Digital toolkit aims to assist Bay marae
Anonline Marae Kete has been launched by Western Bay of Plenty District Council to help marae in the District address the practicalities of administering their marae.
The digital resource was commissioned after requests by tangata whenuato Council to develop a toolkit to help the volunteerswhomanage governance at amarae level.
TangataWhenuaAdvisory groups spokesperson Te Pio Kawesays marae are the central point for hapu¯ andiwi.
“It is a place where our culture and language are reaffirmed and celebrated. Our marae run like well-oiled machines but this resource offers ahelping handwhenwe need it.”
The Western Bay District surrounds Tauranga City and covers 212,000 hectares of coastal, rural and urban areas.
The district is culturally diverse with a largeMa¯ori populationmadeup of 11 iwi groups, 74 hapu¯ and23 marae.
Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber saysMa¯ori are critical partners, stakeholders and membersof the community.
“Wewant that relationship to strengthen and flourish and I believe the Marae Kete can contribute to this.”
Marae Kete has four sections: Iwi (People); Mahi Whakahaere (Operations); Waahi (Place) and Rauemi
(Resources). There is guidance onmanykaupapa including Civil Defence Emergency plans, Covid-19 Marae safety plans and Health and Safety plans.
Council’s Kaia¯rahi Ahurea Petera Tapsell is hoping the Kete will be auseful toolkit.
“Weknowhowhard wha¯nau and hapu¯ work to uphold the traditions longpractised on their marae.
“Wehope this Marae Kete will help cut through the red tape thatmanymarae encounter at an operational level.
“Marae Kete has been
designed byMa¯ori – forMa¯ori. It is literally a kete of helpful information held in one, easily accessible place for our people,” says Petera.
The Marae Kete website is www.maraekete.co.nz. The use of information is free and can be downloaded from the website and sharedamong wha¯nau and hapu¯.
Marae will also have access to a resource centre to store all their important information, further streamlining the governance process and ensuring information is not lost through changes to committees.