Ōtāhuhu College has opened its new wharenui, Te Tāhuhu, a haven carved by staff and students to reflect the school’s commitment to embrace and uphold te ao Māori.

“A waho rā he ao tawhito, i roto [nei ko] te ao hou,” says whakairo teacher Jay Mason.

“Ko te whare nei, mō te katoa o te kura.”

Known to students as Papa J, Mason was tutored by the likes of Gordon Toi, Mark Kopua and Paratene Johnson, and has spent the last decade teaching whakairo at Otahuhu College.

Last Monday marked the dawn opening of Te Tāhuhu, which took seven months to build and carve. Mason has worked toward its creation for the past six years.

“Ka whawhai au, ka wero tonu ahau ki te hanga [i tētahi] whare i konei, [hei] pupuri i ngā kōrero o Tainui waka.”

While not the first marae built on school grounds, Mason says it was important to build a new whare and to place it at the front of the school, where it rightfully belongs.

‘He āhuru mōwai mō te marea’

The carvings tell the story of the Tainui waka crossing Tāmaki Makaurau, whilst the inside of the whare includes a modern take on tekoteko carving and tukutuku panels.

“I te wā i whakawhiti atu te waka o Tainui mai i te Waitematā ki te Mānuka, tērā te kōrero o ngā taniwha i reira, o Tainui waka.”

The purpose of this whare, Mason says, is to serve as a safe space that grounds all tauira, whānau and the wider hapori. It will be a place of learning, hospitality and spirit them.

“Ka haramai ngā tauira ki te whare nei [ki] te whakawātea ngā mea kino pea, ka ngāwari haere.”

He tūhono anō ki te ao Māori

Year 13 student Hamuera Broderick was among the tauira who helped carve Te Tāhuhu. He says whakairo helps him feel connected to his Māoritanga.

“For me, it’s being unapologetically Māori.”

“We’ve got Māori kids here that don’t know their iwi, they don’t know their marae, they don’t know their reo and it’s heartbreaking.”

Broderick hopes the project will inspire other tauira Māori to embrace their culture.

This year was especially significant for Māori students at Ōtāhuhu College, marking their return to the Polyfest and Te Ahurea Tino Rangatiratanga kapa haka stages.

“I’ve taken on a big role to try and bring and make sure that our younger generation actually, at Otahuhu College, get to stand on the Ahurea stage, get to stand on the Polyfest stage.”

He iti noa te taupori Māori i Ōtāhuhu

Figure NZ data from 2023 show Pacific peoples make up 60 percent of the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu population, while Māori account for about 17 percent.

With a roll of more than 1000 students, Mason says fewer than 100 identify as Māori.

“Thirty years ago, we were predominantly a White, Pākehā, working-class school, and it’s moved to a Pasifika school,” says Principal Neil Watson.

“One of the things we want to do as a school is capture some of the history of those changes and development over time.”

Kua huri anō te tai

The main school block on Māngere Road opened in 1931. Watson says Te Tāhuhu represents the school’s evolution.

“It really roots us back to the mana whenua and the original people of this land, and it then leads into a more traditional and colonial style building,” he adds.

“It’s got that transition, and I think the school’s population changes over time, and we need to reflect that, but also be aware of where we come from.”

Mason says interest in te ao Māori is growing across the school, including Pasifika students joining whakairo classes and helping carve the pou for Te Tāhuhu.

“Me kī kei te tīni ngā āhuatanga o te Māori i roto i te kura nei, te tīmatanga o te whare nei i te tuatahi.”

Mason hopes to establish a marae ātea in front of Te Tāhuhu, complete with a waharoa.