Tieke Kainga
Encyclopedia
Tieke Kāinga is a small Māori community in New Zealand
, on the middle reaches of the Whanganui River
10.5 km downstream of the Mangapurua valley. It is centered around Tieke Marae, a converted Department of Conservation tramping hut. The surrounding land is subject to an aboriginal land claim which began with occupation of the hut in 1993.
. Early in the 20th century the land changed from tribal to government, ownership although no official records of the 1906 Whanganui River Trust transaction exist today. In 1908 the marae was abandoned.
when it was created in 1986 and, as part of the series of facilities they provided along the river, the Department of Conservation built a large hut at Tieke. In the 1990s the Department of Conservation began levying a toll on river users to maintain its huts and services, and in September 1993 Te Whanau o Tieke Māori reclaimed the land, occuping the hut and converting it into a Marae
.
.
Whilst the land is still formally disputed, the Department of Conservation and the Te Whanau o Tieke Māori have developed an amicable and co-operative relationship, working together to upgrade and maintain facilities at Tieke Kāinga.
occupation attracted greater media interest, in 1999 the Tieki land claim was featured in the article "The Family at Tieke" in New Zealand Geographic
by writer Vaugan Yarwood and photographer Fraser Harding.
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, on the middle reaches of the Whanganui River
Whanganui River
The Whanganui River is a major river in the North Island of New Zealand.Known for many years as the Wanganui River, the river's name reverted to Whanganui in 1991, according with the wishes of local iwi. Part of the reason was also to avoid confusion with the Wanganui River in the South Island...
10.5 km downstream of the Mangapurua valley. It is centered around Tieke Marae, a converted Department of Conservation tramping hut. The surrounding land is subject to an aboriginal land claim which began with occupation of the hut in 1993.
Pre-European and early 20th Century
Prior to European colonisation, Tieke was a major trading center on the Whanganui River as well as a place of learning and a fortified PāPa (Maori)
The word pā can refer to any Māori village or settlement, but in traditional use it referred to hillforts fortified with palisades and defensive terraces and also to fortified villages. They first came into being about 1450. They are located mainly in the North Island north of lake Taupo...
. Early in the 20th century the land changed from tribal to government, ownership although no official records of the 1906 Whanganui River Trust transaction exist today. In 1908 the marae was abandoned.
Recent land claim and occupation
The land surrounding Tieke became part of the Whanganui National ParkWhanganui National Park
The Whanganui National Park is a national park located in the North Island of New Zealand. Established in 1986, it covers an area of 742 km² bordering the Whanganui River. It incorporates areas of Crown land, former state forest and a number of former reserves. The river itself is not part of the...
when it was created in 1986 and, as part of the series of facilities they provided along the river, the Department of Conservation built a large hut at Tieke. In the 1990s the Department of Conservation began levying a toll on river users to maintain its huts and services, and in September 1993 Te Whanau o Tieke Māori reclaimed the land, occuping the hut and converting it into a Marae
Marae
A marae malae , malae , is a communal or sacred place which serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies...
.
Current inhabitance
Today Tieke Kāinga is home to an extended family whose members trace their ancestry to pre-European Tieke. However, the marae also serves as a popular stop-off point for tourists canoeing the Whanganui River which is known by the canoeists as the Whanganui JourneyWhanganui Journey
The Whanganui Journey is a river journey along the Whanganui River in the North Island of New Zealand travelling by canoe or kayak. The route, starting at Taumarunui and finishing at Pipiriki, is 145 km long and usually takes 5 days to complete...
.
Whilst the land is still formally disputed, the Department of Conservation and the Te Whanau o Tieke Māori have developed an amicable and co-operative relationship, working together to upgrade and maintain facilities at Tieke Kāinga.
Media interest
Whilst the Moutoa GardensMoutoa Gardens
Moutoa Gardens, also known as Pakaitore, is a park in the city of Wanganui, New Zealand. Named after the Battle of Moutua Island in the Second Taranaki War, it contains a memorial to the battle inscribed "To the memory of the brave men who fell at Moutoa, 14 May 1864, in defence of law and order...
occupation attracted greater media interest, in 1999 the Tieki land claim was featured in the article "The Family at Tieke" in New Zealand Geographic
New Zealand Geographic
New Zealand Geographic is a magazine published in Auckland, New Zealand. It is in the format popularised by National Geographic but focusing on the biodiversity, geography and culture of New Zealand; New Zealand's interests abroad, and that of the adjoining region: Antarctica and nearby Pacific...
by writer Vaugan Yarwood and photographer Fraser Harding.
External links
- Te Whanau o Tieke The complete exhibition of photographs of The Family at Tieke by photographer Fraser Harding
- "New Zealand Geographic " Online