Portrait of Rewi Maniapoto given to pa

Kaawhia Te Muraahi had just one comment to make when he heard Auckland Art Gallery was considering gifting a Lindauer print to Napinapi Pā, near Piopio.

The “beautiful piece of art” was a portrait of the important 19th Century Maniapoto rangatira Rewi Manga Maniapoto.

“We need to bring that one back,” he said.

The original oil on canvas portrait, painted by Gottfried Lindauer in 1882, was gifted to the Auckland gallery in 1915.

The gallery made prints of that original. Recently, their head of kaupapa Māori, Te Arepa Morehu, decided one should be returned.

“About a month ago, he and I got talking,” Kaawhia said.

“[He said] they have a large print in a frame they wanted to bring and repatriate.”

That started the conversation, which resulted in the ceremony at Napinapi  on June 15.

Kaawhia said there were two marae the print could have gone to – Mangatoatoa and Napinapi. Both had been closely associated with Rewi Maniapoto.

But only Napinapi had a suitable place for it – and Mangatoatoa chose to hang a different, smaller picture instead.  

“So, today we received this beautiful taonga, which will be a centrepiece of Napinapi marae for many years to come.”

The print was personally delivered by a team from Auckland, headed by Te Arepa.

“We went through a few steps in order to do this, and the key thing was that he should come back home … he was a chief from this area,” he said.

“We had the painting safely wrapped … and then we picked it up yesterday. I took it home with me, because I wanted to make sure if there’s anything that I bring, it’s got to be that.”

The handover was a success with Te Arepa and his party appreciative of the hospitality shown, and offering a “massive mihi” to their hosts.  

“It was absolutely amazing manaakintanga,” he said.

Piopio College reo teacher Matua Amai, who counts Napinapi as one of his five ancestral marae, attended the event with a group of students.

He said the ceremony provided a valuable learning experience.  

“Just to be in the environment, and to witness our tikanga in its purest form, on the marae. [It was] a learning point for the kids, to learn in an environment where I learned, where I was taught.

“I enjoyed myself watching, watching the tamariki around on the marae atea – just like all my nieces and nephews have in the past.”