September 19, 2012
Northtec using marae for practical lessons
A restored church, raised vegetable gardens and the country’s largest adobe bread oven are among the fruits of collaboration between a Whangarei marae and the local polytechnic.
Kaumatua Harry Clark says NorthTec construction students helped the whanau restore the church at Pehiaweri Marae in Glenbervie.
The polytech’s sustainable rural development programme is providing training and qualifications for people working in the marae’s raised bed garden area.
It also helped built the outdoor wood-fired oven, which can bake up to 30 loaves at a time.
Similar courses are being run at Te Maruata and Takahiwai marae.