Historic Significance

Historical Significance or Value This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Historic Place Assessment Under Section 23 Criteria report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. Historical: Hanatoria was built in the late 19th century for Karika Paeahu and Parepumai Te Whetuiti. Paeahu died in 1924 and his wife in 1936. The couple played a prominent role in the affairs of their locality, serving both Maori and European communities. During that time their villa took an overflow from the nearby government-owned Te Waikato Sanatorium and developed a reputation as a place of healing. Just before her death Parepumai Te Whetuiti had ordered the construction of a meeting house adjacent to her villa, PapaKanga. After this burned down in the 1950s, PapaKanga became home to a portion of the family. Today it is known as Hanatoria Marae and the owners are planning its conservation.

Detail Of Assessed Criteria

This historic place was registered under the Historic Places Act 1993. The following text is from the original Historic Place Assessment Under Section 23 Criteria report considered by the NZHPT Board at the time of registration. (b) The association of the place with events, persons, or ideas of importance in New Zealand history: Events: Little is documented about specific events held in this house, although it is stated that it served as an overflow convalescent home for tuberculosis patients, then soldiers and after that as a support centre for the locality, offering shelter and healing to anyone regardless of race. In more recent times a domestic residence, Hanatoria has been established as a marae and plans are being made for the conservation of the building. Persons: The material prepared by the nominator shows that Chief Karika Paeahu and princess Parepumai Te Whetuiti are both highly regarded by the family. Each achieved a position of influence and respect within their time and communities. In addition to his tribal connections, Karika Paeahu was respected by the Cambridge business community and he is recorded as being a member of the Waikato Hunt and the Cambridge Bowling Club. Princess Parepumai Te Whetuiti may have been even more influential, maintaining PapaKanga as a place of spiritual and physical healing, ordering the construction of the adjacent meeting house and meriting the attendance of King Koraki at her tangi. Their significance is almost certainly local rather than national; neither appears in either the 1940 or the more recent national biographical dictionaries nor in David More's 'Between the River and the Hills: Waikato County 1876-1976'. Ideas: Hanatoria was built as a domestic residence, but appears to have taken on a public role early in the 20th century, serving as an 'overflow' unit for the nearby 1902 government-funded 'Te Waikato Sanatorium'. As such, it may be an interesting example of a Maori response to the inadequacies of government initiatives.