FUND TO PROTECT TAONGA ON MARAE

Posted: Wednesday Feb 10, 2021

Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Carmel Sepuloni, today announced the opening of Mātauranga Māori Marae Ora, a new $5.7 million contestable fund to support Māori with projects that safeguard their mātauranga and taonga on marae, from the ongoing threat of COVID-19.

“Whakapapa and cultural identity for tangata whenua are held within marae across the motu. Marae also play an integral part in preserving the cultural vitality of Māori and Aotearoa as a whole. This identity is unique to the world, and this fund is a step towards protecting our country’s mātauranga and taonga for future generations,” says Carmel Sepuloni.

“The mātauranga and taonga held on marae are already at risk due to low numbers of mātauranga holders and the limited financial resources available to support their preservation. These risks have been heightened by the global pandemic.

“The Mātauranga Māori Marae Ora Fund offers support for a range of marae-based projects. This includes the development of conservation plans for whare and wharenui arts, the establishment of harvest areas for cultural materials such as pā harakeke and tōtara, and the preservation of taonga such as waka tīwai, korowai and photographs.

“Funding is also available to assist with the creation of archives, small whare taonga or publications as a way to both preserve and provide access to mātauranga and taonga on marae.

“Ahikaa marae communities have always been the keepers of mātauranga Māori and the kaitiaki of taonga. This Fund will support these communities directly to continue their conservation efforts and to grow their capacity to sustain their cultural heritage,” says Carmel Sepuloni.

The Mātauranga Māori Marae Ora Fund is part of a wider $20 million Mātauranga Māori Te Awe Kōtuku programme announced in December 2020. It includes 18 diverse initiatives to support iwi, hapū and Māori communities to safeguard at risk mātauranga Māori and protect indigenous knowledge from the threat of COVID-19.

The Mātauranga Māori Marae Ora Fund is being administered by Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs. It is designed to complement other funding available to marae such as the Provincial Growth Fund, and the Oranga Marae programme jointly administered by the Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs and Te Puni Kōkiri.

The Mātauranga Māori Marae Ora Fund was developed in partnership between Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Te Tari Taiwhenua Department of Internal Affairs, Te Puni Kōkiri and Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga.

Full details about the Mātauranga Māori Marae Ora Fund and how to apply are available on the Te Tari Taiwhenua funding website: https://www.communitymatters.govt.nz/the-matauranga-maori-marae-ora-fund