Ko Ruaihona

Ruaihona te wharenui

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Ruaihona I

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Nā te tohunga whakairo ā Eramiha Neke Kapua i tarai te whare ā Ruaihona. I te hanganga o te whare ka awhinatia ia e Te Hekenui rāua ko Rewiri Akuhata. I timatahia tenei mahi i te tau 1908, i te tau 1910 ka oti.

He āpotoro a Eramiha o te Hāhi Ringatu, ā, ka whakatuwheratia te whare tupuna nei i te ra 1 o Hurae, i te tau 1910.

Nā wai ra, ka whakairihia wetehi whakaahua ki te tuārongo o te whare. He whakaahua rongonui wenei, hai tauira mo te ‘Folk Art’. Nā Reupene Akuhata nga whakaahua nei. Ko ia te tama ā Te Hekenui.

Tau rawa ki te tekau tau atu i 1980, ka korerorerohia me whakahoro me whakahou rānei te whare nei i te mea, kua pirau haere, ā, kua tawhito. Kāore ano kia whakatau ka ru te whenua o te Rangitaiki ka whakamakuhane ā Ruaihona. Nā runga i tera, ka moana ngā whakaaro. I te 9 o Oketopa i te 1988, ka whakahoroa ā Ruaihona e te hau kainga.

The original Ruaihona was carved by the tohunga whakairo Eramiha Kapua. He was assisted in the construction of the whare by Te Hekenui and Rewiri Akuhata. Work on the whare tupuna began in 1908 and was completed by 1910. It was opened on the 1st of July, 1910, an auspicious day for Te Hahi Ringatu.

Some famous ‘Folk Art’ paintings of the contact period that were painted by Reuben Akuhata hung on the rear wall of the wharenui. Reuben Akuhata was the son of Te Hekenui.

By the 1980’s Ruaihona started to deteriorate. While discussions were being had to decide what to do with the wharenui the Rangitaiki area was struck by an earthquake. This further weakened the

whare nui so it was decided to pull down the old whare nui and a new whare nui was eventually commissioned.

Ruaihona II

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I tenei ra ka tu whakahihi a Ruaihona te tuarua ki Hekerangi.

Na Ahirau Kaka Niao Ngaheu i tarai nga whakairo hou. I awhinatia ia e tana tama me Hare Reneti. Nana ano i mahi nga mahi kia whakahou ai nga whakairo tawhito.

He tohunga whakaairo a Kaka, e mohiotia whanuitia e te motu mo ana mahi. He tauira hoki ia na Eramiha Kapua.

I timatahia te hanganga o te whare i te 1989. I whakahaeretia te mahi e Nepia ratau ko Pairama Ranapia ko Apakura Chase ko Tim Karatiana ko Cappy Karaitiana. Ko Hori Maniapoto te Heamana o te komiti marae i taua wa.

Na nga wahine o Ngai Tamaoki nga tukutuku i mahi. I whakahaeretia tera mahi e Katerina Waiari raua ko Kutiwera Te Maipi.

Ko Kapua Kakaho Teua te rangatira o Ngai Tamaoki i taua wa. Nana ano te iwi i akiaki ai, i arahi ai kia oti pai te whare a Ruaihona. Kaore ia i kite atu i te whakatuwheratanga o te whare hou, ka mate ia i mua i taua ra. I whakatuwheratia te whare tupuna a Ruaihona i te 6 o Maehe 1993.

Building of the new Ruaihona commenced in 1989.

The tohunga whakairo Kaka Niao oversaw the carving of new pou and restoration of old carvings from the old whare nui which could be saved and incorporated into the new Ruaihona.

It was fitting that Kaka Niao should oversee the work on Ruaihona as he was a renowned carver in his own right, and former student of his uncle, Eramiha Kapua. Kaka Niao was assisted in his work by his son and Hare Reneti.

The construction of the whare was undertaken by work scheme gangs under the guidance of Nepia and Pairama Ranapia, Apakura Chase, Tim and Cappy Karaitiana. Oversight was provided by the marae chair George Maniapoto.

The tukutuku work was done by Ngai Tamaoki women under the supervision of Katerina Waiari and Kutiwera Te Maipi.

The rangatira Kapua Kakaho Teua was integral in supporting and encouraging the iwi in rebuilding Ruaihona. Sadly he died before the whare tupuna was completed.

Ruaihona II was opened on the 6th of March 1993.