The pōwhiri or ritual of welcome has been performed by Māori for many generations. Although initially used to determine whether visitors were friends or foe, pōwhiri today are utilised to welcome all manuhiri (visitors) to a marae or place. There are many aspects of the pōwhiri process to observe and these may vary from marae to marae and area to area.
This information relates to Rehua Marae and has been prepared for your assistance, particularly for first time visitors. We ask that you please take the time to familiarise yourself and your group with this information. Prior to your visit you will need to organise the following:
School groups should seek assistance from their Māori Liaison Kaiawhina/Resource Teacher of Māori through the Ministry of Education. External organisations should seek assistance through their Iwi/Māori Liaison. Please contact our administration office should you have any questions relating to the information supplied.
Koha is a Māori term for a gift, however that is a simplified view and doesn’t consider the intrinsic value of koha. It is a way to express gratitude in the form of a physical gift, like money. Traditionally Māori gave koha in many forms – specialty food, resources, or treasures from their region alongside words of gratitude to the hosts.
Today money is an easy and convenient way to koha. It means the marae can determine where the money goes to – usually it supports the volunteers of the marae who manaaki the visitors. If you are in a situation where you are required to give a koha, then give what you can, or feel is appropriate taking into consideration the circumstances or situation you are in. Take a moment to reflect on it.
Koha is a personal expression of your gratitude and is over and above the cost of using or hiring the marae.
Please gather at the wharemanaaki (restroom building) (refer to map). This is a good opportunity to collect the koha from those gathered and place it in an envelope. Once collected the koha envelope should be given to your kaikōrero or in the event of more than one speaker to your tākoha (last speaker).
While at the wharemanaaki please organise your group with the wāhine (women) in the front and tane (men) behind them. All children should be between the tane and wāhine. It is appropriate to have the oldest people in the front of each group.
Your Kaikaranga should be at the front of your group – they will lead your group on to our marae.
Once your group is ready your Kaikaranga should lead your group quietly to the second bridge where your group will wait for the maioha (the Kaikaranga for our marae) to give her first call.
Once her call has been completed your Kaikaranga will reply to the call and your group should proceed quietly and slowly towards the Whare Tīpuna (Meeting House).
It is appropriate to pause approximately 3/4 down the Marae Atea (the open space in front of the Whare Tīpuna) to acknowledge those that have gone before us – our collective ancestors, friends and family. The length of this time of reflection can vary from 30 seconds to several minutes and is usually determined by your Kaikaranga but once observed then your Kaikaranga will begin to proceed again towards the Whare Tīpuna.
Upon reaching the mahou (veranda) please ascend the steps and remove your shoes placing them neatly to the right of the doorway before entering the Whare Tīpuna. Your Kaikaranga should enter first followed by the other wāhine, the tamariki and then tane.
The wāhine should move to the seats behind the front row and the tane should move to the front row of seats. If there are more tane than seating permits in the front row then the wāhine should accommodate accordingly and move back a row. Tamariki may occupy any spare seats or be seated on the floor.
Please note that while you are removing your shoes and moving to your seats both Kaikaranga may continue to call to each other, the maioha may also point/indicate the direction where people are to move and/or be seated.
Once at your seats please stay standing until the tangata whenua (hosts) indicate to you to take your seats.
The tangata whenua kaikōrero (speaker) will begin with a whaikōrero (speech), followed by a supporting waiata.
Our kawa is Paeke and therefore once all our speakers have spoken and their supporting waiata (songs) sung, the tangata whenua will indicate to your kaikōrero the time to reply.
At the conclusion of the speech from the tākoha (final speaker) he should place the koha near the middle of the floor towards the first speaker. Please note koha is only laid at the conclusion of all speeches. Where there is more than one organisation in your group who all wish to provide a koha it is recommended that separate envelops with each organisations name be written on them be given to the tākoha who will lay all koha on behalf of those present. Some tākoha will indicate the individual groups as he lays them or will place the individual envelops as a collective koha acknowledging they are from the entire group. Either way is appropriate providing the person laying the koha is the last speaker.
The tangata whenua will pick up and acknowledge your group by accepting your koha. On occasion this acceptance may also be acknowledged by the Kaikaranga giving a call of thanks.
Once the giving and receiving of the koha has taken place then our head kaikōrero will indicate to your kaikōrero when it is time for the hariru (shaking of hands) and hongi (press noses). One has this opportunity to greet their hosts formally with “Tēnā koe” of informally with “Kia ora”.
Manuhiri (visitors) are viewed as “tapu” (sacred or set apart from the everyday/normal things). The pōwhiri is viewed as a process of removing the “tapu” and making everyone “noa” (equal). The sharing of food is the final act of this process and therefore the pōwhiri is concluded with a light refreshment that will be provided in the wharekai (dining room).
