Mākirikiri Marae to undergo renovations

Dining room and Wharenui, Mākirikiri Marae, Dannevirke.

The Mākirikiri Marae committee is planning to renovate the marae kitchen and dining room, in what would be one of the most ambitious projects since the new wharenui Aotea Tuatoru was built and new marae at Mākirikiri opened in July 1967.

One of the key responsibilities of the haukāinga (home people) is to manaaki (provide support and hospitality) to their manuhiri (visitors). The present kitchen and dining room facilities require upgrading to improve not just the building and facilities but also improved service for our whānau and hapū members and importantly, for our manuhiri.

The marae is a meeting place, providing valuable facilities, that can host a variety of events and large numbers of people. In recent extreme weather events, marae and their communities have shown how they can contribute during an emergency. Although it’s a significant project for the whānau and hapū of Mākirikiri Marae, more importantly it should be viewed as a significant community project, upgrading a valuable community resource and asset.

Approximately 12 years ago a new marae ablution block project was at a similar stage, with draft plans and designs being undertaken along with the enormous task of raising the $300,000 for that build. This latest building project, when finished, will complete the work on these three essential service facilities within the marae complex; kitchen, dining room and ablutions.

Dining room exterior design plans. Image / LWT Designs Ltd

To date, work has been undertaken by the committee on a series of draft plans and designs. The next stage will be a hui where the two designers, Host Services Ltd and Graeme Lowe LWT Ltd for the kitchen and dining room renovations respectively, will speak to their designs to whānau members. The date for this presentation hui is still to be confirmed but is tentatively scheduled for next month, March 2024, at Mākirikiri Marae.

It is envisaged that discussion and feedback from whānau will then be incorporated into a new draft resulting in final plans being confirmed. These plans will then be costed and consent sought while the Mākirikiri building sub-committee is tasked with finding the funds for the build. It is anticipated that building will commence once the total funds have been found and is likely to be done in stages to minimise the time the marae is closed.

Once the design plans are confirmed the committee has set a two-year time frame to get the renovations started and while it’s acknowledged this is extremely ambitious, we saw with our ablution project and the Mākirikiri Marae DIY makeover in 2015, the huge support from whānau and community who came together and united to complete two major projects.

Both the new ablution build and the Mākirikiri Marae DIY makeover showed that despite so many of our whānau members living away from Dannevirke, their connection and whakapapa to their marae is unwavering. Whānau fundraised in their towns and cities and then for the Marae DIY came for the four-day makeover to offer their skills and labour. This gives the marae committee confidence that while it seems like a hefty hurdle to overcome, a renovated kitchen and dining room, the whānau will ensure that this latest vision for our marae will be achieved.

Mā pango, mā whero ka oti te mahi - Many hands make light work.