Ngātiwai marae is located on Rawhiti Road at Ngātiwai. The wharenui was initially called Ngāti Wai Soldiers' Memorial Hall. It is now known as Maumahara ki nga Hoia, which means 'Remember the Soldiers'.
Ngātiwai marae is linked to Ngati Tautahi hapu of the coastal iwi named Ngati Wai.
Pepeha
Ko Moetonga
te maunga
Ko Whangaroa
te awa
Ko Mahuhukiterangi
te waka
Ko Ngātiwai te Marae
Ko Ngaiotonga
te whenua
Ko Ngāti Tautahi me Te Uri O Hikihiki
Nga hapū Ko Ngātiwai te iwi.
The Ngātiwai Soldiers' Memorial Hall
Ngātiwai's marae started off as a hall and is said to be named in dedication to the Ngātiwai soldiers' enshrined on the honour board (carved by Pariti Rawiri and Ted Ngere) inside the wharenui. Approximately eight acres of land was gifted by the Pita and Martin whānau for the marae and local men from the area built the wharenui. The timber was cut from trees on the lands in the Ngaiotonga area, it was gifted to the people to build the Ngātiwai Solders Memorial Hall. The timber was milled at Tuteamatai and local men from Ngaiotonga.
Officially opened in 1955, the hall was transformed into the marae in the 1970s. Originally the hall had an outside kăuta, and then a wharekai was opened around 1958.
Ngātiwai is a significant marae because of its location - it is positioned at the junction connecting it to Tüparehuia, Russell, Waikare and Whangarūru.
Wharekai
Ngā Mako
The Ngātiwai wharekai is named after Ngamako (Uncle Tokowhati's mother). Ngamako and other kuia were selfless workers for the people and the marae, taking on all sorts of jobs from ringawera to awhi haere in everything. The kaumātua wanted to honour Ngamako so they suggested her name for the wharekai, and after much discussion her name was confirmed.
In 2007, the new wharekai named Ngā Mako was opened by Kingi Tuheitia. Muriwhenua whānau came through from Te Kao to tautoko the opening, acknowledging the whakapapa of the kuia Ngā Mako. Manuhiri were hosted across Whangarūru. One marae was set aside for the King's group, another whare was made available for the senior kaumātua from Tainui and another for the Kāhui Ariki. Muriwhenua were hosted at another marae and all of Whangarūru pitched in to make the opening a success.
Awa
Whangaroa
Whangaroa is the awa that is special to the hapū of Ngāti Tautahi. It winds through Ngaiotonga and joins the sea at Whangaruru Harbour. It can be seen from the Whangaroa urupa and is sometimes referred to as 'the creek, due to the water level being far lower than it was in the past.
Te Maunga
Moetonga
Moetonga is the significant maunga associated with Ngāti Tautahi. It is located south west of the Ngātiwai marae and can be seen from Rawhiti Road, near the Russell Road turnoff. Whānau at Ngātiwai speculate whether it is named for the Moe tree.
Did you Know..
Ngātiwai marae sits on eight acres and includes native forest and an awa "the creek". There is a hidden treasure in the bush- a huge mighty Totara tree amongst many, many other beautiful features, hidden across the eight acres of whenua the marae sits on. There used to be tracks all through the bush. The tracks were also the way tupapaka were taken to the urupa long ago, and some whānau still go to visit the urupa via the tracks.