Established on the Te Hāpua 41 Reservation in the 1960s, the Te Hiku o Te Ika Marae is a venue for the community of Te Hāpua and iwi of Ngāti Kuri to practice and celebrate the kaupapa, tikanga and kawa of Ngāti Kuri.
The operation of the marae is underpinned by range of interconnected concepts including:
- Kotahitanga: Working together and building a unity of purpose
- Whanaungatanga: Strengthening our connections with each other
- Manaakitanga: Looking after each other
- Wairuatanga: The spiritual dimension alongside the physical
- Kaitiakitanga: Taking responsibility for our environment
- Mana Whenua: The customary authority of hapū over our rohe
- Ahikā: Recognition of those that keep the home fires burning
- Tino Rangatiratanga: The pursuit of political autonomy
- Mātauranga: The value of knowledge and expertise
- Te Reo: Our language is a cornerstone of who we are
The marae trustees will endeavour at all times:
- to provide kaitiakitanga over the Marae, its surrounds and all its facilities;
- to be conveyors of the Marae protocol, kawa and tikanga;
- to ensure the maintenance and upkeep of the marae buildings and amenities, land, urupā, wāhitapu, church and foreshore that it has kaitiakitanga over;
- to support and uphold the place of religion and the hapu church at Te Hāpua;
- to promote and encourage participation by holding wānanga to share and enhance skills, knowledge and expertise;
- to maximize educational opportunities by holding wānanga to share and enhance skills, knowledge and expertise; and
- to protect and improve the quality of the eco-system by encouraging whānau and hapu to strengthen kaitiaki practices.
The trustees also commit to operating in an open way, with good communication, consultation and reporting to Ngā Hapū.
