MORE than 200 people gathered at Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Wairarapa yesterday for the dawn blessing and official opening of the Kahurangi assembly hall after a revamp and quake strengthening of the building.
Work on the Masterton school's whare matoro, or assembly hall, was started about six months ago and involved earthquake strengthening, upgrading the kitchen and toilet facilities and installing new gable carvings and restored upright carvings for the front of the hall.
PJ Devonshire, Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa chief executive, said the ta i te kawa, or re-dedication and re-opening ceremony, was held at dawn and had attracted more than 200 people including Rangitane o Wairarapa kaumatua Mike Kawana, principal Hohepa Campbell and school staff, past and present students, families and supporters.
The carved maihi, or barge boards, at the front of the hall, the amo, or upright supports, and the koruru at the apex of the maihi were either restored elements that had stood at the whare matoro of the original site of the school in Makara St, or newly carved over the past three months by a group including key carvers Francis McNally-Te Maari, Carl Rongonui, Wayne Pitau and other carvers drawn from Whanau Ora Wairarapa and the wider community.
"The amo used to stand at the Makara St site and have been down for 12 to 13 years. We decided with the renovations of the hall we should do the carvings as well, they were looking a bit dilapidated. A lot of work has gone in to them, a lot of work," Mr Devonshire said.
