The Hinemihi Project: our proposals at a glance
The Hinemihi Project is a proposed cultural exchange of whakairo (carvings) between the Māori community in Aotearoa (New Zealand) and the National Trust in the UK. The gifted whakairo would be attached to the reconstructed timber-frame structure at Clandon Park, continuing the long history of a Māori wharenui (meeting house) in the UK.
Who is Hinemihi?
The name Hinemihi refers to several closely connected elements:
- Hinemihi is the 16th-century ancestress of Ngāti Hinemihi (People of Hinemihi), her Māori hapū (sub-tribe).
- Hinemihi o te Ao Tawhito is the name of the wharenui built by Ngāti Hinemihi in Aotearoa in honour of their ancestress. The whakairo are imbued with Hinemihi’s spirit and are a gendered living being known as ‘Hinemihi’ and 'she/her'.
- In 1892, William Hillier, 4th Earl of Onslow, purchased Hinemihi’s whakairo when he ended his term as Governor General of New Zealand. He brought them back to his home at Clandon Park and built a timber-framed structure on which to mount the whakairo, remaking Hinemihi's wharenui in the garden to celebrate the close friendships he had developed with Māori people in Aotearoa.
The cultural exchange
- In 2017, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga approached the National Trust on behalf of Ngā Kohinga Whakairo o Hinemihi, requesting the return of Hinemihi's whakairo to her home in Aotearoa in exchange for new original whakairo.
- In 2019, we agreed in principle to the return of Hinemihi’s whakairo to Aotearoa. In exchange, a new wharenui will be built at Clandon with carvings created by expert Maori carvers, allowing the important cultural connection between Aotearoa and the UK to continue.
- The Hinemihi Project is being delivered by a three-way cultural partnership between Ngā Kohinga Whakairo o Hinemihi representing Ngāti Hinemihi (People of Hinemihi) in Aotearoa, Te Maru o Hinemihi representing the interests of the Hinemihi and the wharenui at Clandon, and the National Trust. The partnership is supported by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, who will legally receive Hinemihi’s whakairo.
Our proposals
Our project proposes to:
- return Hinemihi’s whakairo to Ngāti Hinemihi in Aotearoa, in exchange for new whakairo created by them
- reconstruct the timber-framed structure of the meeting house at Clandon, including improving facilities and access
- mount the new whakairo onto the reconstructed structure, creating a unique new wharenui at Clandon with a new name, that will celebrate and serve the UK's Māori and Pasifika communities
Why the exchange matters
- It preserves Hinemihi’s whakairo by protecting the carvings from weather damage so they can be cared for and kept safe for future generations.
- It brings Hinemihi home by returning her carvings to Ngāti Hinemihi, where they can be cared for, celebrated, and connected once again with the people and place they belong to.
- It celebrates shared history by creating new carvings for a meeting house that honours Māori and Pasifika communities in the UK while linking Hinemihi, Clandon Park, and the people connected to them.
- It builds understanding between different cultures and generations by creating new opportunities for people in Aotearoa and the UK to share stories, learn from each other, and build lasting connections.
A new wharenui for Clandon
- A wharenui has stood at Clandon since 1897 and is an important part of its history.
- For many years, Hinemihi has given Māori and Pasifika people in the UK a place to connect with their culture, while helping others learn about Māori history and traditions.
- Creating a new wharenui will help keep these traditions alive by providing a place for gatherings, ceremonies, storytelling, cultural exchange, and learning for visitors from across the UK and beyond.
The proposed improved facilities include:
- electric power and light
- heating and insulation
- Wi-Fi
- water in a nearby standpipe
- better wheelchair access
What is happening next?
- We’re working towards Hinemihi’s return home taking place in 2027, assuming that all the necessary statutory permissions are in place.
- The reconstruction of the timber-framed structure and the creation of the new wharenui at Clandon would follow in 2028.
The Hinemihi Project partners
Ngā Kohinga Whakairo o Hinemihi (Hinemihi of the Old World) is a charitable trust based in Aotearoa (New Zealand) working on behalf of Ngāti Hinemihi for the return of Hinemihi in exchange for new whakairo (carvings).
Te Maru o Hinemihi (In the Embrace of Hinemihi) is a UK-based community interest company with multinational members who are united in representing the interests of Hinemihi and the wharenui (Māori meeting house) at Clandon.
Europe’s largest conservation charity. As Hinemihi’s legal custodian, the National Trust shares the care and love of Hinemihi with its partners and wants an ongoing life for the wharenui (Māori meeting house) at Clandon.
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The Hinemihi Project: Celebrating and building on shared histories
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