Marae

Marae 

 

The marae is on tribal land where they hold Hui (meetings) powhiri and tangihanga ( funeral ). The main building within the marae is the wharenui. 

 

The wharenui is the meeting house but it is not just house. It is an ancestor or a chief.  The wharenui  has legs, arms, fingers, head, spine, ribs. 

 

The koruru sits above the verandah. It is the head of the house.  The maihi  spread out under the koruru the raparapa are at the end of the maihi. The tahuhu is the long board going along the top of the  rafters. The poutokomanawa is the centre pole of the wharanui and is said to hold up the heart. 

 

It tells the history of the tribe and inhabitants through the carvings and tukuku panels.