Hinemihi was the tribal meeting house of the Tuhourangi people of Te Wairoa. Carved by Master Carver, Wero Tāroi and his young apprentice, Tene Waitere, Hinemihi took a little over a year to build. The meeting house served as a cultural and artistic homage to the people of Te Wairoa and to Chief Aporo Wharekaniwha's female ancenstor Hinemihi.
As well as traditional meeting house functions Hinemihi, provided a place where Victorian tourists could experience Maori culture and be privy to an evening of entertainment by the locals at the meeting house. It was often referred to as “the house with the golden eyes” as gold sovereigns took the place of paua shells in the eyes of the carvings.
During the dark frightening hours of the eruption, many people took shelter inside Hinemihi, as the mud and ash rained down. Tene Waitere, the then apprentice carver and his family took shelter in Hinemihi on the night of the eruption.
For some time after the eruption of Mount Tarawera, Hinemihi stood forlornly, deep in hardened mud, deserted like the rest of the valley of Te Wairoa.
For 123 years, Hinemihi o te Ao Tawhito has been an English resident. Having withstood the most violent volcanic eruption in New Zealand history ‘Hinemihi’ has since lived its life in relative safety, transplanted to the grounds of Clandon Park, Surrey.
Brought there by the 4th Earl of Onslow, New Zealand's youngest ever Governor General, Clandon Park, host of Hinemihi has been home to the Onslow family since 1641.
The original home of ‘Hinemihi’ was at the entrance to Te Wairoa, and it is hoped that she may someday return to Te Wairoa.
