Woodville Marae celebrates turning 30

Te Ahu a Turanga - Woodville Marae today, celebrated 30 years since opening.

A Woodville marae opened 30 years ago has marked the occasion with a video showing the opening in 1994 and a cake-cutting.

The guest of honour for the celebration was Harold McCarthy, the only surviving member of the original committee for the Te Ahu a Turanga Marae, situated on the corner of Tay and Vogel streets in Woodville.

Woodville Marae's Harold McCarthy and Sid Raroa, (the key contacts for the marae) catch up on stories.

Plans for the building of the marae began in 1972 after two locals, Reverend McKenzie and John Tangiora, recognised that Māori arriving in Woodville to work on the railways needed a cultural base. There had been few Māori families in Woodville up to this point.

Eventually, after much discussion, the old concrete works site on the corner of Tay and Vogel streets was chosen. The marae committee did not realise at the time that this site was the spot where the prominent Turanga-i-mua and his men had fought a battle with warriors from the north, who pursued him into the gorge and killed him up on a hill near the Saddle Rd, where he was buried.

Turanga was the eldest son (i-mua) of Turi, commander of the Aotea waka. Such was his mana that the large rock in the gorge, the marae, his burial place and all the 250,000 acres surrounding the Woodville district were named after him.

The large carving at the front of the meeting house depicts Turanga.

The new highway under construction from Ashhurst to Woodville also bears his name – Te Ahu a Turanga - Manawatū Tararua Highway.

Construction of the marae began in 1981, largely under the guidance of local builder Phil Brunskill. Much of the timber was donated and most of the work on the project was done by volunteers. A time capsule was buried in the centre of the site just before construction started, which contains documents and signatures of all the 20 or so members of the first committee.

The marae was opened just before dawn on March 5 1994 before a crowd of around 200 people.

Judy Heremia and Dick Mudford watch as Harold McCarthy cuts the Woodville Marae's celebratory cake.

McCarthy helped cut the cake in recognition of 30 years, all those connected with the marae who have now passed away and in anticipation of a bright future in the hands of the many young people present at the celebrations.