This page explores the impact of Cyclone Gabrielle in 2023 on Marae and explores how marae may again be at the centre of vibrant kāinga.

 

The COVID-19 pandemic reminded the community of the importance of marae as community hubs, especially in rural areas. That reminder was dramatically reinforced with the arrival on these shores of Cyclone Gabrielle. She is the most devastating weather event in living memory, eclipsing the impact of Cyclone Bola.

 

These environmental challenges coincide with the return of people to their kāinga. The urban drift of the second half of the twentieth century has reached full tide and is now receding. Another trend is the increasing availability of remote work enabling those with the skills to work from home. This confluence presents the opportunity not only to further equip marae for emergency preparedness, but also to rebuild local economies around the marae and to revitalise our rural communities.

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Image: Flooding of Naumai Marae, north of Ruawai during Cyclone Gabrielle. Credit Kelly Retimana.