12 | A marae for a modern community from page 11 The realisation of Waihōpai Rūnaka’s long-held dream to upgrade its Invercargill marae complex is materialising following the start of ground work late last year. Murihiku Marae: Henderson Construction DEVELOPMENT Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu kaiwhakahaere Lisa Tumahai says Ngāi Tahu is thrilled to support the development. “Waihōpai has been working tirelessly to build a marae that reflects the vision they hold for Murihiku, and this moves them much closer to making that a reality.” The site and main building is aiming to be triple net-zero in emissions due to its natural timber structure, along with rain and stormwater harvesting and solar panels which are expected to provide 100% of the power and enable it to be mostly off-grid. The timber for the exterior cladding is locally sourced, traceable Forestry Stewardship Council certified pine, while native timbers will feature prominently inside, including large timber beams. “It’s all Southland timber that’s going into it. It’s really important to us to be able to tell that story, that this is a Southland marae and it’s being built with, as much as possible, Southland timbers,” Deborah says. Main contractor Henderson Construction have been fantastic to collaborate with and had even had bilingual signs made for the site, she says. “That was really awesome; we felt that was just the start of how things were going to go and they’ve made us feel really welcome. “I think from the outset they recognised how special and unique this project is.” The development is expected to be completed early next year. During his first vice regal visit to Southland in 2012, former Governor General Sir Jerry Mataparae acknowledged the strength and resilience of Waihōpai Rūnaka. “Decades before the [Treaty of Waitangi] settlement process was even mooted, fundraising began in the 1960’s to fulfil the longstanding dream of Waihōpai Māori for their own tūrangawaewae,” Sir Jerry said. The rūnaka is based in Southland with its Murihiku Marae complex situated on an elevated site near Invercargill’s eastern boundary. Waihōpai Rūnaka chairman Cyril Gilroy says during the 1950’s and 1960’s many Māori came to Southland from the North Island and overseas to work at meat processing plants and, [along with Ngai Tahu descendants?] was a multi-tribal group who needed their own tūrangawaewae (a place of standing and identity) he says. “A lot of those people are now resident here, they stayed on here and became Invercargill residents; their kids have grown up here.” With the Ngāi Tahu treaty settlement process came acknowledgment by other iwi that Waihōpai Rūnaka held manawhenua, the customary right of authority over the area, that Murihiku Marae was the manawhenua marae and the marae for Invercargill city. About 11,000 of 26,000 people who whakapapa to Ngāi Tahu live in Southland and could potentially identify with the rūnaka. With fundraising, the rūnaka was able to establish a marae on the present site which, as well as establishing a common meeting place, provided a facility for kapahaka competitions, tangihanga and hui. It initally comprised a wharekai, (kitchen and dining hall) Hine o te Iwi and office block, Te Tonga o te Whetu, which were the first buildings on the site when it opened in June 1983. The wharenui, (meeting house) named after chief Te Rakitauneke, was opened in February 1990. About 100 people regularly interact with the marae on a weekly basis, but Cyril anticipates this number could grow significantly when the new complex is completed. He emphasises the marae is a community facility, not just for Māori. “People can come for a cup of tea and enjoy the splendour of the new marae, everybody in Murihiku.” Industrial • Commercial • Residential “Quality Solutions delivered on Time” INVERCARGILL QUEENSTOWN DUNEDIN CHRISTCHURCH A 224 Mersey Street, Invercargill P 03 214 1055 E enquiries@howleyjoinery.co.nz W www.howleyjoinery.co.nz RES I DENT I AL & COMMERC I AL PH 03 215 9208 CELL 0274 346 012 | 0274 346 009 A/Hrs 03 2130 811 or 03 213 1575 18 Arena Avenue | Invercargill • Drainlayers • Plumbing • Roofing • Registered • Bathroom & Kitchen • Renovations www.southroads.co.nz Call us on Specialists in: • Drainage • Earthworks • Aggregate supply & cartage • General siteworks and landscaping • Subdivisions & driveways 0800 822 833 Your Contractor of Choice
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