July 04, 2023
Matariki at Waatea boost for community
Manukau Urban Māori Authority operations manager John Cameron says the weekend’s Matariki celebration was a welcome relief for a hard-hit community.
Hundreds of people braved the showers at Nga Whare Waatea Marae in Mangere to hear acts like Katchafire and Annie Crummer.
Mr Cameron says it highlights the value of the urban marae.
“It’s pretty tough out there at the moment. We’ve got the cost of living to try and contend with. For us to be able to open our doors and provide some care around them, wrap our korowai around them and just try to lift the spirits of whanau who are doing it relatively hard at the moment,” he says.