Many hands to move Waiouru marae

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 531, 12 April 1994, Page 3

Many hands to move Waiouru marae

By

Michele

Monaghan

Plans are afoot to shift Waiouru's Rongomaraeroa Marae using 1000 pairs of hands to physically lift the building. The move is planned for 30 July this year. At a hui held on Sunday Des Ratima, Marae chairman, said "the hands and feet of warriors" will move the Wharenui to its new location. A thousand people will physically uplift the building and move it to its new home, east of its present location.

Padre Bill Gray says this has never been done before. He raised the question about Tapu, and the marae committee is planning a programme for the cleansing of the site and a ceremony to "haka it off." The committee and everyone involved in the planning have a vision. Padre Gray says for him this vision has turned in to a blessing. People from around the North Island arrived at the hui, and all people asked have given their blessings for the project. The vision will become a

reality in three stages, the first being the lifting of the Wharenui. The second stage will be the opening of the new marae on Labour Weekend in 1995 and the third will be the 28 Maori Battalion reunion in 1996. Planners believe the new site will bring more mana, and ask people to share in their dream. The next major step is the fundraising. Many decisions are still to be made and a lot of new information has come to light because of the hui, such as the marae is presently sited on a sand spit.

Two past marae chairmen attended the hui. Matt Edwards was chairman of the marae from 1953 until 1976 when BasilNissentook over until 1982. Mr Edwards says the people of Waiouru have spent over 40 years trying to build a stable marae. "The marae has been in 14 different locations," says Mr Edwards. The present marae buildings were the old Crete barracks, and although not in the original proposal, these buildings may be moved along with the Wharenui which was built around 1982. The Kohanga Reo will also be moved.