Te Awhina Marae

As part of our topic studies for Term One, the whole school went to Te Awhina Marae to learn more about how the Marae is a store house of taonga (treasures) and of stories of past and present generations.
Gemma wrote this recount of events from that special day.

At Te Awhina Marae we started with the Powhiri. The men from the Marae came out to check whether we were friendly or not. This is a traditional part of inviting people onto the Marae. After the men sat down the Wahine sat behind them, then the children. Men from Te Awhina started to talk and after they had finished talking they sang to us. We did the same but gave them a gift as well.

After the Powhiri we went to the Wharekai (dining hall). At the back of the Wharekai there is a mural. The mural is of things important to the Motueka people. It has lots of native birds that are alive and also some that are extinct. Then there is the ocean. In the ocean there is a colossal whale’s tale holding up food from under the ocean with a school of snapper going past. There is Talley's boat heading towards Nelson city.

Finally we went into the Wharenui (meeting house). In the Wharenui, it wasn’t like any ordinary house you would just walk into, you had to take care and take your shoes off. The Wharenui use to be part of the Nelson hospital but it was moved to Te Awhina in 1987. Traditionally the rooves of wharenuis are sloped with rafters that represent ribs of the ancestors. At Te Awhina, the roof was as flat as the carpet in there.

The Tekoteko on top of the Wharenui is of Turanga Apeka. Turanga Apeka was the first Maori man to go to Antarctica. He holds a mere to shade his eyes from the glare of the sun and the ice.


The visit to Te Awhina was very inspirational because of the ceremony we took part in. The activities were special and interesting too. I was glad that I went and took part in the activities that the Parkland students and Te Awhina people set up for us.

By Gemma.