After many decades in Germany, the Hinematioro pou is finally home in Uawa.

The pou is believed to have been originally gifted by the tipuna Hinematioro herself to Captain Cook some 256 years ago.

It had been held by the University of Tübingen, with iwi working for more than 20 years to secure its return before it made the long journey home.

Victor Walker of Te Aitanga a Hauiti says the journey was long but well worth it.

“Kua tutuki pai te haeretanga atu, te tono, me te harikoakoa o te ngākau, kua hoki mai te tipuna ki te kāinga, ki tōna iwi.”

Hapū from across Te Tai Rāwhiti gathered at Hauiti Marae to mark the occasion.

“History was made today, not only for Te Aitanga a Hauiti and the Uawa community, but for Te Tai Rāwhiti and Aotearoa,” says Shanan Gray of Te Aitanga a Hauiti.

Both Walker and Gray were part of a small contingent who travelled to Germany last week to retrieve their ancestral pou, with kaitiakitanga formally signed over to the iwi on March 29.

Ko wai mā a Hinematioro?

Te Pou o Hinematioro was taken during Captain Cook’s first voyage in 1769 and arrived in London in 1771. It later entered a private collection before ending up at the University of Tübingen in Germany.

How the pou left Uawa remains unclear, with stories suggesting it may have been gifted, exchanged, or taken.

Hinematioro was a high-ranking ariki in Ngāti Porou, whose mana extended across Te Tai Rāwhiti, particularly from Whāngārā to Ūawa.

“Ko [Hinematioro] te whakamaunga o te tapu, te ihi, te wehi o ngā kāwai rangatira katoa o Te Tai Rāwhiti, o Tūranga Nui a Kiwa i tōna wā,” Walker says.

For Te Aitanga a Hauiti, the pou is not just an artefact but the living presence of their ancestor.

Te hononga ki a Tiamana

Te Aitanga a Hauiti says it has maintained a strong relationship with the University of Tübingen since identifying the pou around 20 years ago, including multiple exchange visits.

“Back in 1769, some say that Captain Cook took it; others say it was gifted,” Gray says.

“About 20 years ago, we discovered it was in Tübingen Museum, so the relationship we’ve had with the museum has been really strong throughout this whole time.”

Sara Leitch from the University of Tübingen was there to witness the occasion and says it has been special working with Te Aitanga a Hauiti.

“Everybody [wanted] her to go home - it was not a question whether she should go home or not. We’re very happy.”

Leitch says while museums are valuable for preserving taonga and for education, she doesn’t believe that is where they belong.

“Of course, maybe it’s nice to have them there. [People] appreciate that they can see them - but they don’t belong to the university.”

I hoki taurewa mai a Hinematioro

The pou previously returned to Uawa on loan in 2019, where it was welcomed by the iwi.

“I think of all those kaumātua and kuia who were there, and now they’re no longer with us,” Gray adds.

“So for their mokopuna to continue the stories that were once told to us when we were young - it’s a really, really special and unique moment for all of us.”

Walker says there are still many taonga that remain far from their homes.

“Mā tatau anō e pātōtō ana i te tatau o ngā whare taonga nei kia oho ake, kia whītiki ki runga, kia hoki mai hei kaihau kai mā tātau katoa i ngā rangi pātata nei.”

Gray says this sets a precedent for repatriating more taonga across the world.

“I think we’ve set ourselves a challenge,” he adds.

“As you’ve seen today, we’ve done it before, we’ve done it here. What’s going to stop us?”

Hinematioro will now remain at the Tairāwhiti Museum.