the hetet whānau
OUR STORY
RANGIMARIE HETET
(1882 - 1995)
The daughter of Te Rongopamamao and Charles Wilson Hursthouse, (Nana) Rangimarie was raised with her mother’s people - the Ngāti Kinohaku hapū of Ngāti Maniapoto.
Born in 1892, Rangimarie grew up learning to weave with her mother, Mere Te Rongopamamao, who was a celebrated weaver of her time. In her 50’s Rangimarie, with her daughter Diggeress, set about reviving the art (which was near extinction) through the network of the Māori Women's Welfare League. Both Rangimarie and Diggeress Te Kanawa were renowned as weavers and teachers both nationally and internationally.
Rangimarie's legacy is carried on today through her granddaughters and great granddaughters who continue to weave, teach and conserve this traditional Māori artform.
Among them: Grand daughters Muri Turner, Ria Davis, Kahu Te Kanawa and several great granddaughters including Veranoa Hetet. Grand daughter, Rangi Te Kanawa, who also weaves, is a museum conservator of Māori weaving and Ata Te Kanawa, another granddaughter, promotes Maori fashion design through her initiative MiroModa.
RANGI HETET
(1937 - 2024)
A grandson of Rangimarie Hetet, Rangi was the matua and co-founder of the Hetet School of Māori Art.
At the age of 17, Rangi was taken out of school by elders of his mother's people, Ngāti Tuwharetoa, to become a carver to help carve the meeting house Tapeka for Chief Te HeuHeu in Waihi at Lake Taupo.
Rangi learned carving at the old carving school Te Ao Marama in Ohinemutu, Rotorua under the mentorship of Tuhaka Kapua then Hone Taiapa. He was a member of the Konae Aronui group of carvers who carved many Wharenui around New Zealand under the leadership of Hone Taiapa.
Rangi taught carving for many years in various settings including the Institute of Māori Arts and Crafts at Whakarewarewa, Wānanga, Marae and the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand.
With his wife Erenora, he developed the first Marae based training programmes in traditional Maori Art, the first Maori Museum Intern programme as well as diploma and degree programmes for Wānanga and Polytechnics.
Rangi oversaw the creation of wharenui and several waka taua as well as many commissioned public works throughout Aotearoa NZ and around the world.
ERENORA PUKETAPU-HETET
(1941 - 2006)
Erenora was the daughter of Vera and Ihaia Puketapu. She was raised in the tribal settlement of her father’s people - the Ngāti Hamua of Te Atiawa at Waiwhetu in the Awakairangi -Hutt Valley.
Rangi and Erenora courted when Rangi worked on the wharenui Arohanui ki te Tangata at Waiwhetu in the late 1950s. They were the first couple to be married in the meeting house a month after it opened.
Erenora learned taaniko weaving with her sister-in-law, Jean Puketapu and rourou from other women in her whānau as a young teenager.
At 19 and as a new member of the Hetet whānau with an obvious interest in weaving, she was taken under the wing of Rangi's grandmother, Rangimarie, who taught Erenora raranga, whatu kākahu and other weaving skills.
Erenora was renowned as both a traditional weaver and a contemporary Maori artist and was highly regarded as a teacher of weaving. Her work can be found in public and private collections throughout the world and has been exhibited widely throughout Australia, the Pacific, Europe and North America.
Pictured: Erenora on the porch of Arohanui ki te Tangata at Waiwhetu
Photo by Brian Brake
Pictured: Erenora on the porch of Arohanui ki te Tangata at Waiwhetu
Photo by Brian Brake
RANGI Hetet & Erenora PukeTapu-Hetet
A LIFE LONG PARTNERSHIP
CREATING TOGETHER
RESTORING TRADITIONS
WITH WHĀNAU HAPU & IWI
TEACHING
AFFIRMING THE 'OLD'
EXPLORING THE 'NEW'
PASSING ON KNOWLEDGE
SAM Hauwaho & veranOa Hetet