18 June 2022 – Chau Chak Wing Museum, University of Sydney. Review by Margaret Cassidy
A highly successful project launch of Hongi’s Hikoi: Tales through Tāonga was held at the Chau Chak Wing Museum after a two year delay due to the pandemic. Organised by Māori historian and educator Brent Kerehona Pukepuke-Ahitapu, it was a moving cultural gathering attended by local Māori and other supporters.
For Kerehona, a descendant of the famed Māori Ngāpuhi chief Hongi Hika (1772–1828), this has indeed been a hikoi, a long journey to research and now share the details of Hongi’s 1820-21 journey to England, with young chief Waikato and the CMS missionary Thomas Kendall.
Hongi’s Hikoi was envisaged as a series of public bicentennial commemorative events centred around this journey. Feted by British high-society, Hongi and Waikato assisted Professor Samuel Lee to compile an English-Māori dictionary whilst at Queens’ College, Cambridge University. They were introduced to peerage in the House of Lords and granted an audience with King George IV. Kerehona tells their stories through the tāonga(artefacts) exchanged between Rangatira and Royalty. Items gifted by George IV included a chain-mail suit of armour and a helmet as well as a tūpara (double-barrelled gun) presented to Waikato.
The launch event commenced outside in the yarning circle with a ceremonial wuyugil (Aboriginal smoking/cleansing ceremony) conducted by Dr John Hunter (Gamilaraay and Wiradjuri) and Josh Sly (Biripi, Worimi, and Wiradjuri). This involved everyone attending to first crush eucalyptus leaves in their hand and add them to the smouldering plants before waving the cleansing smoke over them.
The kaupapa (program) of speech and music followed a procession of all attendees into the Chau Chak Wing Museum. Whaea Tahi Gage (Tainui) and Barbara Pugh (Te Whanau-a-Apanui) led a powerful karanga (call of welcome) which was followed by Sam Rerekura (Ngapuhi) delivering a waerea (recitation of whakapapa or genealogy) befitting of rangatira, and a beautiful karakia or prayer by Archdeacon Malcom Karipa (Ngai Takoto). A whaikorero or opening speech by Kerehona was concluded with a haunting waiata or song He Kakano Ahau by Te Oranga Nolan (Ngapuhi and Tainui) and Tommy-John Herbert (Ngati Toa).
Kerehona delivered two lectures based on his research; the first focusing on Hongi Hika\’s 1814 journey to Australia, and the second focusing on the meeting between the two chiefs and King George IV in England in 1820 and the practice of tuku or reciprocal gifting. This research includes images of two-hundred year old Royal receipts!
Transitional entertainment of kapahaka performances by Sydney-based roopu or group Te Hoe Ki Matangireia and the premiere of the short film Hongi\’s Hikoi: A Trio of Travellers focusing on Hongi Hika\’s 1820 journey to England were followed by a formal whakamutunga (conclusion) including nga mihi or acknowledgments; korero whakamutunga or closing speeches; karakia whakamutunga or closing prayer. The launch was followed by a hakari or communal feast.
