The short story is that, due to NZ Government policy in the 1940s and 1950s, many of the huge local tribe were forcibly resettled to Wellington and Christchurch, to work in manufacturing industries. And, as is the way with such things, regardless of many changes of Government since, very few ever returned to live in their ancestral community.
However, many when they pass away want to be buried here, and so an extremely small community has the responsibility for hosting up to six or seven (often large) funerals per month. Their resources are stretched very thinly and this, when combined with their distance from any significant-sized town, makes it almost impossible to obtain, let alone afford, the skilled tradesmen needed to maintain the buildings (especially the large kitchen, dining hall and shower/toilet block) on their Marae.
Gateway Baptist Church (www.gatewaybap.com), through church member Don Row's Maori daughter, became aware of this situation, and a number of tradesmen, handymen and others from the Gateway community offered to travel to Hinemaurea Marae, at their own cost, to do some much needed renovation works.
Additionally, the Gateway community donated funds to help purchase building materials and this, when combined with a special fund-raiser by the local Maori people, has ensured sufficient resources to get the job done.
Don, together with grandson Davis (me) and team leader, Terry.
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