 
Te Aroha News
11 February 2009
Much-Needed Makeover
 |
REVAMP: Audra Bianchi, left, Topeora Bianchi, Ajaleyah Taylor, Cohen-Jones Taylor and Jill Taylor in front of the gates at Tui Pa Marae. |
A forgotten marae is calling on the people of Te Aroha to band together and help restore it to its former glory.
Tui Pa Marae on Tui Pa Rd is about to undergo renovations with the help of Marae DIY, a renovation show on Maori Television.
Spokesperson Jill Taylor said they had already started work on the front gates.
"We managed to raise funds and replaced all the fencing, but then the storm came through and took all of them down," Mrs Taylor said. "After that I just found it too hard to keep going."
Tui Pa Marae, which is under the new management of Mrs Taylor and her family, will get a much needed makeover on its kitchen, toilets and meeting house.
"There will also be extensive landscaping done on the Ma Atia (grass area in front of the meeting house). Up until now the marae has only been a patchwork of renovations."
Mrs Taylor wants people in Te Aroha to come together and help with the renovations.
"We are doing this for the community, so they can come and use the marae if they want to. There seems to be this segregation between Maori and Pakeha people and we want to change that. The marae is here for everyone to use."
Renovations will get under way on March 19 through to March 22.
By Letitia Atkinson @ Piako Post
|
