From Te Takere to Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō

Published on August 25, 2017

Horowhenua District Council welcomes people to Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō  -  formerly known as Te Takere.

Since opening in September 2012 the centre in Levin has been referred to colloquially by the shortened version of its full name.

However, it is being rebranded to Horowhenua Culture and Community Centre  -  Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō.

Council’s Cultural and Community Centre Manager Hendrix Warren says this is to better reflect its purpose; as a culture and community centre and as a learning place where knowledge is sought, maintained and dispersed.

“It’s not really a name change, apart from aligning to the original kaupapa of local iwi Muaūpoko,” he said.

“Te Takeretanga means the dispersal of knowledge, absolutely conveying the purpose of the facility.”

Mr Warren says that Council staff now refer to the centre by its full name Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, not only in formal mediums but also in general conversation.

“What we want to see is everyone in the community referring to Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō.  As the saying goes, it won’t happen overnight, but it will happen.”

Mr Warren says that ‘kura’ has several meanings including a learning place, taonga and hidden knowledge of ancestors.  The word hau means internal energy or wind. And, po represents the transition from the world  of darkness to the world of light. “Through knowledge we gain understanding, through understanding we gain enlightenment.”