Te Tapuwae
Encyclopedia
Te Tapuwae is a Māori cemetery located close to Otenuku Marae in Ruatoki
, in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand
. It is where tribal leaders of the Ngai Tuhoe iwi
are traditionally buried, most notably chief Tamarau Takurua.
In Maori folklore
the cemetery is said to be protected by a powerful tapu
which will curse anyone entering the cemetery without permission of the marae kaumātua
. On leaving the sacred cemetery, visitors must always wash your hands with cleansing water.
Tuhoe refer to the buried ground as "Te Tapuwae, Te Urupa ō Ngā Rangatira ō Ngāi Tūhoe” ("Te Tapuwae is the elder of the kings of the Tuhoe people")
Ruatoki
Ruatoki is a locality in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand. It is located at the base of the Urewera Valley, approximately 20 km south of Whakatane. The predominantly Māori community of approximately 600 people affiliate with the Tūhoe iwi, with at least ten marae located in the area...
, in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is where tribal leaders of the Ngai Tuhoe iwi
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
are traditionally buried, most notably chief Tamarau Takurua.
In Maori folklore
Maori mythology
Māori mythology and Māori traditions are the two major categories into which the legends of the Māori of New Zealand may usefully be divided...
the cemetery is said to be protected by a powerful tapu
Tapu
Tapu, tabu or kapu is a Polynesian traditional concept denoting something holy or sacred, with "spiritual restriction" or "implied prohibition"; it involves rules and prohibitions...
which will curse anyone entering the cemetery without permission of the marae kaumātua
Kaumatua
Kaumātua are respected tribal elders of either gender in a Māori community who have been involved with their whānau for a number of years. They are appointed by their people who believe the chosen elders have the capacity to teach and guide both current and future generations...
. On leaving the sacred cemetery, visitors must always wash your hands with cleansing water.
Tuhoe refer to the buried ground as "Te Tapuwae, Te Urupa ō Ngā Rangatira ō Ngāi Tūhoe” ("Te Tapuwae is the elder of the kings of the Tuhoe people")