Ōrongomai marae
History
HistoryDiscussions about the possibility of an urban marae in Upper Hutt began around 1964 among women members of kapa haka group Māwai Hakona and the Awakairangi branch of the Māori Women’s Welfare League, who wanted a marae where they could hold tangi. Most Māori in Upper Hutt had moved there from other areas and were away from their home marae.
In 1966 fundraising began through housie evenings, first in private homes then at Silverstream Hall. A meeting in October 1968 brought together members of the Māori community to discuss the possibility of a marae and form an organising committee. Architect Tom Johnson became committee president; he suggested Trentham Memorial Park as a possible site. By the end of 1969 the concept had changed, to a marae community centre that the whole Upper Hutt community could use, but giving priority to tangihanga when needed.
Local doctor Humphrey Rainey took a central role in the fundraising drive for a marae. A fundraising committee was set up in early 1970, with a broad range of members including mayor George Thomas. The committee engaged a professional fundraiser, John Woolf, who organised a queen carnival – an event in which local businesses and organisations each sponsored a young woman as a ‘princess’. The fundraising drive also included a ball, a baby contest and a sponsored walk, and the queen carnival culminated in a parade of 70 floats carrying the princesses through the city in front of a crowd of 15,000 on 10 October 1970. General Motors princess Gailynn Paaka was chosen as queen.
The Upper Hutt City Corporation had offered the lease of a block of land on the corner of Miro and Ward Streets; however, residents objected, with over 100 people (some of whom lived nowhere near the location) signing a petition. A two-year legal process ended in defeat for the marae committee. The council then offered land next to Maidstone Park, on the corner of Park Street and Railway Avenue; two adjacent railway cottages were removed to provide access to a public road.
Tom Johnson (by then living in Niue, and replaced as committee president by Humphrey Rainey) produced sketch plans for a 7000-square-foot complex by early 1974, based on his plans for a similar building in Wairoa. These were used to help obtain an urban marae subsidy from Māori Affairs. Fundraising continued through 1974.
In September 1975 a dedication service was held at the marae site, and construction began later that month. The first completed building was the wharekai (dining hall), named Rongomai. The tukutuku panelling was designed and overseen by Mere Poutu of Ngāti Porou, and was made with contemporary materials along with flax, pīngao and kiekie. The kōwhaiwhai rafter patterns were designed by Māwai Hakona leader Jock McEwen, who also supervised the carving of pou.
Governor-General Sir Denis Blundell opened Rongomai on 22 August 1976. Māwai Hakona leader and composer Hera ‘Aunty Dovey’ Katene-Horvath was the marae’s first caretaker, and Māwai Hakona held their practices at the marae from late 1976. The Māori Queen, Dame Te Ātairangikaahu, visited Orongomai in January 1978. Inmates from Wi Tako (later Rimutaka) Prison were closely associated with the marae and took part in many of its activities until 1989, when prison rules changed.
The focus then moved to building a whare whakairo (carved meeting house). Tom Johnson drew up plans and Jock McEwen began to oversee the creation of carvings for the house, initially using wood from a huge tōtara that had been felled by a storm. Those who worked on the carvings included prisoners and prison officers from Wi Tako Prison. The carvings were designed in different styles to represent different tribal areas, as well as some Pacific Islands, with a carving also representing Pākehā; a carved lintel over the front door was in memory of Aunty Dovey, who had died in 1987. Kahukura meeting house (named after the son of Rongomai) was opened before a large crowd in May 1989 by the very newly knighted Anglican priest and broadcaster Sir Kīngi Īhaka.
In February 1996 Ōrongomai held its first open day; from 1997 it has held an open day every year on Waitangi Day. In 2018 it featured in the TV show Marae DIY, resulting in a covered walkway to the new waharoa, new gardens and new fencing, as well as a levelling out of the marae ātea.
From its beginnings Ōrongomai has been seen as a place for the whole Upper Hutt community; today it offers community services including a health service, a weekly vege co-op, t’ai chi sessions, and reintegration support for released prisoners.
In 1966 fundraising began through housie evenings, first in private homes then at Silverstream Hall. A meeting in October 1968 brought together members of the Māori community to discuss the possibility of a marae and form an organising committee. Architect Tom Johnson became committee president; he suggested Trentham Memorial Park as a possible site. By the end of 1969 the concept had changed, to a marae community centre that the whole Upper Hutt community could use, but giving priority to tangihanga when needed.
Local doctor Humphrey Rainey took a central role in the fundraising drive for a marae. A fundraising committee was set up in early 1970, with a broad range of members including mayor George Thomas. The committee engaged a professional fundraiser, John Woolf, who organised a queen carnival – an event in which local businesses and organisations each sponsored a young woman as a ‘princess’. The fundraising drive also included a ball, a baby contest and a sponsored walk, and the queen carnival culminated in a parade of 70 floats carrying the princesses through the city in front of a crowd of 15,000 on 10 October 1970. General Motors princess Gailynn Paaka was chosen as queen.
The Upper Hutt City Corporation had offered the lease of a block of land on the corner of Miro and Ward Streets; however, residents objected, with over 100 people (some of whom lived nowhere near the location) signing a petition. A two-year legal process ended in defeat for the marae committee. The council then offered land next to Maidstone Park, on the corner of Park Street and Railway Avenue; two adjacent railway cottages were removed to provide access to a public road.
Tom Johnson (by then living in Niue, and replaced as committee president by Humphrey Rainey) produced sketch plans for a 7000-square-foot complex by early 1974, based on his plans for a similar building in Wairoa. These were used to help obtain an urban marae subsidy from Māori Affairs. Fundraising continued through 1974.
In September 1975 a dedication service was held at the marae site, and construction began later that month. The first completed building was the wharekai (dining hall), named Rongomai. The tukutuku panelling was designed and overseen by Mere Poutu of Ngāti Porou, and was made with contemporary materials along with flax, pīngao and kiekie. The kōwhaiwhai rafter patterns were designed by Māwai Hakona leader Jock McEwen, who also supervised the carving of pou.
Governor-General Sir Denis Blundell opened Rongomai on 22 August 1976. Māwai Hakona leader and composer Hera ‘Aunty Dovey’ Katene-Horvath was the marae’s first caretaker, and Māwai Hakona held their practices at the marae from late 1976. The Māori Queen, Dame Te Ātairangikaahu, visited Orongomai in January 1978. Inmates from Wi Tako (later Rimutaka) Prison were closely associated with the marae and took part in many of its activities until 1989, when prison rules changed.
The focus then moved to building a whare whakairo (carved meeting house). Tom Johnson drew up plans and Jock McEwen began to oversee the creation of carvings for the house, initially using wood from a huge tōtara that had been felled by a storm. Those who worked on the carvings included prisoners and prison officers from Wi Tako Prison. The carvings were designed in different styles to represent different tribal areas, as well as some Pacific Islands, with a carving also representing Pākehā; a carved lintel over the front door was in memory of Aunty Dovey, who had died in 1987. Kahukura meeting house (named after the son of Rongomai) was opened before a large crowd in May 1989 by the very newly knighted Anglican priest and broadcaster Sir Kīngi Īhaka.
In February 1996 Ōrongomai held its first open day; from 1997 it has held an open day every year on Waitangi Day. In 2018 it featured in the TV show Marae DIY, resulting in a covered walkway to the new waharoa, new gardens and new fencing, as well as a levelling out of the marae ātea.
From its beginnings Ōrongomai has been seen as a place for the whole Upper Hutt community; today it offers community services including a health service, a weekly vege co-op, t’ai chi sessions, and reintegration support for released prisoners.
Photos
Organisation
Location
DescriptionHall and meeting house on corner of Railway Avenue and Park StreetCoordinates[1] StreetView camera position[2] Meeting house (whare whakairo)[3] Hall
Coordinates[1] StreetView camera position[2] Meeting house (whare whakairo)[3] HallConnections
Associated OrganisationsŌrongomai marae
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Ōrongomai marae. Upper Hutt City Library, accessed 06/12/2024, https://uhcl.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/28556