Ngāti Ira Secures Historic Publishing Partnership With Auckland University Press For "Tanewhirinaki"

Landmark book to tell untold story of Te Tarata battle and its aftermath from iwi perspective ahead of 160th commemoration

Te Rua Rakuraku, pou tikanga of Ngāti Ira is proud to announce that the research group that has been leading the Ngāti Ira raupatu claims, have secured a publishing contract with Auckland University Press to publish "Tānewhirinaki " a groundbreaking book that will tell their story of survival, resistance, and hope in the aftermath of one of New Zealand's most devastating periods of colonial confiscation for the peoples of Te Whakatōhea.

Tanewhirinaki meeting house, rebuilt at Waioeka pa in 1886, after relocating it from Maraetahi Pā where rangatira Hira Te Popo had erected it as a house of wānanga and refuge for Te Kooti at Maraetahi, where they had fled after the battle of Te Tarata in 1865. It never stood for long due to the Napier earthquake, however the whare was constructed using a traditional knowledge of the mīmiro method, mātauranga Māori that in endangered of being lost, without the assistance of modern day architects who will capture this knowledge, document and record it.

“The next generation of Ngāti Ira intend to rebuild the whare again, and working with the Auckland University’s School of Architecture and Planning to make it happen.” says Te Rua Rakuraku, pou tikanga for Ngāti Ira hapū and direct descendant of the 1860 rangatira, Hira Te Popo.

The publication announcement comes at a particularly significant time as Te Whakatōhea prepares to host the 160th commemorations of the Battle of Te Tarata on October 4th this year in Ōpōtiki, marking one of the most pivotal moments in the New Zealand Wars that forever changed the landscape of Te Whakatōhea and their hapū territories.

"This book represents more than just a historical account," says Rakuraku. "Tanewhirinaki symbolises our enduring hope, resilience and reclamation and our commitment to ensuring the sacrifices of our tīpuna and our people's resilience are never forgotten. Through this partnership with Auckland University Press, we can share our story with the dignity and reach it deserves."

The publisher, Auckland University Press, brings significant academic credibility and distribution capability to this important historical work. The partnership ensures "Tanewhirinaki" will reach both academic and general audiences, contributing to a more complete understanding of New Zealand's colonial history.

The book aims to provide a comprehensive account from Ngāti Ira's perspective of these traumatic events and their long-lasting consequences, offering insights that have been largely absent from mainstream historical narratives. It is also hoped that the book will be translated in te reo Māori as well.

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