OUR WHAKAPAPA — OUR STORY
Māori House Design Limited was born from a vision to bring our whakapapa, ancestral knowledge and Māori cultural identity into the homes of future generations.
Rooted in the legacy of our tūpuna, guided by the stories of our people and inspired by the beauty of Aotearoa, our journey brings together tradition, innovation and contemporary design.
Every creation begins with a kōrero. Every design carries a purpose. And every step forward honours those who came before us while creating opportunities for those yet to come.
Our whakapapa is our foundation. Our pūrākau is our inspiration. Our whānau is our future.
IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR MUM AND DAD
THE TWO PEOPLE WHO SHAPED MY WORLD
A Tribute to My Mother and Father
Before Māori House Design Limited became a vision, there were two people whose love, work and values shaped its founder: my mother and father.
They raised us with lessons that were not simply spoken but demonstrated in everyday life.
My father showed me humility, encouragement and love for our people's history. My mother showed me strength, vigilance and protection of whānau.
Together they taught me that knowledge carries responsibility. Their love was my foundation, their teachings became part of my journey, and their memory remains part of the legacy I hope to leave.
OUR FOUNDER — A JOURNEY THROUGH WHAKAPAPA
My name is Preston Henare Whare, known to many as Bam.
I was born into an enormous whānau with deep ancestral connections to Rotorua and beyond. On my mother's side, my whakapapa connects me to Ngāti Porou, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui and Ngāti Pikiao. On my father's side, my whakapapa connects me to Tainui, Te Arawa and Ngāti Pikiao.
Our grandparents and great-grandparents raised large families, and from those families came generations of descendants. Our whakapapa carries the memories, teachings and journeys of our tūpuna.
From approximately fourteen years of age, I began exploring our ancestral histories, spiritual teachings and pūrākau. Guided by conversations with kaumātua and decades of personal research, this became a lifelong journey of understanding who we are and where we come from.
It is this journey, together with my love for my whānau and our cultural heritage, that helped inspire the vision for Māori House Design Limited.
TE PŪTAKETANGA — THE BEGINNING OF MY WHAKAPAPA JOURNEY
From a young age, I began a lifelong journey seeking to understand the origins of our people, our ancestral whakapapa and the spiritual teachings surrounding Io Matua Kore.
Through conversations with kaumātua, personal research and years of reflection, I developed my own understanding of the whakapapa connecting Io Matua Kore, Pūhou Rangi, Ōhomairangi and Ruamuturangi, and the ancestral narratives of Hawaiki, Māui, Rata and the journeys of our tūpuna.
Many of the kaumātua who shared their knowledge with me have now passed on, but their teachings remain part of my life and continue to guide my search for understanding.
These are my own personal interpretations and spiritual perspectives. I do not claim to speak for all Māori, nor do I seek to takahi upon the whakapapa, pūrākau or mana of any other hapū, iwi or whānau.
I respect the kōrero of others, just as I hope my own journey may be received with mutual respect.
I too have a vision — to honour the knowledge of our tūpuna and leave something meaningful for the generations who follow.
- Our whakapapa is our foundation.
- Our pūrākau is our inspiration.
- Our whānau is our future.
- What we build today is not only for ourselves, but for our tamariki, our mokopuna and the generations yet to come.
PRESTON HENARE WHARE — FOUNDER, MĀORI HOUSE DESIGN LIMITED