June 27th June. Nā Harata Brown
Te Karere
Ōkorihi Marae, the tūrangawaewae of Ngāti Ueoneone - Ngāpuhi, is rebuilt and reopened after the marae near Kaikohe burnt down almost 20 years ago.
"Kia kite mai i taku whare tupuna e kainga ana e Mahuika, ā, ko taku waimarie i tēnei rā kua kite, tū mai ana taku whare tupuna hōu kia whai wāhi mātou te kōrero mō ngā take e pā ana ki mātou a Ngāti Ueoneone," Mutunga Rameka, Ngāti Ueoneone.
Northland's Ōkorihi Marae is set to be completed after a lengthy standoff with the Far North District Council.
The marae will be issued a new building consent on Wednesday after construction was unexpectedly halted six weeks ago.
However, the marae chair says it highlights the lack of local government partnership when dealing with marae.
Ngāti Ueoneone have been waiting six weeks for their new wharekai to be completed
They say the construction has been stifled by the Far North District Council over trivial matters - and that's the real problem.
"This house isn't for an individual, nor is it for only one family. How many thousands of descendants come from here. Where is the love from the council to them?" asks Ōkorihi Marae chair, Quinton Hita.
In January, a Far North District Council building inspector shut down construction here at Ōkorihi Marae over what Ngāti Ueoneone say were "small alterations".
Six weeks on, the FNDC have done a U-turn suggesting it was unjust and will issue a new building consent on Wednesday for construction to continue.
"I agree that this communication around that point of the new building consent is not as good as it could be and I apologise for that," says the CEO of the Far North District Council, Shaun Clarke.
Hita says the marae was issued a Notice To Fix in January, meaning they had until the "middle of March" to correct the issues or run the risk of being fined up to $200,000.
A warning to another marae currently applying for building consent from local government nationwide.
"This is a problem that will be encountered by others, especially around the Hokianga, and throughout Northland. We know this" adds Hita.
Hita says that another issue highlighted was the lack of consultation with Māori advisors at the Far North District Council
Questioning why a mere building inspector was given supreme authority to put the construction of a marae on halt for six weeks.
"If this is how the Far North District Council seek to collaborate with Māori to look after and support our marae - they've got it completely wrong," says Hita.
However, the council say all they can do is apologise - and urge hapū and iwi they are currently reviewing their processes.
"We do understand the cultural and spiritual significance of Ōkorihi Marae and we apologise to the Ngāti Ueoneone people for the delay that's been caused in the last few weeks of this project" adds Mr Clarke.
Hita told Te Ao, others connected to the marae are considering protest action tomorrow over the matter.
Northland's Okorihi Marae was a place hapu relied on to maintain language, culture and family relationships.
So when it was destroyed in a blaze in 2003, people felt lost.
But now hapu Ngatiueoneone can start rebuilding after being granted just over $1.7 million as part of the Government's Oranga Marae programme.
"For all of those 15 years we haven't had place," said marae chairman Quinton Hita.
"It means that our mate (the dead) haven't been able to lay in state at their own marae. Over the years you want to start initiatives for the whānau, for the tamariki and mokopuna, but you have no place to do that," Hita said.
The historic marae west of Kaikohe is one of three in Northland to have benefited from the Oranga Marae programme - which is a combination of funding from Vote Māori Development and Lottery Grants Board.
Kaingahoa Marae in Kaikohe received about $300,000 and Whakapaumahara Marae in Whananaki received more than $800,000 to build a new ablution block.
Hita said the Oranga Marae funding for Okorihi Marae, as well as a $300,000 grant from Foundation North, would go towards rebuilding the wharekai and ablution block, allowing whānau to start using the marae again.
"I don't think you realise how important your marae is until you lose it. It's difficult because we're traditionally a hapu that relied a lot on our marae. Not only for maintaining our culture and our reo, but also for family relationships."
Hita, who has been chairman for about four years, said the loss of the marae has meant whānau have had to use other marae, which have been incredibly generous.
He said despite the circumstances whānau never gave up hope and the recent funding comes after years of fundraising, applications to funding agencies, feasibility studies, and a change of Government which meant a change in policies.
"I think that's a real testament to the whānau. Despite being lost in the wilderness for 15 years they have somehow found a way to maintain family ties and continue to raise money and never give up hope that we would ultimately achieve our goal of getting our marae back."
Hita said it was "cathartic" for whānau when they found out they had received funding. The build has now started and the expected completion is March 2019.
"Both men and women were balling," he said.
"For my aunties and uncles the marae represents all of the memories of their parents and grandparents. It was incredibly emotional."
Meanwhile the funding received by Whakapaumahara Marae is also being celebrated.
Secretary Pam Armstrong said the ablution block is currently "barely functioning".
"I was ecstatic because I knew that meant we could finally get under way. We celebrated, we had cake."