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Story: Wairarapa places

Roadside Stories: Papawai, the Māori capital

In the late 19th century Papawai marae, outside Greytown, was the focus of the Kotahitanga – the Māori parliament movement, which sought to unify Māori tribes. With 3,000 residents, Papawai was known as ‘the Māori capital’.

Listen to a Roadside Story about Papawai. Roadside Stories is a series of audio guides to places around New Zealand.

Taonga puoro courtesy of Richard Nunns

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How to cite this page

Ben Schrader, Wairarapa places – Papawai marae, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/interactive/35322/roadside-stories-papawai-the-maori-capital (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ben Schrader, published 10 January 2012, updated 11 June 2015.