Architect students visit Raetihi's Ratana Church

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 14, Issue 657, 8 October 1996, Page 3

Architect students visit Raetihi's Ratana Church

Four architect students from Unitech in Auckland visited Raetihi recently, their main objecti ve to sketch and photograph the Ratana Church at the eastern entrance to the town. Their third year assignment includes the design and layout of a marae and its buildings including any structure that is unusual or unique within Maori society. The students, Sarah Gilbertson, Trudie Bradbourne, Carolyn Gundy and Sarah Haydon, were hosted by Cookie Haami of Raetihi who was a tutor in general studies at the Unitech for 1 2 years. The building is only one of a handful of a style with twin-domed towers, distinctive of Ratana churches. In 1945 a Kuia of Raetihi Matavera

Rongonui spoke of establishing a marae at Raetihi. The land had been given to the Iwi of Uemeku and its sub tribes, by Ponia Kete. The present church on that site and originally it came under the auspices of the Methodists. It was opened in 1912, minus the twin domes. It was altered much later when it was registered and confirmed under the Ratana Church. The students noted the remains of the original building at the rear. It wasn't possible for them to see where the towers were joined because the sides have been covered with sheets of iron. The church comes under the care of the marae committee and it is being restored as funds come to hand.