Tū rangatira te maunga ko Maungatautari

Rere kau ana ko ngā wai o te awa o Waikato

Rauika mai rā ki te marae o Parawera

Ki roto ki ngā manaakitanga o te wharekai Te Waenganuitanga o te iwi

Ko te hapū e pūmautia ana, ko Ngāti Ruru, Ngāti Waenganui, Ngāti Werokoko,

Ko te waka ko Tainui, ko Rakataura te tohunga,

Ko Pōtatau Te Wherowhero te tangata

Te pou here i ngā muka maunga ki Te Kīngitanga

Historical background

In the 16th century the Parawera area was occupied by Raukawa, but by th 19th century skimishes broke out in the are between Ngaati Kauwhata and Raukawa against Ngaati Mahtuta, Ngaati Hauaa, Ngaati Koroki and Ngaati Hourua. Between 1840 and 1863 kainga were set up at Mangakopara and Whakarongopu by Ngaati Koura, Ngaati Ruru, Ngaati Waenganui, Ngaati Parehaehaeora, Ngaati Kauwhata and Raukawa. By 1864 the land wars had reached Orakau. The once fertile, productive area with potato crops, cornfields, wheat fields, orchards and pasture land; including bountiful eel weirs along the Mangahoi stream; soon became a desolated area where local hapu lived under great hardship.

In 1884, Raukawa lost exlclusive ownership to their lands following 5 months of hearings in the Maaori land court. A few families became permanent residents in the area, but no one lived permanetly on the marae. Land was developed by local families who were involved in dairy farming, however over the years many of the farms were leased out.

It was in the 1880s that the marae became a focal point for the district. Buildings were erected including a 'pink' whare for Kingi Tawhiao, who was a frequent visitor to the marae and where he spent his last days before his death on 16 August 1894. Parawera was one of the earliest poukai marae when it observed its first poukai on 9 March 1885.

In 1912, the whare tuupuna, Taane I Rangi Kapua was built, but had to be dismantled in 1948, on the insistence of Pricess Te Puea due it its dilapidated state. The whare ruuruhi, Tuupa Kororaa was built in 1929 and for many years was used as a community hall enjoyed by local Maaori and Pakeha. A whare tuupuna, was opened on 9 March 1971 and the name Taane I Rangi Kapua was carried over to this building. In January 1984 the marae opened a new wharekai, Te Waenganuitanga o te Iwi. With the signing of the Waikato Tainui Treaty Settlement on 22 May 1995, the hapu affiliated to this marae under this document are Ngaati Werokoko and Ngaati Ruru, although other hapu include, Ngaati Waenganui, Ngaati Mahuta, Ngaati Hikairo, Ngaati Mahanga and Ngaati Hauaa. On 11 April 2001, the whare tuupuna Te Kata a Raukawa was uplifted from Te Ohaaki o ngaa Tuppuna Marae and resited next to Taane I Rangi Kapua. Several Maaori land blocks are still owned by local whaanau. The marae is a busy place, providing important links and services to our marae whaanau, hapuu, iwi and wider community.

The Land

The marae site is gently sloping with Arapuni Road running on the northen side and Owairaka Valley Road to the south. Entry to th marae can be accessed from both Arapuni Road and 11 Owairaka Valley Road. The marae sits across two Maaori Land Blocks Maungatautari 6B3C6A with an area of 1,4392 ha and Maungatautari 6BSec 1A with an area of 1,2535ha. Both blocks are vested in the Marae Trustees. These freehold Maari land blocks were set asiged as a Maaori reservation by Gazette notice for the purposes of a meeting place for Maaori, in 1938. Its purposes wre extended to a meeting place and marae for Waikato and Ngaati Raukawa tribes, see New Zealand Gazette 11/9/2008 No. 138, p.3776. Notice No: 6696