Dr Tom Roa shares Kīngitanga history

Kingi Tāwhiao’s famous pōtae, his hat, put the King Country on the map.

On Monday, about 300 local educators learned exactly how Te Rohe Pōtae got its name.

They also discovered how settlers named Pirongia without understanding the term’s smelly true meaning in te reo Māori, and the ancient Tahitian origins of the word Te Nehenehenui: “ancient and beautiful”.

The source of this historical journey was Waikato University professor Tom Roa; the overall theme was the early history of the Kīngitanga and its close connections to Maniapoto.

Tom shared this kaupapa at the Les Munro centre on Monday, at a professional development event organised by co-leads Denise Marshall, principal of Te Wharekura o Maniapoto, and Raewyn Jackson, Pukenui School’s principal.

His presence was a happy accident – daughter Hariru Roa had originally planned to be the presenter, but had accidentally been double booked. So, a second expert arrived in her place.

“Dad, go talk to them about the Kīngitanga,” she said.

The rest is history – Maniapoto history.

The movement’s origins were not well known, Tom said.

While the discourse had been shared within families, it had not been written down. So many in the audience would have recognised pieces of it, but without necessarily a full narrative.

“The purpose of coming here today is to give a context, give a background.

“I think that my relation Tui Adams said it best. He said that Maniapoto were the tuarā of the Kīngitanga: [the spine or support]. In the early days of the Kīngitanga, Maniapoto warriors ... they provided that backbone.”

Students could have a big impact on the world if they understood their history well, he said. And they would do so with the support of their teachers and school principals.

“Thank you for being part of what might change the world,” he told the group.

Te Wharekura o Maniapoto principal Denise Marshall said the day had been about building connections among educators.

“And building on the strengths we have in the community: our human resources. And sharing that knowledge so it goes across the school sectors, from primary up to secondary and ECC.”

Building detailed, localised, historical knowledge about the Kīngitanga’s formation was important, she said.

“People need to understand that the humble beginnings started here in Maniapoto. And they also need to have an understanding that you need to go to that place where our ancestors actually met [Te Puna o Te Roimata].

Denise referred to a significant local site at Haurua near Ōtorohanga, known as Te Puna o Te Roimata, or the wellspring of tears. That is where, in 1857, Maniapoto tūpuna confirmed their support for Pōtatau Te Wherowhero, who became the first Māori King.

The educators travelled there in the afternoon.

“I always wondered where it was. When I was taken there, I thought, everyone else needs [to see this]. Individual schools can [then] take small groups there.”

Denise said Monday’s event supported kotahitanga – togetherness among educators.  

“We’re building on the relationships and networks … in the past, we haven’t been together as one. Today was a good beginning of it.”

“[We are becoming] confident in our new knowledge, and how we can work and share that new knowledge.”

Pukenui principal Raewyn Jackson further discussed the event’s background.

“We thought, rather than needing to all do our own, is there some way we can all hear the local stories and knowledge around our area? [Although] each kura will have its own special space and understanding of where they are and how they came to be.”

This area’s education leadership group – the Kāhui Ako – had been seeking a provider to deliver a localised curriculum for Te Nehenehenui. The Ōtorohanga area’s Kāhui Ako came on board, and the groups sought an organisation to help build their knowledge, Raewyn said.

“We heard the [then] Maniapoto Māori Trust Board … were putting themselves forward as PD [professional development] providers. So, we thought, ‘what better than our local whānau, our knowledgeable people there to share with the kura and schools?’”

The relationship continued through the transition to Te Nehenehenui.

“We got in touch with Doug Ruki, who we knew as a leader [and who] does a lot of the education side of things there.”

He agreed to support the process, Raewyn said. They then held hui to plan several localised curriculum events. The first of these took place on Monday. An earlier planned wānanga had been cancelled due to January’s weather.