$1m upgrades start on marae

Dignitaries attend yesterday's launch of the Marae Whakaute programme. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hammers, saws and plumbing tools are at the ready, as a massive $1 million-plus job to get marae in Hastings ready for the influx of tens of thousands of visitors to Te Matatini in 18 months' time begins.

Under the Marae Whakaute (previously MaraeFit) programme, 16 marae will be upgraded. The project, launched yesterday, will see the biggest redevelopment collaboration between a council, funders, iwi and individual marae in New Zealand, says Hastings mayor Lawrence Yule.

All marae were approached, however some had already completed fundraising and started on a redevelopment programme, others were already up to scratch or were not yet ready to start work.

The catalyst for the work is Te Matatini, billed as the Olympics of Kapa Haka, which will be held in Hawke's Bay in 2017. The 45-year-old event is run every two years and in recent years has pulled in an average 45 teams (1800 performers) from across New Zealand and Australia. Crowds of up to 20,000 a day are expected to watch the action, and workers and volunteers helping it all run smoothly will number about 1700.

The vast number of those people coming from outside the region will all need somewhere to stay. Marae is a popular accommodation option for the performers and supporters - hence the drive to ensure they are up to health and safety standards. Local accommodation businesses will also benefit from visitors.

Council's project manager Wayne Ormsby says the requirements are hugely varied, from marae to marae. Work ranges from replacing ageing kitchen appliances and renovating bathrooms, to the installation of drinking water supplies and disability access.

The marae included in the project are within the Hastings District, under the mana of Ngati Kahungunu. That made fundraising work for what are essentially 16 different projects, each with different owners and different needs "exceptional", mayor Lawrence Yule said.