Mei 2022

E iwi marae kore, ehara. E marae iwi kore, he moumou.
People without a Marae, are nothing. A Marae without people, is wasted.

I noho mokemoke te marae i te wā o te hōrapa haere o te urutā. Ahakoa he mahi tonu te marae i ngā wā rāhui mate karona, kāhore i aheitia tātou ki te huihui ki te whānau tokomaha. Nō reira e tika ana nāianei ki te tūwhera anō te kēti, ki te karanga atu nōki ki te mārae whānau whānui: hoki mai, hoki mai, hoki mai ki tō tātou marae. I tērā Hātarei i mahi tahi te mārae whānau whānui i te mārae ki te hakapaipai te mārae a roto, a waho nei. Ahakoa he rā whatiwhait kō, he rā whakawhānaunga, he rā pārekareka nōki!

The marae was built for our hapori and is happiest when it is busy and full. However, this was not possible during the lockdowns and restrictions of the past 2 years. Fortunately we are now able to open wide our doors again and welcome everyone back to their marae. Last Saturday the marae held a Pī Mahi (working bee) where friends and family of the marae came together to clean, tidy and hakahihiko te mauri (reenergise) our marae.

The day started with a Pōhiri to welcome our whānau and tauira (family and students) who have joined the marae over the last 2 years but haven't yet received a formal welcome due to covid restrictions. Jobs were then assigned and the work of cleaning, gardening, scrubbing, dusting and pampering our marae began. We managed to achieve a lot and enjoyed a hard earned kai (shared lunch) at the end of a day's hard work.

Kua arohaina tō tātou marae The mana of Te Herenga Waka o Orewa Marae has been acknowledged and our marae has been cherished.