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Waipatu gets its facelift

“At the almost halfway point in the Marae Whakaute project, big strides have been made”, says Ngāti Kahungunu chairman Ngahiwi Tomoana.

While Te Matatini being held in Hastings next year has been a huge driver of the marae-improvement project, it is not the only one.

“The ambition has always been to upgrade our marae which may be hapū and cultural-based but are also readily available for wider community use including civil defence events and the potential to become tourism hubs telling local histories and whakapapa to the campervan industry.”

The strong relationship going back decades between Ngati Kahugnunu and Hastings District Council had made what is a massive project, involving a huge number of marae, run smoothly.

At Waipatu Marae three toilet blocks are being renewed, with one of them converted into a wheelchair accessible bathroom.

At the same time, catering supply company Southern Hospitality is refitting the kitchen. “The work is coming along “really nicely”, says marae secretary and treasurer Hanui Lawrence.

“It is going to make a huge difference; we’ve had the old toilets for so long [since the 1960s] that have been difficult to clean. The kitchen has been changed around at times, but this time it really is being done properly. It is all ticking along nicely.”

Waipatu is one of 11 marae in Hawke’s Bay where work is at one of three stages: completed, part way there, or about to be tackled.

The Marae Whakaute project is backed by a collaboration of charitable funders working with Hastings District Council, led by Ngati Kahungunu.

It will see the marae facilities brought up to current health and safety standards before the expected influx of tens of thousands of visitors for Te Matatini next year.

About 40 performing teams will be among those visitors, with a majority of those expected to be hosted on marae.

Kitchen and toilet blocks are high on the fix-it list. Many have relied on domestic cooking equipment for decades and will need commercial gear to cook for their guests. Mobility access ramps and disability toilets are also required at many.

The work at three marae has been completed: Pukehou, Te Haroto and Matahiwi.

Next up will be refitting the kitchen and bathrooms at Mangaroa marae, and replacing spouting, hot water cylinders and toilet facilities at Korongata Marae.

A celebration marking the end of the project is being planned for January 2017, before Te Matatini hits town in February.

How the project works:

The Marae Whakaute Project is being led by Ngati Kahungunu in partnership with Hastings District Council.

The Hawke’s Bay Funders Forum is made up of: Eastern and Central Community Trust, Lottery Grants Board, Flaxmere Licensing Trust, Endeavour Community Foundation and Hawke’s Bay Foundation.

The funding pool has come from marae, $244,000 collectively, Hastings District Council, $325,000, the Hawke’s Bay Funders’ Forum, $591,000.  

Hastings District Council is also supplying administrative and financial oversight.

Marae registered their interest in being part of the project by March last year, and put up a third of the funds required for the work on their marae.

EIT is supplying trade trainees.

“It is the biggest redevelopment collaboration between a council, funders, iwi and individual marae in New Zealand,” says Hastings mayor Lawrence Yule at the time of the launch of the project.

For more stories on Marae Whakaute see: www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/marae-whakaute

The 11 marae enrolled:

Korongata

Matahiwi

Timikara

Te Aranga

Mangaroa

Pukehou

Waipatu

Te Haroto

Tangoio

Omahu

Waimarama

What is Te Matatini:

Te Matatini is the national kapa haka competition held every two years. It is attended by competing teams from across New Zealand and beyond. It is expected that 40 teams will compete in 2017, when the event is held in Hastings. The “Olympics of kapa haka” will not return to Hawke’s Bay until 2047.

 

 

 

4 October 2017

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