Whai muri i ngā raupatu whenua i te tekau tau atu i 1860, ka hangaia e Ngāti Awa ētahi whare whakairo, a Mataatua rāua ko Hotunui. Nā Wēpiha Apanui rāua ko tōna matua a Apanui Te Hāmaiwaho ngā whare nei i whakairo. Nō te tau 1875 ka tuwhera a Mataatua i Whakatāne. Ka heria te whare ki Poihākena me Rānana i mua i te nekenga ki Te Whare Taonga o Ōtākou. Nō te tau 1996 ka whakahokia a Mataatua ki a Ngāti Awa. Nō te tau 1878 ka oti te hanga o Hotunui, hei takoha mō te mārena o Mereana, te tuahine a Wēpiha ki tētahi rangatira o Ngāti Maru. Kei te Whare Pupuri Taonga i Tāmaki-makau-rau te whare ināianei.