Kōrero: Bay of Plenty places

This is an early image of the wharenui (meeting house) named Te Whai-a-te-Motu, meaning ‘the pursuit through the island’. Opened on 11 April 1888 at Ruatāhuna, it commemorates the pursuit of Te Kooti Arikirangi by government forces through the Urewera. It is the place where important tribal issues are discussed. Two sittings of the Waitangi Tribunal hearing for the Urewera district were held there in 2004.