Preparations for the 140-year anniversary of the 1886 Mt Tarawera eruption are underway as manawhenua Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao gather at Wāhiao whare tupuna to unite, share kōrero, and preserve their traditional narratives. The iwi will hold a special commemoration ceremony at the Pou of Ohomairangi in Te Wairoa next Wednesday (June 10, 2026) to mark the historic occasion.
Whariki Gardiner of Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao emphasised the importance and centrality of Tarawera maunga to the identity of her iwi and hapū.
“You know, when you say you do your pepeha ‘Ko Tarawera te maunga’ that tells you exactly who you are. Straight away, aye?” Gardiner said. “So it was important to say here we are people, we’re here to celebrate and we are Tarawera,” she says.
Gardiner, whose mother was a founding member of the original Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao Kapa haka group, noted that she has “kinda carried on from her” and is “still involved with the kapa to this day”.
She explained that the commemoration is a chance for the wider community to come together: “With going into the 140 years of Tarawera eruption and the commemoration day, it’s time to come together as a hapu again, not just as a competing kapa, but the iwi and everybody, so everyone gets involved.”
He rā nui whakaharahara ki te maumahara i a rātou mā i hinga i te hū o Tarawera
Ka tae mai ai ko ngā uri o Tūhourangi ki te whare tupuna o Wāhiao ki te whakarite i ngā waiata mō te rā maumahara i te pahūtanga o Tarawera Maunga.
Ko Tiahuia Ropitini te Pouako Matua o Te Kapa o Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao, ā, kei te whakaharatau rātou ki te maumahara i te rā i hū ai te maunga o tōna iwi i te 10 o Hune 1886.
“Anō te pai o te āhua reka o te noho tahi o te tuakana me te teina, o ngā koeke o ngā mokopuna i raro i te whakaaro kotahi. I raro anō hoki i te kaupapa whakanui i te pahūtanga o tō mātou maunga o Tarawera i te tau kotahi mano, iwa rau, waru tekau mā ono,” hei tā Tiahuia Ropitini, pouako matua o Tūhourangi Ngāti Wāhiao.
“Ehara i te waiata whakangahau, whakataetae take anake, he waiata e pupuri ana i ngā kōrero tuku iho mō mātou anō,” hei tā Tiahuia anō.
“Anei te reanga tuawhā o te kapa e tū tonu nei e kawe tonu nei, e hāpai tonu nei i ngā mahi a kui mā, a koro mā. Koirā te haepapa nui ki a mātou, he kawe tonu i ngā mahi. He tūtaki tonu i ngā haepapa, ngā wawatā a o mātou tūpuna, koeke o tō mātou pā nei o Te Whakarewarewa, nā roto mai i ngā mahi kapa haka,” hei tāna anō
Hei te 10 o Hune ka hui tahi ngā uri o Tūhourangi ki te Pou o Ohomairangi ki Te Wairoa Ā te 1145am, ka taki ngā hirihiri Ā te poupoutanga.