Te Pāriha o Raetihi is on a journey to rebuild its whare whakamoemiti (house of worship). The historical Rātana temple was opened in 1926, and the parish is on a mission to preserve it for the next 100 years.
“The building itself [is] iconic - spiritually and culturally, for the iwi and the mōrehu (disciples) in the area,” Āpotoro Rēhita (apostle) Koro Robbie Williams.
The parish says this temple - named Taku Whare Tuatahi - has provided a special space for the community to share, learn and honour its culture, heritage, history and māramatanga (enlightenment).
Now, a century after its opening, the temepara (temple) is ready for a full rebuild.
The degradation of the whare prompted urgent repairs back in the 1980s, led by builder Brian Te Whatu. In 2017, the temple restoration project was officially established.
Williams says it was his daughter, who sparked this initiative during their whakamoemiti (worship service).
$80,000 to go
“She looked up and said ‘Dad, we better do something about our church’,” he says.
“So at our next whakamoemiti we started running little raffles.”
Since then, the Raetihi community has rallied together to raise funds for the cause.
“We sold trailer-loads of firewood, a few hāngi, Chinese kai, feijoas. We even went to Auckland to do a bit of fundraising.”
“[We’ve] raised $188,000 and have $80,000 left to reach our target.”
The total project cost sits at $1 million but the parish must raise $80,000 to reach the Crown partnership funding threshold.
“At the moment [the temple has] metal sheets on the walls, the lining is starting to peel.”
A full restoration
“It’s gonna go top to bottom, inside out - fully restored,” Williams says.
The parishioners say they need their temple returned to its former glory; a fully functioning safe, warm whare that can continue to be a beacon of hope for all those who go into their town.
Over the years, they have worked closely with experts and consultants to develop a proposal for a comprehensive refurbishment of the temple.
The rebuild will stay true to the original design, though including a new paved forecourt, enabling better access for wheelchair users.
The temple will also be insulated for the first time, have an electrical and fixtures and fittings upgrade, be re-roofed and also painted inside and out.
Above all, Williams says, their ultimate goal is to preserve this tāonga for the mōrehu of the future.
“Kia haere a mātau rangatira mō āpōpō. Ka mau tonu te māramatanga i waiho mai a Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana mo tātau te iwi Māori i roto i tēnei ao.”
(So our leaders for tomorrow will come, so that we’ll hold fast to the enlightenment that was left by Tahupōtiki Wiremu Rātana for Māori in this world.)
The Ruapehu District Council granted resource consent for the work in July 2020.
Renovations will begin once the remainder of the funds are raised. Te Pāriha o Raetihi hopes to raise this pūtea by the end of 2024.