Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Welcomes 36th America’s Cup Presented By Prada To Tāmaki Makaurau

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei are proud and honoured to welcome the worlds best racing teams and their support and whānau to Tāmaki Makaurau for all events of the 36th America’s Cup presented by Prada.

Chair Marama Royal said the Waitematā is central to the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei identity and with the only marae on its shores, we take our kaitiaki and hosting responsibilities seriously. This includes the manaaki and awhi of all manuhiri (guests).

“The whenua and moana of Tāmaki Makaurau have been home to my people for many generations. We welcome visitors to the 36th America’s Cup, that will take in some of the majesty and beauty of our harbours and landmarks during this event.”

Mrs Royal said Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei had worked alongside event organisers and officials to provide support to help ensure a world class and successful experience for all taking part and those visiting during the various events.

As kaitiaki of the Waitematā from the shores of Ōkahu Bay and Takaparawhau, it is important that the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei cultural narrative is prominent throughout the event and contributes to the wonderful visitor experience. Working closely with event organisers, we were proud to provide cultural support including blessing of racing boats, the AC36 racecourses, and the gifting of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei names for building and boats, including the Emirates Team New Zealand racing boat TE REHUTAI and New Zealand’s premier hosting venue TE POU in the heart of the America’s Cup Race Village. We were also happy to welcome TVNZ to Karanga Plaza with the name PŪPŪ TARAKIHI for their new worldclass broadcast studio.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei as host iwi will open the America’s Cup Race Village which spans from Hobson Wharf, continuing through Te Wero Island, Eastern Viaduct, North Wharf up to the Silo Park area, with a dawn blessing, followed by pōwhiri and official opening ceremony on Tuesday December 15.

This will be followed by the Opening Ceremony pōwhiri where all teams will be welcomed to the kaupapa by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei.

A look out point beside Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Marae on Ōkahu Bay on the shores of the Waitematā Harbour, will be a popular location to watch the racing. Takaparawhau (Bastion Point), where the marae is based, is steeped in history, and boasts spectacular grandstand views out over the Waitematā Harbour and the AC36 racecourses.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei deputy chair Ngarimu Blair, said it was important to ensure appropriate māori protocol was laid down before and during the event to support a positive outcome for all involved.

“Our protocols are designed to protect and support, and it is embedded within our tikanga to manaaki and tautoko our manuhiri and those who share our appreciation for the beauty, majesty and sustainability of our whenua and moana.”

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei have been intertwined with the lands and waters of Tāmaki Makaurau for many centuries, we understand better than any the allure and wonder of the harbours and landmarks on view during the event.

We have been humbled to provide support for the America’s Cup and look forward to building on the relationship in the lead up to the match race in March 2021.

About TE REHUTAI

Emirates Team New Zealand revealed TE REHUTAI its second generation AC75 to the world in November in Auckland’s Viaduct. It is the boat that will be used to defend the 36th America’s Cup.

TE REHUTAI the name, was gifted by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and proudly christened by Lady Margaret Tindall in a ceremony in front of close to 900 friends, family, sponsors, suppliers and supporters of the team.

TE REHUTAI can be described as where the essence of the ocean invigorates and energises our strength and determination.

About TE POU, New Zealand House

The 36th America’s Cup event provides a unique opportunity to create and showcase a distinctly Māori footprint in the CBD through the America’s Cup Race Village.

In the middle of the America’s Cup Race Village is TE POU, New Zealand House – a dedicated hospitality venue that showcases the unique culture and manaakitanga of Aotearoa. Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei is the host Iwi that gifted the name TE POU. Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust deputy chair, Ngarimu Blair said “the name TE POU is derived from Te Pou Herenga Waka (the waka mooring post). It acknowledges the rich waka and seafaring history of Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) and the Waitematā, where many ancient Māori waka once traversed and moored near the current Auckland CBD and waterfront site.”

In partnership with the iwi of Tāmaki Makaurau, local Māori artists Janine and Charles Williams were commissioned to create the artwork for TE POU, New Zealand House. The artists are both nationally and internationally recognised for their expansive work on various landmarks and sites.

Through collaboration, the artists drew their inspiration from the taiao (the natural environment). In Māori pūrākau (mythology), Tāne-mahuta (Tāne) is the guardian of trees and birds. They all reside together in Te Wao nui a Tāne - the great forest of Tāne. The trees of Tāne were a taonga (treasure) and provided essential resources for Māori. These included waka (canoes), pou (carved posts), whare (shelter) and weaponry. The prominence of fauna and flora are illustrated in the design, with tui and kōwhai prevalent in the artwork of this house, reflecting the story of Tāne-mahuta and the treasures of the forest.

About PŪPŪ TARAKIHI

The name PŪPŪ TARAKIHI or paper nautilus is a large trumpet shell from deep water, used by Māori and Pacific people as a trumpet to signal the arrival of a group or waka nearby.

Titai, a tohunga (priest) of Ngāti Whātua had a vision when he saw PŪPŪ TARAKIHI being driven by the north wind toward the shore. It is said this vision foresaw the arrival of foreign waka rā (sailing ships) and big changes to come.

Like this studio, the PŪPŪ TARAKIHI shell is an important way of communicating and broadcasting information.

About Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei

Me Mihi ki tō tātou Kaihanga i te tuatahi, ka tika. Nāna nei ngā mea katoa. E ngā karanga maha, ngā manuhiri tuarangi, ngā waewae tapu, nau mai, haere mai. Haere mai ki Tāmaki herenga waka, ki Tāmaki herenga tangata. Mauria mai ō koutou tini mate, ā, ka herengia ki ngā mate o konei. Ka ea ai te kōrero, āpiti hono, tātai hono, ko rātou te hunga mate kia rātou. Ko tātou te hunga ora kia tātou. Tihewā mauri ora.

Ko Māhuhu ki te rangi te waka
Ko Maungakiekie te maunga
Ko Waitematā te moana
Ko Ngā Oho, Te Taoū, Ko Te Uringutu ngā hapū
Ko Ngāti Whātua te iwi

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei are one of the hapū (sub-tribe) from the wider Ngāti Whātua iwi (tribe). We have approximately 5,000 hapū members throughout Aotearoa (New Zealand) and around the world. Located in and around the Tāmaki isthmus, in the largest city in Aotearoa, we hold firm to our history, culture, identity and language.

Occupation of Ngāti Whātua in Tāmaki Makaurau began in the 17th Century under the leadership of our rangatira (chief) Tuperiri. As such, every member of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei can trace their whakapapa (genealogy) to Tuperiri and are descended from the 3 hapu (sub-tribes): Te Taoū, Ngāoho and Te Uringutu, collectively referred to as Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei. Today, the collective affairs of the sub-tribe are looked after by the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust.

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