Marae at Te Hana, Omaha and Orewa are among seven marae that will receive a share of more than half a million dollars from Auckland Council for marae development projects. The Te Hana Community Development Trust, which runs the Te Hana Te Ao Marama cultural centre, will receive $80,000, while Te Herenga Waka o Orewa will receive $33,000 and Omaha Marae at Leigh will receive $20,000. Te Hana will use the money for much-needed repairs to the roof over its entry way and into its traditional village.
Trust chair Dr Virginia Warriner says the roof was damaged in last year’s cyclone. Planning, Environment and Parks Committee chair Richard Hills says marae are a critical cultural connection hub, not only for mana whenua and mataawaka, but also increasingly for wider communities throughout the region. “The support and guidance provided by marae and their tight-knit networks throughout the covid pandemic and last year’s weather events often made the difference for communities’ resilience and their ability to find ways to thrive in the face of adversity,” he says.
With this in mind, council has an increasing focus to ensure that marae infrastructure, capability and support systems are robust, efficient and resilient. Cr Hills says the funding will help with a range of projects, from technical feasibility and design planning for Otakanini Haranui Marae in the Kaipara to supporting Ngāti Ōtara Marae in South Auckland with remedial repairs and project management costs. Houku.