MORE than 20 members of the Batley family attended a workshop on various aspects of their history at Mōkau Museum on Sunday.
The family is affiliated to Maniaroa Marae, Awakino, tracing its lineage to both Ngāti Tama (Taranaki) and Ngāti Maniapoto (Waikato). It is heavily involved with the museum, said a member of the party, Riana Te Uira White-Haverkamp.
“Our Batley whānau were doing a tour of places of interest along the coast, which included the museum; we’re a dual whakapapa, as we come from both iwi.”
This was through a union of her ancestors whose marriage was arranged to settle peace along a coastline which had seen much bloodshed though tribal war. Riana’s great great grandmother, who was from Ngāti Maniapoto, had married their great great grandfather, who was from Ngāti Tama.
“I like to think that we are like the mediators; keeping the marriage relationship between the two boundary tribes settled.
“Part of our journey today was to come to the museum because three of us are trustees here. And our responsibility is looking after and protecting the taonga (treasures) that have been preserved in this shared space.”
