The Heart of Maraeroa: Building Our Legacy Together

Pakanae Marae is a gathering point that has been left to us by our tupuna, a place we can collect together as a whanau, hapū and tāngata, the one place where we can stand to express ourselves as Maori. Our gathering point Maraeroa Pakanae has been known to all other hapu of Aotearoa (New Zealand) since the time of Kupe who discovered Aotearoa, and latterly the time of Rāhiri, progenitor of Ngāpuhi Iwi, hence a culturally and historically significant place, not only for Ngāpuhi but all Māori.

We are proud of the rich history here in Pakanae and Hokianga and how our tupuna shaped Maoridom paving the way for future generations. We have and continue to practice our tikanga Maori (cultural traditions) inherited from those tupuna. Te Reo Maori is a taonga of special significance as it defines who we are. Whanau participation plays a critical role to keeping te reo and those traditions alive and thriving, thus maintaining the link to our tupuna and their aspirations of thriving Maori communities. Each generation is tasked with continuing to build and maintain the resilience and skills needed to ensure long-term sustainability of our people, our Marae and our culture in a physically safe, healthy, thriving and supportive environment.

We aspire to have fluent Maori speakers on the Marae, to revere our Kaumatua and Kuia who walk the footprints of our Tupuna, continue to retain our identity, integrity and continuity of our tikanga Maori in an environment that promotes hauora tinana, hauora hinengaro, hauora tangata, hauora Whanau, hauora Hapu and Iwi, and to provide modern and functional facilities and services in excellent condition with an ongoing successful maintenance plan.

Pakanae Marae has served the community and its whanau and hapu extremely well since its establishment. According to the Maori Land Court records the first Wharetupuna was built on the present site in 1896. Pakanae Marae is regarded as the Matua Marae (Elder) of the Hokianga area, and has hosted individuals, whanau, community and many important hui of the day since 1896.

Today Pakanae Marae continues to be the centrepoint of the community and is used regularly by descendants and other groupings for tangi, hura kohatu, kawe mate, huri nga tau, hononga, iriiringa, te reo me ona tikanga, waiata, karakia wananga, mau rakau, hapu kapahaka practice, mahi me nga huihui o te Marae, whakanuia, huihuinga hapori, Kura kainga wananga, Hauora Tangata me Rongoa Maori wananga, mahi toi wananga, local Kura kapahaka events, community group meetings, corrections dept programs, Justice department "houhou te rongo" hui, Oranga Tamariki whanau hui, university and polytechnic cultural wananga, local hospital hui, health & wellness wananga, vaccination events, zumba fitness classes, weightlifting, boxing camps, emergency civil defense support center, safe place for local schools in case of tsunami, Te Kapehu i Te Kainga - Meth and Addictions services and Dismantling movements, anger management wananga, summer camp activities, camper van parking site.

Tools and additional materials budget;

$100,000

Power tools;

Grinders

Circular saw

Chainsaws

Costs for milling timber

Paints, stains

Bandsaw

Work benches

And any other miscellaneous materials or tools needed