Northern Hawke’s Bay iwi Ngāti Pāhauwera will this week celebrate the reopening of Te Huki Marae in Raupunga, which was razed by fire 12 years ago.

Member Lady Tureiti Moxon says the whanau were devastated by the loss of two whare, Hineringa built in the late 1800s and Te Huki, opened in 1983, as well as Te Kotahitanga Hall which was built in 1958.

The loss was devastating, and it has taken 12 years to raise the funds for the rebuild from raffles, philanthropic trusts and the settlement trust.

She says such marae are essential facilities in rural communities.

"Mohaka’s the original community. Raupunga became a community when they were trying to make the land viable by having dairy farms all over the place and so I was very much a part of growing in that place milking cows and all that kind of stuff. It was hard yards in those days I tell you," she says.

Hundreds of people are expected to gather at 4am tomorrow for the dawn blessing ceremonies for the three new houses.
 

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