Mitimiti
Mitimiti | |
|---|---|
  Mitimiti | |
| Coordinates:35°25′30″S173°16′15″E/ 35.42500°S 173.27083°E | |
| Country | New Zealand |
| Region | Northland Region |
| District | Far North District |
Mitimitiis a small settlement inNorthland,New Zealand.It lies close to the Warawara Forest, between the mouths of theWhangape HarbourandHokianga Harbouron Northland's west coast, 44 km west ofKohukohu.Mitimiti is part of the Hokianga North statistical area. For demographics of this area, seePanguru.
Name
[edit]There are several stories about the origin of the name Mitimiti.
The name "Mitimiti" is thought to come from aMāoriterm meaning "to lick", a reference to the belief that the souls of the dead, on their way toCape Reinga,paused here to drink at the mouth of the Mitimiti Stream.[1]
Another story is that the great chief More Te Korohanga was slain in a battle there. The warriors wanted a piece of the chief, but there wasn't enough of his body for everyone, so they licked his blood from the rocks there.[2]
History
[edit]SS Ventnor
[edit]On 27 October 1902, theSS Ventnorsank near the Hokianga Heads.[3]The ship was carrying the remains of 499 Chinese miners back to China,[4]however, none of the Chinese bodies were recovered initially.
For weeks and months following the wreck, bones washed ashore along the Hokianga, including on the beach at Mitimiti. Locals, unsure of the origins of the bones, buried them in their cemeteries.[5]In 2007, Chinese settlers began to make links between the story of the SS Ventnor and the bones, and official relationships between Te Rarawa and The New Zealand Chinese Association were formed.[6]
In 2013, a memorial gateway was unveiled in the cemetery in Mitimiti,[7]to honor the sinking. It was blessed by both Māori and Chinese[8]
Marae
[edit]The local Mātihetihe Marae is affiliated with theTe Rarawahapūof Te Taomauī and Te Hokokeha.[9][10]The nameMātihetiheis reference to the tihetihe, or tumble weeds that grow on the sanddunes.[11]
The marae complex consists of awharenuinamed Tūmoana after the captain of theTinana canoe,and a wharekai named Ngā Ringa Rau o Te Ākau (The many hands on the shore). Next to the marae complex is Hato Hēmi a catholic church. Above the marae on a hill sits the wāhi tapu (cemetery) named Hīone.[12]
In February 2015 the marae was chosen to be part ofTV3's Marae DIY.[13]Thewharenuiwas completely refurbished on the show.[14]At the same time, the marae was connected to fibre broadband, in a project named Mititmiti on the Grid.[15]
In October 2020, the Government committed $1,407,731 from theProvincial Growth Fundto upgrade the marae and 8 other Te Rarawa marae, creating 100 jobs.[16]
Education
[edit]Te Kura o Mātihetihe is a coeducational full primary (years 1–8) school[17]with a roll of 21 students as of February 2024.[18]The school was founded in 1890, and was initially a part-time Native School taught at the Mātihetihe whare.[19]
Notable people
[edit]ArtistRalph Hoterewas born in Mitimiti in 1931, and was buried there in 2013.[20]He also attended Matihetihe school.[21]
PoetHone Tuwharewrote poemA fall of rain at Mitimiti: Hokiangawhich was published in 1974 in his collectionSomething Nothing.[22]
References
[edit]- ^Wise's New Zealand guide(1969) Dunedin: H. Wise & Co., p. 184.
- ^"Mitimiti".NZ History.Retrieved29 March2021.
- ^"100-Year Old Tragedy of 499 Lost Miners Premieres on Māori Television".Māori Television.Retrieved29 April2019.
- ^Dastgheib, Shabnam (14 November 2014)."Shipwreck of SS Ventnor and its dead finally found".Stuff.Retrieved30 March2021.
- ^"Wandering with Ancestors"(PDF).Northland NZ.Retrieved31 March2021.
- ^"History".NZ Chinese Association: Ventnor Project.Retrieved31 March2021.
- ^To, James."A spiritual connection': Fate of the SS Ventnor links Chinese with Māori".Asian Media Centre.Retrieved31 March2021.
- ^"Buddhist blessing for wreck souls".Northern Advocate.New Zealand Herald. 14 February 2015.Retrieved31 March2021.
- ^"Te Kāhui Māngai directory".tkm.govt.nz.Te Puni Kōkiri.
- ^"Māori Maps".maorimaps.com.Te Potiki National Trust.
- ^"About Matihetihe Marae".Matihetihe Marae.Retrieved31 March2021.
- ^"About Matihetihe Marae".Matihetihe Marae.Retrieved31 March2021.
- ^Collins, Mikaela (28 February 2015)."Whanau return for a special marae makeover".Northern Advocate.New Zealand Herald.Retrieved29 March2021.
- ^"Home".Matihetihe Marae.Retrieved29 March2021.
- ^"CATCHING UP WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD AT HIGH SPEED".The Download.Retrieved29 March2021.
- ^"Marae Announcements"(Excel).growregions.govt.nz.Provincial Growth Fund.9 October 2020.
- ^Education Counts: Matihetihe
- ^"New Zealand Schools Directory".New Zealand Ministry of Education.Retrieved14 March2024.
- ^Olive Harris and Chris Lancaster, ed. (2006). "Our First Voting Ladies".Remember the Hokianga.O. Harris. p. 355.ISBN978-0-473-11859-4.
- ^Tahana, Y. "Hotere's body arrives at Mitimiti",New Zealand Herald,1 March 2013. Retrieved 27 June 2015.
- ^"About Mitimiti".Archived fromthe originalon 14 October 2007.Retrieved19 January2008.
- ^"Remembering Northland".Te Ara.Retrieved31 March2021.