Te Kuri-a-Tuatai
Ko Horouta te waka
Ko Titirangi te maunga
Ko Waikanae te awa
Ko Ngāi Tāwhiri te hapū
Ko Te Kurī a Tuatai te marae
Te Kuri a Tuatai Marae was established upon the pā formerly known as Awapuni Pā. While the coming and goings of local hapū are notable in the history of the area. In contemporary times it is mostly Ngai Tāwhiri, Ngai Te Kete and Te Whānau ā Iwi who claim whakapapa to this marae.
The original Te Poho o Materoa was built in the 1880’s its carvers coming from as far as Tuwharetoa to Waipiro Bay. The wharenui was opened in 1882 and was used extensively over the next 30 years but gradually fell into disrepair and was dismantled in 1920. A new and much smaller wharenui was later built by Ngai Tawhiri and was also extensively used over the years. However, it burnt down along with the adjacent hall.
Following this many whanau of Te Kuri ā Tuatai Marae eventually gravitated back to Manutuke.
Te Kuri a Tuatai takes in the Awapuni 1L2F and 1L2G blocks and was the home to many families in the early 20th Century, with close to twelve whanau who were born and raised at the marae, it was known to be a place of healing and often was a place of refuge for many. From here Ngai Tāwhiri connections to the northern edges of its rohenga whenua were maintained taking in the lands from Pouawa, Kaiti, Tūranga, Awapuni to connect to its southern boundaries maintained by the hapū living at Manutuke and beyond.
In its recent past the Marae became a place for PEP programmes, kohanga, marae-based social services and kaumatua flats. This is probably how most remember it today. The remnants of this time including old buildings and the kaumatua flats still exist.
In 2021 a new cohort of Marae Trustees was established, and work is being undertaken to revitalise the space. The marae has 6 fully furnished cabins available to host whānau. The nature of the events that marae can host are smaller scale with a priority towards whānau and hapū wānanga that grows their connection to the whenua.
For the next seven years, Te Kuri ā Tuatai Marae will host TREC kaimahi as part of its roading infrastructure repair programmes servicing the area from Tūranga and northward to the coast. The marae objectives during this time is to continue to provide a space for whānau and hapū to connect to each other, to our marae and to our whenua, while taking the opportunity to wānanga, engage whānau and plan the marae rebuild.
Please contact tekuriatuataimarae@gmail.com for further information.
