Upgrades to help marae properly host a multitude of guests for next year’s Te Matatini festival have dominated annual marae development funding in New Plymouth.
The two-yearly national kapa haka festival takes place over five days at Pukekura Park’s Brooklands Bowl at the end of February, bringing 70,000 competitors and spectators.
Accommodation across Taranaki is completely booked out, including at marae which will host some of the 55 competing teams.
New Plymouth District Council’s kaitakawaenga (iwi relationship manager) Aroha Chamberlain said it was lucky the council recently voted to put an extra $100,000 in the marae development fund, taking it to $300,000.
“Especially this year because as you can see we’ve had a number of applications and most of them relate to getting their marae up to scratch for Te Matatini and the hosting that will go on there.”
The 2025 event is hosted by Te Kāhui Maunga, the regional kapa haka committee of Taranaki, Whanganui, Ruapehu and Rangitīkei – formerly known as Aotea rohe.
Chamberlain’s report said marae were working to make sure facilities and services were “as good as they can be to uphold the mana of their whānau, hapū, iwi and wider north Taranaki community.”
She told the council’s iwi liaison committee Te Huinga Taumatua the marae development fund mostly covered insurance costs for the district’s ten marae – but once the premiums were paid what’s left over was up for grabs in a contestable fund.
Four of the six successful applications got about $25,000: to improve a septic tank system at Kairau Marae; to replace bedding, mattresses and kitchen gear at Muru Raupatu; to replace 35-year-old carpet at Pukearuhe so worn out it was a trip hazard; and as a contribution to a large upgrade project at Urenui Marae.
About $15,000 each went to Inglewood’s Te Kohanga Moa Marae for a building upgrade and to Ōākura Pā to re-roof the toilet block.
Te Huinga Taumatua’s representative for Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa, Anaru White, said Te Matatini will provide a legacy boost in Taranaki.
“Part of the legacy is that we will get marae up to be… fit for purpose, with building warrants of fitness etcetera, all those ongoing costs that we know that are increasing, day by day.”
White said iwi members see the outcome of the grants.
“We’re at the marae and we see the changes, what’s been done… so that we can cater, manaaki (uplift the mana of) our manuhiri and also care for the whānau who are out there working and volunteering.”
Councillor Sam Bennet said he was very happy to back the spending and encouraged marae to think about safety in vulnerable places like sleeping areas
“When we’ve got a lot of people sleeping, I think that’s always a concern and we know that Te Matatini is coming our way with 70,000 people arriving in the region.”
Chamberlain emphasised that marae trustees wanted councillors to know they were hugely grateful for the grants, which were not offered by all councils.
Te Huinga Taumatua co-chair councillor Gordon Brown was pleased the committee was backing improvements with an eye to Te Matatini.
“It’s one way we can make an absolute tangible difference and our community will be better off.”
“We should send a copy of these grants to the Government so they’d know we’re continuing to do work constructively in our communities, together,” suggested Brown
“Doing the basics brilliantly,” quipped Mayor Neil Holdom, referencing prime minister Christopher Luxon’s call in August for councils to control their fantasies and focus on brilliant provision of basic services.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
