Hītori

Rehua has been shaped by the coming together of two peoples Māori and Pākehā. Its story begins with a partnership between Ngāi Tahu and the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission to create a safe home in Christchurch for young Māori from rural papakāinga. Together they established a hostel, first for young Māori women working in Christchurch, and then for young Māori men who had been selected for the government’s Maori Affairs Trade Training Scheme. When it relocated to its current address at 79 Springfield Road, Rehua was just a kilometre away from the old Puari Pā site on the banks of the Ōtākaro River. Rehua Marae sits within the takiwā of Ngāi Tūāhuriri, the Ngāi Tahu hapū with mana whenua over Christchurch.

Most of the key people involved in the establishment of a hostel for young Māori in Christchurch were either involved with the Methodist Maori Mission or the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission. The church already ran successful hostels in the North Island and was keen to do the same in the south. The young and charismatic superintendent of the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission Rev. Wilf Falkingham spearheaded the project. He was actively involved with Rehua all his life. Alongside him was the honorary Methodist missioner Wera Couch, whose family have been involved with Rehua from the beginning.

On 15 August 1952 a hostel for Māori girls was opened at 138 Stanmore Road in the Christchurch suburb of Richmond. Joe and Taka Moss (nee Rōpata) were appointed master and matron. They were both Ngāi Tahu and both active members of Te Hāhi Weteriana (Methodist Church). The girls’ hostel only lasted for a year but set the foundations for a hostel for Māori boys. Prior to the official opening of the girls’ hostel, a delegation from the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission went out to Tuahiwi to meet with the Deputy-Upoko, Harry Jacobs and ask him to name the hostel. He gave the name Rehua.

In 1953 Rev. Falkingham met with Maori Affair’s Minister Ernest Corbett to discuss accommodation for boys, targeted at government initiatives supporting Māori youth into trade apprenticeships. This was a pilot scheme, the first of its kind in the South Island.  The first intake of boys arrived on 10 January 1954. Recruited by the Maori Affairs welfare officers 18 of the new trainees came from the North Island; from the ‘reservoir’ areas of North Auckland (Northland), the King Country and the majority from the East Coast, mainly around Wairoa. Many had never left home before and the trip to Christchurch was both terrifying and exciting.

By 1957 the hostel had outgrown the Stanmore Road premises and a new house and section was purchased at 79 Springfield Road, St Albans. Immediately plans were drawn up for an extension to the old home which would be the main hostel building. Demand was high and there were never enough beds for the apprentices who needed them. The term of residence was set at a maximum of three years. The new hostel was officially opened on 13 April 1957. The manuhiri included politicians, senior church leaders as well as local congregations and neighbours. Chairperson of the Council of Elders and the MP for Southern Maori Sir Eruera Tirikatene led the hostel welcome and hostel master Herb Rennie laid down the wero.

The new hostel was named Te Maire by Hinerua Couch after the Ngāi Tahu rangatira and Wesleyan lay preacher Rāwiri Te Maire (1808-99). A photo of Rāwiri Te Maire and other Ngāi Tahu lay preachers hangs in the wharenui in recognition of their mahi. Te Maire was the only dormitory until a new wing was built in the late 1960s. The staff quarters were there too so the matron and master could keep an eye on everyone, although that did not stop some inventive ways of staying out after curfew. Over the years maintenance of Te Maire became increasingly costly and for safety reasons it was permanently closed in 1996. Following a multi-denominational blessing in 2005 it was demolished.

For the hostel to be successful the mission realised it needed the support of mana whenua. The Rehua Council of Elders was comprised of representatives from each of the five Canterbury Ngāi Tahu hapū, Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Ngāti Wheke, Ngāti Irakehu, Ngāti Moki/Ruahikihiki and Ngāti Huirapa from the settlements of Tuahiwi, Rāpaki, Wairewa (Little River), Taumutu and Arowhenua. The elders were not elected; they were senior kaumātua from their hapū and their position on the council lasted for their lifetime. Members of the first council were Wera Couch, Riki Ellison, Joe Karetai, Waha Stirling, Eruera Tirikatene, Tokomaru Ryan (nee Reuben), Jim Manahi, Rua Rakena, and Tame Robinson.

Through the Council of Elders, kaumātua from the various local Ngāi Tahu hapū helped with the governance of the hostel but for most of them it was so much more than that. Their innate manaakitanga (love and hospitality) was crucial in creating a home-away-from-home for the boys. Most of these kaumātua were not only involved with their iwi and hapū but many had prominent roles in their churches. Wera Couch, Rua Rakena and Riki Ellison belonged to the Hāhi Weteriana and Sir Eruera Tirikatene and Jim Manahi were āpōtoro (apostle) in Hāhi Rātana, and these two hāhi have a strong history of affiliation. When critical decisions needed to be made the Council of Elders would convene hui, mainly at Rāpaki and Tuahiwi.

At a hui in Rāpaki in 1959 approval was given to build a fully carved wharenui at Rehua. The mission supplied the builders, and the apprentices helped them. Henare Toka (Ngāti Whātua) and his wife Wanairangi (Mere) nee Poihi (Ngāti Ruanui) came to Christchurch, supervising and working on the carvings, kōwhaiwhai and tukutuku panels. Over the year other carvers joined them and men and women from the Canterbury Marae and the WEA helped with the kōwhaiwhai and tukutuku. The wharenui was named Te Whatumanawa Māoritanga o Rehua by Wera Couch. The tekoteko, Tahu Pōtiki was named by Wahawaha Stirling. Te Whatumanawa Māoritanga o Rehua was opened in torrential rain on Saturday 3 December 1960 with over 5000 people in attendance. The guest of honour was Kīngitanga leader Piki Paki on behalf of her father King Korokī who was too unwell to attend.

The hostel was staffed by a live-in master and matron, a cook and other domestic staff were employed as required. The matrons often had strong connections to the Hāhi Weteriana and the Maori Women’s Welfare League and were recruited through these networks. It was much more than a job, it was a vocation, and required complete committment. Some of the boys were only in their mid-teens when they arrived at Rehua and had never been away from home. They needed to feel a part of their new whānau. Aside from making sure the boys were working on their apprenticeships, other responsibilities included the cultural party, sports, chores and church. The boys often referred to the matron and master as ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad’.

Another three Christchurch trade-training hostels opened in the 1960s, Te Kaihanga (1962-1992), Roseneath for Māori girls (1963-1991) and Te Aranga (1968-1978). The new hostels were operated by the social services arms of different churches, Te Kaihanga in Upper Riccarton was run by the Anglican Social Services as was Roseneath at the beginning until the Presbyterian Social Services took over. Te Aranga in Ōpawa was run by the Catholics at first until the Anglican Social Services took it over. These hostels changed the demographic of Christchurch. All the hostels felt a strong whānau connection to each other with Rehua as their tuākana.

Under Rev. Falkingham, and with continued assistance from the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission, Rehua continued to expand.  In 1967 an additional 33-bed dormitory wing was built to accommodate more trainees bringing the capacity up to 65. Led by Sir Eruera Tirikatene it was officially opened on 29 October 1966 with a 300-strong kapa haka welcoming the dignitaries and guests.

Following a hui at Rāpaki in 1975 work started on a wharekai and ablution block for Rehua. The name Hemo-te-Raki was endorsed by Ngāi Tahu rangatira and Rehua kaumātua Riki Ellison. Architect Bill Royal (Ngāti Raukawa) drew up the plans and the old boys, under project manager Ruku Wainohu put in hundreds of hours of voluntary labour to build it. Individuals and organisations made donations and there were fundraising events like bottle drives and golfing tournaments. The Government matched the monies raised. More than 2000 people attended the whakatūwheratanga which was held over the weekend 16-17 February 1980. Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu and her husband Whatumoana Paki were guests of honour as they had been at the opening of Te Whatumanawa in 1960, rekindling the strong ties that Rehua has with Tainui and the Kīngitanga.

Te Kōhanga Reo o Rehua officially opened in 1983. It had been operating informally since 1981, run by the Rehua kuia and kaumātua including Jane Mānahi, Mere Davis, Ruku Arahanga, Jim Williams and Maera Coach who wanted to help the young mothers who were working voluntarily at the marae. The kōhanga operated from the Kia Rīwai Memorial Lounge and for many years had a full roll of 30 and a waiting list. Older children were part of Te Whatumanawa culture group which met on Sundays. Many of the kōhanga mokopuna went on to Te Tikanga Rua Reo, the bi-lingual unit at St Albans Primary School.

From the late 1980s Rehua began to provide hauora services run, in the main, by young women and supported by the Rehua kuia and kaumātua. This initiative had the active backing of the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission and had its counterpart in the Mission’s Child and Family Services. Named by Auntie Jane Manahi, Te Roopū Manaaki o Rehua provided kaupapa Māori services that included advocacy, budgeting, life training skills, counselling, kaumātua support, disability advocacy, self-defence and whānau tautoko. The resource centre operated from Te Kōti Te Rato. With tikanga Māori as their cornerstone, kaimahi supported Ōtautahi whānau under the korowai of Rehua Marae.

In November 1977 the Council of elders, Rehua old boys and mission representatives met with the Minister of Housing Duncan McIntyre, to discuss the construction of a small complex of kaumātua flats at the back of Rehua. The trustees approved the project, Maori Affairs bought the land from the mission and work commenced. Old boy Sam McGregor was the project manager and old boys from both Rehua and Te Kaihanga assisted him. The four flats were completed and opened in 1986. In 1990 the Rehua trustees bought the flats off the Iwi Transition Agency. Most of the kaumātua who have lived in the flats have had close associations with Rehua and had roles to play – in the wharenui, the wharekai and at the kōhanga reo.

On 25 February 2002 Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, made a historic visit to Rehua. Many months of hard work went into preperation for the ocassion. Over 2000 people gathered at the marae including local school and kōhanga children waving New Zealand flags. Rehua chairperson and Ngāi Tūāhuriri upoko Henare Rakiihia Tau led the proceedings. The Queen responded to the speeches of welcome from the māhau. To mark the occasion she was presented with a brooch made by Ngāi Tahu jeweller Areta Wilkinson featuring kōtuku feathers inlaid in gold and silver. Their majesties had tea and cucumber sandwiches before their departure.

Rehua Marae played a central role in the response and recovery following the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. It was a hub for the Māori response and many services were based there including fire, police, ambulance, social workers and Māori support workers.

The marae played an important leadership role helping coordinate the rapid response required to meet the needs of the community, supported by iwi, government agencies, Māori Wardens and volunteers. For weeks the staff and the marae community demonstrated manaakitanga and aroha ki te tangata hosting hundreds of visitors. Rehua received a Christchurch Earthquake Award in 2012 recognising the important role it played in supporting the community.

On 12 May 2021 the former Te Koti Te Rato hostel building was reopened by Hon Willie Jackson, Minister for Māori Development after being transformed in to six apartments, marae office, boardroom and clinic rooms. The development included installing an elevator and creating accommodation for more whānau to live on site and contribute to the marae. This work followed the upgrade of the wharekai and wharenui in 2017 and the upgrade of the four kaumātua flats between 2018-2020.