Marae secures Furuno Lodge

Te Hana’s new Marae and Cultural Centre is fast taking shape, with 75 percent of its traditional 17th Century Maori village now completed.

An ASB Community Trust grant last year of $260,000 enabled work on the first stage of the Te Hana Community Development Trust project to proceed – including the village, fortified pa and moat to surround it. The trust is now fundraising to complete the second stage, which will be a fully carved wharenui (meeting house).

The former Furuno Lodge building on Kawau Island was transported to Te Hana before Christmas to serve as the wharekai (food hall) on the marae. Because of its size – it is estimated to cater for 100 to 150 people – it had to be moved in three separate pieces by barge to Snells Beach and then by road to Te Hana.

Trust chairman Thomas de Thierry says students taking part in carving and weaving classes at the cultural centre will do the weaving and carving for the wharenui.

The first third of the former Furuno Lodge building from Kawau Island after being ferried by a barge to Snells Beach on its way to the Te Hana marae and cultural centre.