Umupuia Marae  

After Umupuia Marae lost its wharekai (dining room) to fire in the mid 1990’s the Ngāi Tai people were no longer able to use their ancestral meeting place for tribal gatherings.

August 2011
The marae, on the edge of the Hauraki Gulf at Maraetai, is on land held by the iwi since before the arrival of the Tainui waka, but or several years the incomplete facilities deteriorated as the tribe struggled to find the money needed for a rebuild.

Unable to host their manuhiri (visitors) in a manner befitting the historic nature of the marae, the tribe worked on fundraising and eventually gained support from Manukau City Council and ASB Community Trust.

ASB Community Trust granted $305,000 toward the wharekai rebuild, bathroom and kitchen fit-out, as well as helping with project management costs.
On completion of the project, Ngāi Tai will Funding Allocat ion be able to host traditional marae activities, but the facility will also be open to wide use by community groups and schools. The iwi plans to run educational and environmental initiatives that will benefit its community and provide employment opportunities for the rangatahi (young people).

www.ngaitai.maori.nz