A delegation from the small town of Opotiki will make a long awaited journey to the Auckland Museum on the 29th of August to take possession of valuable carvings belonging to the Whakatohea Hapu Ngati Ira, in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

"This will be the realisation of a long anticipated desire to return these carvings of the great house Tanewhirinaki too their rightful resting place in the land of the Whakatohea" Jim Richardson of the Whakatohea Research and Archives Trust says.

The carvings were taken to the Auckland Museum in 1973 for restoration and safekeeping. David White, a reknowned local historian, with the assistance of John Kameta, sought to have these carvings returned in 1991.

The story of the carvings began with the land wars of 1864-1865. After the fighting around Opotiki, most of the carved houses of the Whakatohea had been destroyed and those which remained stood on land which had been confiscated.

In the 1870's Hira Te Popo of Ngati Ira (a sub tribe of the Whakatohea) decided to build what was to be the Tanewhirinaki house with the help of other hapu of the Whakatohea. This inspirational project was to rebuild the mana of his people who had suffered greatly from the loss of their land.

The house of Tanewhirinaki was a statement of their pride in their culture.

In 1864 Ngati Ira were a wealthy people, in 1874 they were deprived of this wealth and their economic base. Their prime and productive land was confiscated and their villages and forts destroyed. Their horses, cattle, farming implements, flour mill, sailing cutter and other assets vital to their continuing economic success, were taken by the government forces. It was a massive undertaking to build a large fully carved house when they had so little. The house was 76 ft X 36 ft earth floor with a thatched roof and walls.

The house was opened and dedicated in 1885. The founder and head of the Ringatu faith, Te Kooti Rikirangi, had been pardoned in 1883 and he dedicated the house to denote the strength to the Ringatu faith.

For fifty years the religious services of the Ringatu, and important cultural events of the Ngati Ira took place in front of or inside the house. The house was dismantled in the 1930's. A number of attempts were made to re-erect the house,however some unfortunate occurrences in 1940 prevented the rebuilding being completed.

The Whakatohea Research and Archives Trust will act as "kaitiaki" (guardians) of the carvings to be housed in the Opotiki Museum.

The day of the return for these carvings will be a low key affair with an appropriate celebratory event to follow later, yet to be arranged.

Agenda: 5am Whakatohea Delegation leaves for Auckland Museum 10am Arrival Auckland Museum 5pm Return Opotiki