Te Whaiti

Te Whaiti or Te Whāiti, formerly called Ahikereru, is a forested area in the Whakatāne District and Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island. It is at the northern end of the Ahikereru valley – Minginui is at the southern end.^[1] The Whirinaki River flows through the valley.

Chief Matekuare and his daughter Tuki outside a meeting house in Te Whaiti

Carved pataka (storehouse) at Te Whaiti photographed in 1930

Fencing at the house of Te Kooti at Te Whaiti in 1930

Flag dedication ceremony at Waireporepo Pa

The area's full Māori name, Te Whāiti-nui-a-Toi, translates as "the great canyon of Toi",^[2] referring to an ancestor of this area, Toi-kai-rākau / Toi-te-huatahi.

Albert Percy Godber took photographs of Māori art and architecture in the area.^[3]

Marae

Te Whaiti is in the rohe (tribal area) of both Tūhoe and Ngāti Whare.

It has three marae:^[4][5]

• Waikotikoti Marae and Hinenuitepo meeting house is affiliated with the Tūhoe hapū of Te Karaha, Ngāti Hāmua, Warahoe, and with Ngāti Whare.
• Murumurunga Marae and Wharepakau meeting house is affiliated with both iwi.
• Waireporepo Marae is a meeting ground of Ngāti Whare; it has no meeting house.

In October 2020, the Government committed $793,189 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the Waikotikoti and Murumurunga Marae, creating 20 jobs.^[6]

Education

A school opened in Te Whaiti in 1896^[7] and merged with Minginui Forest School in 2004. The school is now Te Kura Toitu o Te Whaiti-nui-a-Toi, a co-educational state, Restricted Composite Special Character School.

See also

• Te Urewera
• Whirinaki Te Pua-a-Tāne Conservation Park

References

1. "Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives of New Zealand". House of Representatives. 4 August 1907 – via Google Books.
2. Wiri, Robert K. J. (4 August 2001). "The Prophecies of the Great Canyon of Toi: a history of Te Whāiti-nui-a-Toi in the western Urewera Mountains of New Zealand" – via researchspace.auckland.ac.nz.
3. "Godber, Albert Percy, 1875-1949 :Collection of albums, prints and negatives". natlib.govt.nz. National Library of New Zealand.
4. "Te Kāhui Māngai directory". tkm.govt.nz. Te Puni Kōkiri.
5. "Māori Maps". maorimaps.com. Te Potiki National Trust.
6. "Marae Announcements" (Excel). growregions.govt.nz. Provincial Growth Fund. 9 October 2020.
7. Binney, Judith (4 August 2009). Encircled Lands: Te Urewera, 1820–1921. Bridget Williams Books. ISBN 9781877242441 – via Google Books.

38°35′S 176°47′E / 38.583°S 176.783°E / -38.583; 176.783