The weeks are closing in as we get closer to the opening of our Whare Tipuna. For those members of Ngāti Waewae Rūnanga, a list of teams will be up on our Waewae Whānau Facebook site soon. We would like you to select which team you will be working in to ensure our opening day runs successfully. The teams will include catering, cleaning, car parking etc.
We put the call out to you all now and hope and expect to see all whānau travelling home to arrive either the Sunday 16 November (as we start our busy week of mahi), or at the latest Wednesday 19. We plan to hold waiata wānanga every night leading up to the opening.
The official opening of the Arahura Whare Tipuna is on Friday, 21 November. The dawn ceremony (blessing) is to be held at 6am, with the official marae opening pōwhiri to be held at 10am. The time has flown by and we are finally going to see the moemoeā of our elders come to fruition.
Aunt Tort Tainui (Te Māori Raukawa Tainui) and Uncle Ned Tauwhare standing on the empty Arahura Marae site back when it all started.