Whare Taonga - Whāngārā

Television (Full Length Episode) – 2012

Stories belonging to Ngāti Porou hapū Ngāti Konohi feature in this episode of award-winning te reo series Whare Taonga. Cultural advisor Joe Pihema talks about two wharenui (meeting houses) belonging to Whāngārā marae. The older whare Waho-te-Rangi (1890) contained paintings honouring important figures, in line with their Ringatū faith. Whitirēia is full of whakairo (carvings), the tallest depicting their great ancestor Paikea. The marae provided the setting for Witi Ihimaera's novel The Whale Rider and the 2002 movie. English subtitles can be found via the 'CC' symbol under the screen.

It is said that this island is the whale that brought Paikea to Aotearoa. This house of learning once stood in the fortress. It was called Tahatū-o-te-rangi and stood on the island of Paikea.
– Cultural historian Joe Pihema on the significance of the landscape surrounding Whāngārā Marae