Ranginui, arose from the part they took in the battle of Gate Pa (1864) and the confiscation of their land by the Crown. In spite of setbacks, social progress remained the aim of the elders of the Pa, so they made plans to build a meeting house. After several meetings the men decided to take the timber for the house from certain land owned by them. Then war was declared. The plan was dropped; some of the men enlisted for service abroad, while others formed a Home Guard platoon. All money raising from then on was for the Patriotic Fund. At long last, when peace returned, the people decided to concentrate first on the building of communal baths (described in an earlier issue of Te Ao Hou and since successfully operated), and also a chapel. The year 1949 opened a new era for the people of the Pa. It was then that Adult Education, through Dr Maharaia Winiata, first brought us closer to European culture. Dr. Winiata, who besides holding a doctorate in Philosophy, has a degree in Theology, a Diploma of Education and some stages of Law to his credit, worked with us for two years and rekindled and transformed the idea of building the long-planned meeting house. At first he came, together with his Director, Mr Morrison, and discussed the origin of the Maori. He contended that all Polynesians em barked from a common point thought to be in Siberia or Tibet. If this was so, the Maori must at one time have passed through or near India. This theory led to a lot of discussion, with Koroua, our elder, strongly opposing him with arguments based on the Kon Tiki expedition. From these discussions Dr Winiata moved on to genealogies. Cyclostyled pamphlets were is sued to each member of the class and our elder Te Hare Piahana lectured us in great detail. It was at this point that the idea of a carving school arose. We saw that we wanted a carved house where our ancestors could be remembered. We also saw that, having no money pay carvers, we would have to do the work ourselves. The answer came to us through Adult Education. Mr Morrison, the Director of the Auckland Regional Council, knew a most worthy gentleman, Mr Henry Toka, of the Ngati Whatua (Northland) now living in Auckland and a great expert in this form of Maori art. Some of his most noted works may be found in Wanganui, Auckland and Northland. Adult Education arranged for Mr Toka to come to Judea regularly and guide the people in the carving of their meeting house. Perhaps providence inspired Mr Motrison in selecting Mr Toka for we have surely gained much benefit from his teaching. We formed a committee to administer the building of the house; its chairman was Mr Robert Nepia and the secretary Mr Hoani Kohu. The carving and tukutuku work was entrusted to thirty-five people—all financial supporters too—who formed the ‘Ranginui Academy of Maori Arts and Crafts’. Mr Toka directs them, but in his absence Messrs Danny Greening and Anaru Kohu deputize, both of whom gained their carving experience during