Descendants of Hinemihi, the wharenui that has been in the UK for 130 years, are headed to England to retrieve original carvings from the whare in exchange for new ones, an RNZ report says.
"When it comes to Himemihi, the carvers of that era are some of the last who used traditional practices," delegation representative Heeni Brown told RNZ. "So not just building it how you would a house."
The new carvings will be used for Te Hono, a new wharenui, which is to replace Hinemihi following efforts to have the wharenui taken to the UK in the 1890s returned to Aotearoa.
Representatives of the Kīngitanga visited in May to help further these discussions.