Ōnuku Marae is common like other marae with a long custom of preserving fish, tuna, both fresh water and marine in a traditional way. We have renewed our old whata to the new health and safety standards of today. This will encourage the younger up and coming generations to participate in their Mahinga Kai practices, such as setting nets, cleaning fish and tuna and preserving kai. This will be an important part of keeping some of their cultural practices alive now and in the future. The building of the whata has been achieved by using local marae members own resources, to achieve a safe environment so generations to come can participate in a way consistent with the knowledge held by the local whānau. A big thanks goes out to Riki King (concrete plasterer), Ron Rhodes (builder), Jim Shilton (digger driver) and our kaumātua.
This example could be used as a way to facilitate the establishment of a similar complex at the nohoanga site at Greenpark Huts. The Mahinga Kai fund should be used to progress this whata as this would bring together the whanau and tamariki of the Horomaka and Taumutu to learn the customs of fishing Te Waihora.
Hei kona mai, Pere Tainui.
The whata taking shape.
Ron Rhodes and Rik King complete the work on the whata.