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| OK pics 1 |
| In subsequent years the search for work "kimi mahi" led to whanau members shifting away from Okarea kainga to nearby Huntly, Pukekohe, Hamilton, Rotorua, Auckland and throughout the major centres of Aotearoa. Gradually the population dwindled until the last of the old people left about 1969. Then the land was leased. |
| The first step in our quest was realised in 1997. We held a blessing when a garage "whare kai"(left) was assembled on a site chosen by our kaumatua. The initial stages were slow. Later in 1998 a "whakanoa" ceremony took place to bless the nearby site where the sleeping house would be built. These pics taken in 1999 show the site excavation for the erection of the sleeping house near the garage. |
| Tena koutou e nga iwi e noho maina i nga marae o Aitua Tenei ahau te Paki o Matariki I, the Paki o Matariki te haere atu nei ki runga ki o koutou marae have come on to your marae he inoi kia koutou kia awhinatia mai te to urge you to help the house of your whare o ta koutou mokopuna tamaiti grandson (King Koroki) e whakaarahia nei kite Turangawaewae be erected at the Turangawaewae o ana tupuna matua. of our parents. |
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| Okarea marae is an old kaupapa, a " take tupuna". In the 1930's-40's a wharepuni stood on a papakainga where many whanau lived. During this era Te Puea Herangi showed the way forward by unifying the kaitiaki, the first circle supporters of the Maori King; Waikato, Maniapoto, Hauraki and Raukawa - te porotaka nama tahi. Her leadership was resolute, her vision of Mana Motuhake was binding and her dreamtime waiata, wawata and moemoea inspired the Tainui people. She shared a lot in common with leaders such as Apirana Ngata. At the time whanau efforts at fundraising for Okarea building improvements were turned to supporting major projects such as the building of Turangawaewae marae. The request for support from the people was carried to each marae "te iti me te rahi" under the seal of Te Paki o Matariki; the Maori Kings coat of arms. |
| When the land block at Okarea was returned to whanau control in the early 1990's a whanau trust was formed to manage the land. Then the desire for a marae was reawakened. In1995 the people called for a marae committee to be established under the whanau trust to organise a marae building project. Everyone agreed. Thats how we got started. |
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| Okarea Marae is in Waerenga, the "blink & youll miss it" zone, not on the map yet but near Kopuku & the number 2 on the map (hit the Waikato marae icon/map)i. A small rural place, one hour south of Auckland along State Highway 2, past Maramarua 8 k's through the forestry, or 30 minutes from Hamilton near Te Kauwhata. |
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| In August 2000 a proud occassion took place at Hopuhopu when Okarea marae joined Te Kauhanganui o Waikato. At this hui before the Kahui Ariki and ngaa kaumaatua, our whanau roopu supporting our kaumaatua reaffirmed the pledge of support for Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu by signing the kawenta "tuku mana ki raro i te Kingitanga". |
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