 
Te Aroha News
11 March 2009
Tui Pa Marae
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| MARAE: Tui Pa Marae spokeperson Jill Taylor, left, with her son Cohen-Jones Taylor, Jessie Pakura, Marae DIY director Katie Wolfe, Tangitu Tutuki Te Wharau and Gail Bianchi. |
Preparations for the renovations of Tui Pa Marae in Te Aroha are almost complete.
The marae on Tui Pa Rd will be restored to its former glory with the help of Marae DIY, a renovation show on Maori Television.
Spokesperson Jill Taylor said they have received great support from the people in Te Aroha.
"We still need people to help us though. But everyone has been great. We have Roger Shackell from Shackell Electrical who is going to help us with the wiring."
The renovations will get under way on March 19, with a Powhiri at 9am on the Marae.
"This is when we will get some 'before' shots of the marae. A kuia, elderly Maori woman, will be taken around the marae for one last look. Once the renovations begin she, the kuia, will not allowed to see it until it is complete," Mrs Taylor said.
Once the kuia has left the marae the renovations will get under way.
"It will be four days of madness," Marae DIY director Katie Wolfe said. "It all has to be completed in four days."
Mrs Taylor said they had already started work on the front gates of the marae before last years storm.
"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."
She said she applied to the Marae DIY explaining why she needed their help and what her vision for the marae was.
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."
Renovations will get under way on March 19 through to March 22.
By Letitia Atkinson @ Piako Post
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