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Story: Wellington places

Waiwhetū marae

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Waiwhetū marae

In 1985, 10 carved pou (posts) were installed at Waiwhetū marae, Lower Hutt, as part of the marae’s 25th anniversary celebrations. This pou represents Īhāia Pōrutu Puketapu, a prominent local Te Āti Awa chief. Waiwhetū has been settled by Te Āti Awa people since the 1830s, when Ngāti Mutunga chief Patukawenga made it available for migrants from Ngāmotu. The Waiwhetū marae was established in 1960 to cater for the large numbers of Māori coming to Wellington to work.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: EP/1985/4066/19a

by Ross Giblin

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Chris Maclean, Wellington places – Hutt Valley – south, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/13468/waiwhetu-marae (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Chris Maclean, published 3 March 2009, updated 1 March 2016.