release its carbohydrates. Since so many of Haumia's children require such intensive treatment before they can be eaten, it is no surprise that the natural world came to be a potent storehouse of specialised knowledge; not just about plants but about the social world as well.

 Te Ara Whakatauki is a path of proverbs as much as it is a path of plants. One of the most famous local proverbs comes from Tawhiao, the second Maori King:

 'Maku ano toku nei whare e hanga ko nga poupou o roto he Mahoe, he Patate ko te tahuhu he hinau. Me whakatupu ki te hua o te Rengarenga, me whakapakari ki te hua o te Kawariki.' ('I shall fashion my own house, the ridge-pole will be of Hinau and the supporting posts of Mahoe and Patate. Those who inhabit the house will be raised on Rengarenga and nurtured on Kawariki.')

 Tawhiao's descendant, Hon. Nanaia Mahuta has explained this whakatauki in this way: "the mahoe, patete, and hinau are the least valued trees in the native forest. The rengarenga and the kawariki are foods of absolute desperation. Yet those were the plants that Tawhiao chose. Tawhiao believed that the future of his people was dependent on everybody contributing to the tribe's well-being, according to what their personal strengths were."

Te Ara Whakatauki, the Path of Proverbs, reminds us that as the plants that we eat nourish our bodies, so the words that we hear nourish our souls. 

THE WAHAROA  (CARVED GATEWAY) 

The Philosophy behind the Waharoa
 
The carved Waharoa (Gateway) at the entrance to Te Parapara Garden commemorates ancient Maori spiritual beliefs that were central to the protection of food crops and the use of the Kumara, the most prized of traditional food items.  
 
In pre-European times, a Waharoa guarded the entrance to the upper, tapu terraces of a fortified pa. Before going into battle warriors passed through the Waharoa to show their commitment to defending the Mana of the tribe. Another Waharoa also stood as the ceremonial entry into the Pa itself.
 
Waharoa varied in design and composition.  Some were carved from a large slab of Totara or Kauri, with an arched entrance just big enough to allow a person to pass through. Another form of Waharoa was positioned between two large Pou tumu (support posts topped with carved figures) in the outer defensive palisades of a fortified Pa.  These Waharoa provided narrow openings in the palisades.
 
Some Waharoa were constructed with a carved cross beam or lintel (Pare) set high above the entrance, and lashed with vines to two large Pou Tumu (support posts). The Pare was set on a ledge to secure the piece in place.
 
In this way, the erection of a Waharoa at Te Parapara Garden follows the traditions and beliefs of local Maori about protecting the valuable crops and carved structures located within Te Parapara Garden. Hence visitors passing through the Waharoa into the garden follow the experience of pre-European Maori entering an ancient Maori world, not seen for over 200 years, which was the domain of the ancestors and their association with various types of gardens.
 
The Waharoa is carved to resemble stone tooled workmanship, with exposed portions finished with adzed patterns similar to those on ancient palisades and support posts. The support posts copy carved palisade posts described in the earliest accounts of European observers and what has survived in Museum collections. Taonga, such as stone talismen are buried under both support posts. 
  

The Story of the Deities on the Waharoa
 
The overall construction of the Waharoa, and the designs on the cross beam and support posts are based on ancient Waikato carvings found on the carved side entrance of a famous chief's house that was called Te Urutomokia.
 
The features of this Waharoa were recorded from the house when it stood in the ruins of Raroera, an abandoned Pa near Te Awamutu in 1844. Te Urutomokia was built for Potatau Te Wherowhero, who later became the first Maori King in 1858.
A carved figure from this house is on display in the Te Awamutu Museum.
 
Te Urutomokia was often used for sacred religious rituals, and its name is preserved in ancient chants which are still sung on Waikato Marae. In traditional legends Te Urutomokia was described as an enchanted house where the Tahurangi (spiritual beings) learned very sacred chants, rituals and pastimes. In ancient times when the kumara crops were lifted in the late summer, the lifting was followed by a celebration of pastimes and sports, during which some of these events and their stories were recounted back to the Tahurangi. 
 
The carved figures on the Waharoa recount the deeds of Ruarangi, an ancient Waikato ancestor and his battle with the Tahurangi.  The Tahurangi were believed to reside at the top of Taupiri and Pirongia mountains, where they lead people off cliffs to their death.  Legend also records that they descended from the mountains at night in the form of mists and kidnapped women from the Pa and villages to be held captive as wives for their Chiefs.  These Tahurangi Chiefs were Te Rangipouri, Whanawhana, Ripoati, Taputeuru, and Nukupouri.
 
One particular legend records that one night Te Rangipouri kidnapped the wife of Ruarangi named Tawhaitu and took her high into Pirongia's mountain peaks. For many months Ruarangi pursued the Tahurangi as they traveled in the form of a mist between Taupiri and Pirongia mountain, lamenting the loss of his wife and desperate to get her back.
 
After consulting a Tohunga (priest) who told him to use cooked kumara and red ochre to break the Tahurangi's spells that held his wife captive, Ruarangi developed a plan to rescue his wife.
 
One day, as the Tahurangi traveled in the form of a mist, Ruarangi encircled certain areas with Kokowai (ochre) and cooked kumara.  This forced the Tahurangi to leap to another spot that was not contaminated, and revealed his wife who also traveled as mist.  Ruarangi smeared himself, his wife and the door lintel of his house with red ochre.  He then retreated into his house placing cooked kumara outside the threshold to drive off Te Rangipouri.  From that time the Tahurangi kept away from any living places painted in red ochre.
 
When he was defeated by Ruarangi, Te Rangipouri leapt upon the roof of a house and sang a song of farewell to Ruarangi's wife then returned to the mountains.  This song is still sung by the Waikato iwi as a song of lament.
 
This is one explanation for painting carved wooden structures, particularly around houses, in red ochre as this pigment wards off Tahurangi and other evil spirits. 
 

The Pare (Lintel or Crossbeam) 
 
Traditional carved houses had carved cross beams or lintels above the main entrance of the house. Ancient Maori believed these carvings removed or warded off evil spirits from entering the house. The workmanship on these lintels is some of the most exquisite carvings on a meeting house and consequently is highly prized. 
 
The carvings on the Pare of the Waharoa at Te Parapara depict figures from the story of Ruarangi, related earlier. From left to right they are:  

The Pare is painted with replica red kokowai.  The five carved figures will be painted with cream coloured clays, reminiscent of the traditional Kokowai (ochre colours) which pre-European Maori painted such tapu structures.  They have paua (abalone) shell inlay for their eyes.   
 

Raparapa  (Carved patterns on the ends of the Pare)
 
The ends of the Pare are known as Raparapa and these bear several significant carved patterns.
 
Te Mauri O Te Parapara  (The life force of Te Parapara)
 
This Raparapa has a carved figure named Taputeuru and an interlocking spiral pattern carved in the kawa of Ngati Wairere ? Tangata Whenua for this land. Taputeuru was a Tahurangi chief who was an ally of Te Rangipouri. A spiral carving represents Te Parapara Pa, where scared rituals were originally preformed, and is the site of the present garden.  
  
 Nga Tapuwae O Hotumauea (The sacred foot steps of Hotumauea)
 
The figure on the other Raparapa depicts another deity named Te Whanawhana, who lived on Pirongia as a Tahurangi. A carved interlocking spiral represents Nga Tapuwae O Hotumauea, and depicts the tapuwae, sacred footprints of a famous local chief. This pattern commemorates the footsteps of the ancestors and the unborn generations to come. 
  

Pou Tumu (Support Posts)
 
Left Post:  Top figure 
The carved figure on the top of the left post represents the Tahurangi, a tribe of spiritual beings that lived on the mountains and ranges of Pirongia, Taupiri, the Waikato River, Hakarimata and Hangawera.
 
Left Post:  Bottom figure 
The carved figure on the bottom this post gateway depicts the Chief Ruarangi, whose wife was kidnapped by Rangipouri, the chief of the Tahurangi. 
 
Right Post:  Top figure 
This carved figure represents Te Rangipouri, the chief of the Tahurangi who kidnapped Ruarangi's wife.
 
Right Post:  Bottom figure 
This figure represents Ruarangi's wife Tawhaitu who was kidnapped by Te Rangipouri.
 
Both posts painted in a replica red ochre, sourced from the local area. . 

TE PARAPARA CARVINGS

The picture at left was taken at the Kihikihi workshop where Sam Roa and Shane Tamaki carved the figures for the various structures that will be part of Te Parapara.

Carved figures are an integral part of Maori architecture. They appear on most kinds of structures, from palisades to large meeting-houses. The figures usually represent specific ancestral figures rather than deities or contemporaries.The Te Parapara figures were carved with hand tools. Where possible, tradtitional stone chisels and adzes were used. The figures you can see in the gardens are called pouwhakarae. These are carved into posts and are arranged along the palisades as if to guard the garden against misfortune. While their design is traditional some allowance has been made for the Hamilton Gardens site and they will have the name of the represented ancestor carved into the post.

As well as pallisades, Te Parapara features a whatarangi. These are storehouses that are built on  posts to elevate them away from terrestrial threats such as vermin and flooding.

The whatarangi has a curved body carved from a single log in the manner of a waka hull. Its name, kauhanga, literally means 'hull'.

Maori storehouses traditionally featured symbolic carvings and the version in Te Parapara is no different. The gable figures are known as tekoteko and again represent specific histoic personages.

All the carvings have been done using totara (Podocarpus totara). This is a native softwood that has beautiful reddish-coloured timber and excellent carving properties. The tree can grow to a very large size; it is the largest species in the family Podocarpaceae. One specimen known as Pouakani is over 42 meters tall and is has been estimated at between 1500 and 1800 years old.

Above: Detail from 'Whatas, or Patukas' by G.F Angas, showing one kind of small storehouse design.


Further Information
   
Mr Wiremu Puke
Nga Mana Toopu O Kirikiriroa
P O Box 1377
Hamilton
 
Email:  wiremu_p@paradise.net.nz