I te whakataunga a Ngāti Awa i te whakaaro a te rangatira nei a Hōhaia Matatēhokia ki te whakatū i tētahi wharenui whakahirahira ki te whakanui i ō rātau tīpuna me te whakakotahi i te iwi, kātahi te mahi nui rawa.
Nā Wēpiha Apanui, he tohunga whakairo, i ārahi i tētahi rōpū kaiwhao o Ngāti Awa me ētahi iwi noho tata. I whakamahia ko ngā tōtara i karia i te hōhonutanga o te awa o Whakatāne hai whakairo i ngā poupou tīpuna nei. Nā ngā tohunga raranga ngā tukutuku i kōtui mō roto i ngā tara ā-whare.
I whakatuwheratia a Mataatua i te Maehe 1875, 700 te hunga i hui atu mō te toru rā, pēnei me te Minita Take Māori, a Tā Donald McLean.
I tāpaetia e Ngāti Awa a Mataatua ki a Kuīni Wikitōria. Ehara i te mea he tohu noa iho i te tūmanako me te kotahitanga o Ngāti Awa, engari, ko te tūmanako me te kotahi i a Ngāti Awa me te kāwanatanga.