Shadrack Simi was in charge of the menu. Photo / RNZ, Robin Martin
By Robin Martin of RNZ
When the huge storm closed State Highway 1 between Taihape and Hunterville on Monday, leaving hundreds of drivers stranded, the community at Winiata Marae knew just what to do.
They quickly put word out that warm food and a place to rest could be found at the marae on the outskirts of Taihape.
Lulu Simi is a force of nature herself and it was she who was directing the marae’s response to the storm – busy organising gas canister refills and making sure visitors were fed.
“We just knew it would be part and parcel of what we need to do for our community.
“Not only for our local community but for the many hundreds and thousands of people that travel through Taihape to get to their destinations.
“This morning when we woke up it was all back-to-back trucks and cars and families, so we had already put our number out last night.”
The Ngāti Hinemanu and Ngāti Paki hapū marae played a similar role during Cyclone Gabrielle.
At day’s end on Monday night, more than 200 people had been through.
“Everyone here just knows that it’s part of our role underneath our marae to look after people and it always makes us feel good to be able to put it on at the drop of a hat.
“And to be able to provide all this kai, all these sleeping places to people who were going to sleep in their cars ... you always walk away feeling proud.”
Helen Ropiha-waiwai was heading back to Feilding from the rugby league international in Rotorua with her husband.
She was in awe of the hospitality.
“For me not being from here, it was beautiful just to see such a small community just come together and make such a big kai.
“They had enough kai for three busloads that they knew were stuck and all the truck drivers and stuff.”
Ropiha-waiwai even bumped into Moana Steedman – aka Nan – who she knew from the sidelines of schoolboy rugby.
A Taihape local, Nan reckoned helping others fed the soul.
“It was amazing, you know, not only do we help them but they help us and, you know, to be able to give back to people that’s the amazing part of it. That’s what it’s all about.
Aucklander Leilani Kwan-Him was travelling to Wellington with Max Briggs.
They got a tipoff about Winiata Marae while killing time at the Taihape library.
“And then they gave us dinner and they were going to give us a place to stay. It was just so nice and we had a really nice meal.
“We had chop suey, we had chicken curry, and we had some rice and there was tea and it feels like there was some nibbles. There was everything.”
Shadrack Simi put together the menu.
“For lunchtime today we had like a sausages and gravy, veggies and mashed potatoes. That was all stuff that we just had here on site.
“And then from donated stores and stuff we had here we put on a chicken curry and rice, a beef chop suey and a yellow split-bean curry, a vegan curry.”
Being nimble was the key to putting on such a spread at short notice.
“I guess it’s just resourcefulness, looking at the ingredients you’ve got and then also looking at the day. Obviously I wanted something hot and nutritious.
“So, the meals had a lot of ginger, garlic, onion, but also things that I know the Kiwi palate will eat like a chicken curry and sausages and gravy.”
Meanwhile, Lulu Simi said the marae stood ready to help again next time wild weather strikes.
State Highway 1 reopened to two-lane traffic at about 6pm.