Rangatira Marae holds burial ceremony for taonga lost to Cyclone Gabrielle

Photo: Te Awariki Lardelli A Gisborne marae has marked another step forward in its recovery journey, following the demolition of its wharenui and kāuta. When Cyclone Gabrielle swept through the region in 2023, it destroyed Rangatira Marae, with waters reaching 3m up the wharenui wall. The wharenui and kāuta were demolished between October and late November this year. Key elements were extracted from the buildings to preserve, with the hope that they can be incorporated into the new build, which will be just a few minutes' drive by car from the former site. On Saturday, Rangatira Marae Trust held a Karakia Tanu Taonga - a ceremony to inter (bury) treasured items of whānau - photographs and materials from its former buildings. The secretary of the Trust, Whitiaua Ropitini, reflected on the day with Local Democracy Reporting. Despite the cold morning, the day was "moving" and filled with reflection, memories, and excitement for what was to come, he said. The morning started with karakia at what would have been the entrance of the former marae. A bell rang to welcome everyone back onto the grounds. "It was a time to reflect, to remember, and to sit in the present with those who were present." Both Ringatū and the Anglican religions led the karakia of the day. "Which demonstrated the ability to mahitahi (work together), and kotahitanga (solidarity), two key religious movements within our community of Te Karaka. Seeing the landscape without the wharenui and kāuta was an emotional sight. Many kaumātua and pakeke were quiet, "sitting in their reflections and memories". "There were a lot that had tears," he said. When Ropitini asked what the tears meant, he said that people expressed that the day was "a time to remember their past". They were also remembering how the marae was, the old people who used to occupy it, and their upbringing as youngsters there. There were also tears of excitement about what was to come, he said. Photo: Te Awariki Lardelli Around 60 attended the day, with several whānau expressing their desire to be included in the updates and next steps. "What showed on Saturday was the strength of whānau, hapū coming together, working together, and drawing off each other's strengths." The day was also about welcoming back and returning the photos that had been in the care of the Tairāwhiti museum. After the cyclone, the museum led the recovery of taonga Māori within Rangatira Marae and Takipu Marae. Treasured taonga of Rangatira marae were extracted, preserved and digitised by the museum, which were brought back by the museum on Saturday. Thirty photos, which had been severely damaged, were interred, along with a kākahou and a flag, gifted to the marae, and timber samples returned by Heritage NZ, Ropitini said. "Given the magnitude of the work involved, it was agreed that the museum would digitise, catalogue, and create a spreadsheet of the photos that were in their care." "We are fortunate that the museum, under the leadership of Tapunga Nepe and Taharākau Stewart, guided that process in the repatriation of those taonga back to the Marae site. Ropitini said that as the photos had been identified as reprints, it was agreed by trustees that they be interred, and once the rebuild was complete, whanau would bring "these loved ones" back to the marae. The next part of the day, a pōhutukawa tree was planted in commemoration of the significant mahi that had been achieved, which was then followed by a report from Heritage New Zealand. Heritage New Zealand presented a historic account of the material and trees used to build both buildings, which included kauri, totara, and rimu. They also gave recommendations on the interment of the buildings. The buildings were buried by flattening them to their footprint and mounting a layer of earth over the top, rather than digging a hole and dropping the debris, which came as a recommendation from Heritage New Zealand. "So we weren't going to disturb the land by digging it and burying the rubble in it." The sight of the demolished buildings and rubble could stir "deep sentiments and feelings" amongst whānau. "To protect and look after and nurture the hearts and minds and the spirits of whānau and hapū," it was agreed by the Trust, trustees and Kaumātua that both buildings would be buried before the ceremony. The day finished off with a Christmas ham at the Rangatira Tavern. Over the next few months, they would be consulting with the hapū members on long-term plans for the former marae and its site rehabilitation. These were also discussion points on the day. "How do they want to see the future of the site?" Ropitini said. It currently has a marae reservation status, and they were looking to apply for a Wāhi Tūpuna under the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Act. "Do we want to plant it with the native trees that were identified as being materials utilised to construct both buildings in the Heritage report?" "Do we wanna see it...

Rangatira Marae holds burial ceremony for taonga lost to Cyclone Gabrielle

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