Te Paatu Marae  

Te Paatu Marae, near Kaitaia, has served its community as long as anyone can remember.

Its cemetery has signatories of the Treaty of Waitangi buried in it, but it remains the living heart of its community. It is used by kohanga reo, kapa haka and karakia gatherings, as well as for tangi and family reunions

However, health and safety issues have seen the old buildings condemned and last year the marae faced a major rebuild.

With funding from ASB Community Trust and Lottery Marae and Heritage, the marae committee has begun work to rebuild the wharekai, upgrade the power supply, refit toilets and rebuild storage areas, ensuring the marae can continue its special role in supporting community cohesion.