Modernising Marae Facilities To Entice More Whānau Home

Waimana’s Tātaiāhape Marae has long served as a hub for Ngati Raka gatherings and the preservation of tikanga and te reo Māori in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Now, with the support of a $300,000 grant from BayTrust, the hapū is taking the last major step in a multi-decade vision to modernise its marae facilities and create a space that will welcome more whānau back to Waimana – not just for tangi, but for milestone birthdays, weddings, baptisms and everyday connection.

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Modern Facilities for Growing Whānau Connections

The previous wharekai (dining hall and kitchen) at Tātaiāhape was no longer fit for purpose. With funerals sometimes drawing large crowds and limited capacity, the marae needed a solution that could serve the hapū now and in the future.

Oranga Marae (Department of Internal Affairs) has covered most – but not all – of the re-build cost. Hapū member and Project Manager, Matthew Te Pou, explains that BayTrust’s grant has enabled flooring to be laid, and a mechanical structure installed for all the new kitchen appliances.

“The appliances are extremely modern and cut down the amount of manpower you actually need to cook for hundreds of people at once. They produce a lot of heat and a lot of steam which has to be funneled away. So, the mechanical structure will suck up all the heat when it’s hot. It can also give a bit of warmth to the area when it’s cold.”

The new dining hall can comfortably seat up to 300 people. Light and bright vinyl flooring mimics the look of wood, while the kitchen is a safe and efficient space with non-slip flooring throughout and tables on wheels so prep areas can be reconfigured easily.

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A Strategic Vision Spanning Two Decades

Modernising Tātaiāhape Marae has been a 20-year project. The wharenui was rebuilt and completed in 2014, and the hapū has been steadily working towards rebuilding the wharekai ever since. It is all part of a wider strategic plan designed to strengthen the hapū, preserve whakapapa, and encourage whānau to return home.

“The strategy laid out in our Marae Development Plan is to bring people home. By genealogy, they know they’re from Waimana and they come home when someone’s passed away but funerals are too late. We want them to feel the place, feel the history, and be part and parcel of everything else that happens here.”

The marae’s upgrades also future proof it so it can better serve as an emergency civil defence venue. Solar panels, a water collection system, and a generator will ensure self-sufficiency during power outages or extreme weather events. “If we have to look after people, we’ve got a beautiful kitchen, a beautiful hall, and a generator so if we lose power, we can connect back up again. We have to be prepared.”

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A Hub for Culture, Education, and Community

Beyond infrastructure, the project is about culture, identity, and connection.

There are believed to be around 3000 hapū members spread across New Zealand and overseas. The marae has long been a place where whānau gather for tangi, weddings, kapa haka, and wananga. With more modern facilities, the hapū hopes more people will return regularly for celebrations, milestones, sports events, wananga and other everyday events.

“A lot of them live and work in cities. But we want them to come home for their weddings, their 21sts, their 16th birthdays and things like that. The marae is very much alive, but there are areas and people we’re not connecting with that we’d like to connect with.”

Hapū member Miriama Postlethwaite and her brother, John Postlethwaite, organised the funding applications for the rebuild. “It’s been an anxious time. We are very dependent on funding from Oranga Marae so when this BayTrust funding was approved, I was relieved and overwhelmed. It’s a gift because we have limited finances. We can maintain our marae, but we don’t have the resources to take a project like this on by ourselves. BayTrust has been very generous and has allowed us to complete our internal fit-out.”

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Looking Ahead

Matthew describes the new building as a statement. “She’s a beauty. It’s a place to help us make our young ones aware of our culture, our genealogy, our history and our stories so they collectively know how we’re bound together. The other key thing is it will allow us to host visitors and show manaaki manuhiri in such a way that they don’t want to leave.”

With BayTrust’s grant, the hapū can now complete this project, ensuring the marae is ready to meet the needs of whānau for decades to come. Miriama says the rebuild is more than just bricks and mortar. It is an investment in cultural continuity, community resilience, and the future of Ngāti Raka hapū.

“This project ensures the marae is equipped for the next 100 years. It will serve as a cultural, educational, and community hub for all who respect local customs and history, regardless of ethnicity or background. I’m proud of the absolute beauty of our wharekai and the collective effort we have made as a hapū.”

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