Henry & Peggy Sue enjoyed looking round Rewa's Village while in Kerikeri.
Rewa's Village is a replica Maori fishing village of a pre-European era.
Henry & Peggy Sue imagined they were the occupants of the Chief's House
Welcoming any guests.
They then set off to explore more of the village
This is the Kauta, or Cooking Shelter where food was prepared and cooked.
Off to explore more....
Peggy Sue points out that this area is forbidden.
This is a carved Pou Rahui (Restriction Sign Post) that would have marked an area on which a Tapu (Restriction) had been placed.
They walk down to the river where you can see the Stone Store and Mission (Kemp) House
Peggy Sue asks what is in there and Henry explains it is a storage pit in which Kumara (Sweet Potato) is stored.
They stand there for a while debating the merits of keeping food in an underground pit.
Peggy Sue wants to have a look inside.
Henry tells her there might be Weta inside so she decides not to go in!
Outside the Food Storage Pit is where small kumara were offered to Kiora, a vegetarian rat which was also a supply of food.
Peggy Sue and Henry discover Waka Tiwai/Tete a fishing canoe.
The hull of the canoe was hollowed out from the trunk of a Kauri or Totara tree. Throughout the construction of a canoe rites and rituals were performed.
Peggy Sue found the site of an original Maori Hangi which is where river stones were heated above an open hole and once the wood had burned down, food was placed on the hot stones. The food was then covered with leaves and buried for cooking.
Henry doesn't look especially impressed...
You can hardly see it!
To show what it would have looked like, here is a replica Hangi.
They continue on...
...and find two Ancient Waka, which were salvaged locally from the swamps.
Beside the ancient Waka are a 'punga' or anchor fashioned from a rock to take a rope which was tied to the waka.
The Bark Whare (House) was constructed by driving two rows of stakes into the ground and laying branches between them. The roof is made from Totara bark.
Peggy Sue and Henry continue on their walk.
The walk up the hill.
Listening to the bird song as they go.
They can see the Whare Tohunga (High Priests Enclosure) and Pataka (Elevated Enclosure) ahead of them.
The front enclosure was Tohunga's and it was in need of repair and restoration!
This Whare was where the Tohunga lived. They were experts in various aspects of Maori life such as Waka building, carving (Whakairo), tattooing (Ta moko), building of Whares (houses) as well as medicinal and religious practices.
The Pataka or elevated enclosure was perhaps where they kept their stores high up off the ground.
