Te Whata

Tēnā koutou e te hope o Te Whatumairangi, e te pōtiki ngau pāpāwai a Rangiuru. Ko Te Whata tēnei, he wahi pupuri i ngā kōrero, pupuri i ngā whakapapa, pupuri i ngā taonga o te iwi, kia kore e mimiti, kia kore e ngaro.

Te Whata was established at Te Taumata o Ngāti Whakaue in July 2024 as an Archive and (eventually) a research space. In these early years, Te Whata is laying the foundations of a living repository that protects and connects Ngāti Whakaue knowledge, stories, and identity.

Every day, we risk losing irreplaceable pieces of our heritage, stories, whakapapa, waiata, photographs, and records that carry our identity. Without action, our descendants may inherit emptiness instead of legacy. Te Whata exists to halt that loss, to act as a memory house where Ngāti Whakaue history is preserved, cared for, and made accessible.

Te Whata has been created to:

• Collect – records from Te Taumata, whānau, hapū, and iwi life
• Preserve – documents, photographs, recordings, manuscripts, maps, and digital files
• Support – offering guidance for whānau who hold taonga and records at home
• Provide Access – ensuring iwi members can engage with and reclaim knowledge

While objects such as cloaks, carvings or taonga Māori currently remain outside its scope, Te Whata ensures the records and knowledge that shape our story have a safe and permanent home.

This is not “just another project.” Te Whata represents a wider iwi kaupapa, joining the movement of other iwi across Aotearoa who have built their own archives to secure their heritage.

With collaboration across Ngāti Whakaue entities, Te Whata will evolve into Te Kupenga o Tūtānekai — the net that gathers and protects the identity of our people.

While still in the foundational phase, Te Whata is actively building its collection and relationships. We warmly invite whānau who hold records, photographs, whakapapa, film, audio etc which you think might be important or valuable to the iwi at large, as well as those with research needs or projects, to connect with us and see where we might be able to assist.

Your knowledge, stories, and treasures are part of the living memory of Ngāti Whakaue, together, we can ensure they are preserved and shared for future generations.