First stage of marae completed

Press, 15 March 1982, Page 6

First stage of marae completed

J Maori elders from all over New Zealand gathered in Christchurch yesterday to celebrate the completion of the first stage of the National Marae at Cuthberts Green, Aranui.

The meeting, attended by the Minister of Maori Affairs (Mr Couch) and the Mayor of Christchurch. Mr Hamish Hay. was also used to launch a raffle to raise $75,000 of the estimated $600,000 needed -to .-finish the next stage of/the marae. ' About 100 guests went on a guided tour of the building site, meeting house, and the arts, and crafts centre which displayed the work of newly trained- Maori craftsmen. A traditional IVlaori banquet, a Hakari, was then held.

The . marae trustees have already,, raised $270,000 to build ’.-the large meeting

house,; . Kokiri.*■ centre, and covered walkways. The second stage includes a large service complex for the meeting house, with a dining room and.kitchen to cater for 1000 people, toilets, offices, and a lounge. The marae will be completed with a palisade fence and landscaping. The chairman of the board of trustees. Mr Peter Heal, said the finished marae would become a centre for Maoritanga in the South Island and would also bolster the resources of outlying Maori communities. The marae would provide a centre for big competitions. seminars, and would eventually house the country's largest collection of carvings recording Maori history.'

Mr Heal said that the marae was built for all races

and cultures and could just as often be used for a Jaycees meeting as a Maori gathering. The marae's name. Nga Hau E Wha. meant the Four Winds of. the Earth, and symbolised the marae's embracing all cultures. Mr Heal said there had already been great interest shown by overseas groups wanting to hold international meetings at the marae. Eventually, tour parties would be able to visit the marae perhaps twice a week for a tour of the marae. a hangi. and be able to buy craftwork, he said. Tourism would be tightly controlled but was necessary to provide the marae with an income, (said Mr Heal. - - If - the fund-raising goes ahead as, planned, the marae should'be finished bv 1987.