A sea of tartan skirts, old photos, and shared memories filled Pukemokimoki Marae in Ahuriri, as generations of Hukarere Girls’ College alumnae gathered to celebrate the school’s 150th anniversary.
Founded in 1875 on Mataruahou (Bluff Hill), Hukarere has nurtured generations of Māori women leaders through kaupapa Māori education and the Mihingare faith.
The milestone celebration brought past and present students together for three days of kōrero, waiata, and reflection.
“I think it was important for us to come together,” said Hukarere Girls College Head Girl Mānaia Ieremia. “The old girls held wānanga for us so we could reconnect and see each other again.”
Among those attending was Kararaina Ngatai-Melbourne, a member of the Organising Committee, who reflected on the enduring bonds between alumnae. “We still feel that connection,” she said. “It’s about coming together, laughing, and sharing stories from our time at school.”
The choice of venue for the pōhiri on the first day was especially significant.
In 2023, after Cyclone Gabrielle devastated the Eskdale site where Hukarere had relocated to since 2003, Pukemokimoki Marae opened its doors to shelter Hukarere students and hostel staff.
What was clear from the reunion was that the same spirit of manaakitanga lives on in the school’s story of resilience.
Following the floods, the Anglican Church purchased a former Porse office in Havelock North, used as a temporary school campus.
Students are housed nearby in what was formerly the Wine Country Motel and has been converted into a hostel.
Before the move, the girls had attended Napier Girls’ High School while staying in Herepoho (Eskdale).
Today, Hukarere has 62 students, 50 boarders and 12 day girls, carrying the mantle of a proud legacy of wahine Māori leaders.
Former alumnae include Ngoi Pewhairangi, the late Dame Iritana Tawhiwhirangi, Reremoana Hakiwai, Lady Tureiti Moxon, and Meka Whaitiri.
However, the site where the former school, hostel, and chapel once stood now belongs to a private foreign owner. The historic chapel was carefully disassembled and sits in storage, awaiting its resurrection. Fortunately, the school’s archives, containing over a century’s worth of history, were relocated from Napier just two weeks before the cyclone hit in 2023.
Alyson Bullock, a devoted old girl who helped guide the school through many of its darkest days, says the kaupapa of Hukarere remains unshaken.“We’ve lost buildings, but we haven’t lost our identity. Hukarere lives in our hearts, in our reo, our karakia, and our girls. That’s what’s carried us through 150 years and will carry us through 150 more.”
For this reporter, also an old girl, returning for the 150th was a deeply emotional reminder that while buildings may fall, the resilient and brave spirit of Hukarere endures.
