Ohako Marae History
Ohako Marae is located along Papatu Road at Manutuke on the Aohuna A1 block. The hapu of Ohako Marae are Ngai Tawhiri, Ngai Te Kete and Ngati Ruapani. The wharepuni is named Te Kiko o te Rangi and the wharekai Ohako. The urupa is Turakina. Some believe the wharekai is named Ohako after a tipuna who helped to build it and also the whanau who gave koha. It is suggested that ‘Ko te koha’ reversed became Te Ohako.
During the Second World War the hall was used as a hospital and two side rooms were set aside for that specific purpose.
This marae reinforces the strong alliance between Ruapani and Rongowhakaata. The wharepuni Te Kiko o te Rangi commemorates the paramount chief Ruapani. Some say that the name of the wharepuni originated from a chief who stayed overnight in a whare not far from the present marae which was too small to accommodate everyone. Therefore, he slept outside and looked up to the ceiling and could only see the stars in the sky, thus the name Te Kiko o te Rangi. Translated it means “under the stars of the open sky, that’s your sleeping place”.
