An award winning multi purpose function centre and waka house, offering many services...
Te Wharewaka Tapere - The Function Centre, an award winning and fully serviced functions venue for 20-500 persons. Offering five function areas, with a combined ground floor capable of catering to large cocktail events. This is a must see, versatile venue, suitable to all function configurations including events such as; meetings, exhibitions, dinners, classroom, banquet and cocktail events. Click here for the Wellington Functions virtual tours page -OR- .
Te Wharewaka - The Wharewaka (waka house) is viewable from all sides. Inside visitors can see 3 traditionally carved Māori waka on permanent public display - the waka taua Te Rerenga Kōtare, the waka tētēkura Te Hononga, and our latest addition to the waka fleet Poutu, named after the late Sam Poutu Wipa Jackson. The waka are launched from the slipways into the lagoon and a purpose built pontoon Wiriwaka provides easy access in and out of the waka. The waka tours are Wellington’s best Māori experience on the water, and the walking tours provide an opportunity to discover Wellington’s hidden Māori treasures. To experience and share in the rich culture and history of Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) and Te Ātiawa/Taranaki whānui. You can book a waka or walking tour here...Book Waka
Te Wharekai - The Eating House, Karaka Cafe. Our onsite chefs cater to all your function needs and we have a cafe open 7-days a week, offering a modern take on some of the traditional foods of Māori, along with delicious cafe style foods.
Check out our promotional video below for a great overview of this venue and our services.
The Building
Commonly referred to now as Te Wharewaka, this building was given the offical name of 'Te Raukura' at an opening dawn Ceremony on Waitangi Day, Sunday 6 February 2011. 'Te Raukura' is of special significance to descendants from Taranaki iwi of Te Atiawa, Taranaki, Ngati Ruanui, Ngati Tama and Ngati Mutunga. Previously the area where the building is located was harbour frontage to Te Aro Pā, one of the largest Māori communities in Wellington up until the 1880s. The building sees the re-establishment of a Māori presence on Taranaki Wharf, notably absent on the waterfront since that time. The elements of the building include whakairo or carvings and modern renditions of traditional design which transform the building symbolically into a ceremonial waka (canoe) linked to the ancestor Kupe and the voyaging traditions of the Pacific peoples. Within the whare, Rongo, the god of Peace, reigns. It is in this atmosphere, under a cloak of peace, that people interact with one another and with the spirits of their ancestors(Te Marae by Hiwi and Pat Tauroa, 1986, Reed, Auckland, p. 92.)
Wharewaka is located on Wellingtons waterfront, within close proximity to top hotel accommodation and parking and has full in-house catering and beverage services, making this the venue of choice for conferences, functions and events.
