Papawai Pa (Wairarapa) Traditional Cache
Hidden : 2/20/2011
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
1.5 out of 5

Size: Size: small (small)

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Geocache Description:




In the last years of the nineteenth century, and the first years of the twentieth, Papawai marae, near Greytown, became the focus of Kotahitanga, the Maori Parliament movement, and hosted many meetings to discuss issues of importance to Maori. The genesis of Papawai lay in the Government purchase of the large Tauherenikau block in the early 1850s. An area of land from the sale was specifically set aside for the creation of a church village in the bush just south of the Waiohine River, and to the east of the Kuratawhiti clearing. The land set aside adjoined the land granted to the Small Farm Association for their settlement of Greytown, and the two townships developed together from 1854.

The marae and meeting houses of Papawai Pa were developed by the Ngati Kahungunu tribal elder Tamahau Mahupuku, to accommodate Kotahitanga parliaments. He spent the last ten years of his life upgrading the village from a small church settlement to a large inter-tribal gathering place using profits from local timber sales. At its peak, in 1897, Papawai had a population of 2000 people and its own bakery, shops, billiard rooms, college, and flour and saw mills.

In 1898 Prime Minister Richard Seddon drew up a bill for the administration of Maori land that caused a storm of protest in Maori circles, as it was thought of as being very paternalistic. Tamahau held large hui at Papawai to discuss the issue, which had split the Kotahitanga movement. He found himself at odds with many members over his support of Seddon and the Government. He also supported Seddon's 1900 Maori Lands Administration Act and the Maori Councils Act, both of which seemed to deliver a degree of self-government to Maori.

Tamahau Mahupuku is said to have spent more than £40,000 on various projects and hui between 1894 and 1904, and Papawai hosted most of the leaders of the country, Maori and pakeha. He supported a brass band that played to the thousands that visited Papawai, and was noted as a generous host. Under his guidance many special meetings were held to record the history, whakapapa and customs of the Maori. These meetings were the source of much of our knowledge about Maori life and beliefs.

Tamahau died in 1904. One of his last projects had been the palisading of the marae at Papawai. A number of large totara logs were also gathered, and after his death these were carved into eighteen large tekoteko, carved figures, representing important ancestors. Uniquely, the tekoteko face into the marae to represent peace, rather than facing outwards to confront enemies. The Government financed a large marble monument that was erected at Papawai, commemorating his role in bringing the two races together. Tamahau's death lead to the role of Papawai becoming diminished. No-one could afford the lavish hospitality of the past, and although other leaders arose, none had his financial strength.

The elements played their part in the diminution of Papawai too. The hurricane force winds of October 1934 destroyed the Aotea-Waipounamu complex and the 1942 earthquake destroyed the marble monument to Tamahau. Even the tekoteko suffered from dry rot.

Papawai has undergone a restoration. Tamahau's monument has been re-erected on a smaller scale, and a project was initiated in the early 1990s to preserve the few tekoteko that remained. Today there are still Wairarapa ancestors standing watch over Papawai, the seat of the Maori Parliament.

[Extract Masterton District Library and Wairarapa Archive]

Please be circumspect when retrieving the cache – it is accessible from the side of the road, there is no need to climb fences or enter property.

As at March 2017 this cache is now in its fourth (and maybe final) incarnation - another pill bottle. Please wedge it back securely in place and cover so it won't be seen from the road. Thank you.

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Lbh'yy frr TYVQVAT yrff guna 3z njnl.

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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