Woven through Time

You can’t judge a book by its cover – it really is what’s on the inside that counts – and there’s no better example of this than the Whanganui taonga that is St Paul’s Memorial Church Putiki.

From the outside, it looks much like so many other small historic churches that can be found dotted around the country and that have been serving their parishioners for generations. A simple timber construction with a bell tower and a red tin roof, it is clear once you step inside, however, that the Putiki Church is something very different. Consecrated by Bishop F A Bennett on 5 December 1937, it was the fifth church to be built on this site and is dedicated to the memory of the men and women who served the Anglican cause since the first mission was established in 1841. Like so many of our churches, it is also a memorial to the fallen: on 22 December 1963 Governor-General Sir Bernard Fergusson unveiled a framed and hand-lettered memorial cross at the church in memory of both Māori and Europeans from the Aotea-Kurahaupō district who gave their lives during both world wars.

And what a memorial it is. Its interior is a rich tapestry of carving and weaving, created at a time when Sir Āpirana Ngata was actively encouraging a revival of Māori arts and crafts through the construction of churches and meeting houses. Many of the traditional skills of carving, kowhaiwhai and weaving had been all but lost, and the construction of Putiki, like St Mary’s Church on the East Coast, was intended to help preserve and foster those skills while also introducing them to a new generation. The carvers at Putiki were Hohaia (Joe) Mokaraka, Hoani (John) Metekingi, Pinemine (Pine) Taiapa, Iotua Taringatahi (Charlie) Tuarau and Wi Te Parihi, with Oriwa Haddon painting kowhaiwhai panels, and the result of their work is now a Category 1 Heritage New Zealand Historic Place.

It is clear once you step inside that the Putiki Church is something very different.

The interior is breathtaking in both its beauty and detail. It manages to both eschew the usual austerity of many churches while at the same time maintaining a subtlety and restraint in the colour palette. The use of unadorned timber and detailed carving somehow announces a bold presence while also creating solemnity, all emphasized by the restrained lighting from within and without. It may not be majestic in size, but it is as impressive and awe-inspiring as any cathedral.

It is also in impressively fine condition, despite its age and the fact that it remains an active, working place of worship and not simply a museum exhibit. This is largely due to an extensive restoration that began in 2012 and which has seen the exterior walls and roof repaired and a sprinkler system installed. Then, in 2017 a major renovation of the interior got underway: water leaking through the old roof had damaged some of the tukutuku panels, and local weaving experts working through Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga’s Tautiaki Taonga Programme (Māori Built Heritage Conservation) sourced traditional materials and applied traditional techniques to repair the damaged sections. Following this, attention turned to the painted ceiling kowhaiwhai panels in an effort to return these to their 1937 appearance. A pilot project in 2014 had focused on a methodology to remove a paint layer that had been added in later years and that had now deteriorated, and fortunately the original, underlying layer was found to be in good condition and could now be reinstated.

The church interior has also received a general spruce up thanks to a dedicated group of locals who came together to put in long hours and elbow grease to meticulously clean and rejuvenate the carvings, paintings and weaving.

The result is stunning. The church is testament to its original creators and the community that has fund raised and worked to ensure it will be here for generations to come, and it stands as a real jewel amongst the many heritage buildings Whanganui has.

But St Paul’s Memorial Church Putiki is much more than just a beautiful building. As Lisa Rewiti, public programmes presenter at the Whanganui Regional Museum, puts it, Putiki Church tells stories - and also helps make stories.

Many of the traditional skills of carving, kowhaiwhai and weaving had been all but lost, and the construction of Putiki was intended to help preserve and foster those skills.

“Welcome to one of the most beautiful libraries in New Zealand,” she says. “Putiki Church is a library that uses the carvings, woven tukutuku patterns and stained glass windows to tell the stories of our people and our community. It is a fusion of Māori and Pākehā architecture, mythology and religious belief. And it is a safe place of beauty and warmth for all to enjoy and celebrate.”