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A marae (in New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Maori, Tahitian) malae (in Tongan), malae (in Samoan and Hawaiian) is a sacred place which served both religious and social purposes in ancient Polynesian societies. In all these languages, the word also means "cleared, free of weeds, trees, etc." It generally consists of an area of cleared land roughly rectangular (the marae itself), bordered with stones or wooden posts (called au in Tahitian and Cook Islands Māori) and containing a central stone (ahu, a'u) and sometimes terraces (paepae) used in olden times for ceremonial purposes. During the 1994 restoration of Taputapuātea marae at Ra'iātea by archaeologists from the Tahiti Museum, human bones were discovered under some of the structures; apparently, the remains of sacrifices to Oro. In some modern Polynesian societies, notably that of the Māori of New Zealand, the marae is still a vital part of everyday life. However, in tropical Polynesia, most marae were destroyed or abandoned with the arrival of Christianity in the 19th Century and some of them have become an attraction for tourists or archeologists. Nevertheless, the place where the marae were built are still considered as tapu in most islands and nobody would dare build anything on it. In the Cook Islands, a few marae (Arai-te-tonga, Vaerota, Taputapuātea) are still maintained, and are quickly tidied up before the investiture of a new ariki.
Marae in New Zealand In Māori society, the marae is a place where the culture can be celebrated, where the Māori language can be spoken, where intertribal obligations can be met, where customs can be explored and debated, where family occasions such as weddings and birthdays can be held, and where important ceremonies, such as extending a formal welcome to visitors or farewelling the dead, can be performed. Like the related institutions of old Polynesia, the marae is a wāhi tapu, a 'sacred place' which carries great cultural meaning. In Māori usage, marae is technically the enclosed space in front of a wharenui or meeting house (literally "big house"). However, it is generally used to refer to the whole complex, including the buildings and the open space. An unambiguous term for the area in front of the wharenui is marae ātea. This area is used for pōwhiri - welcome ceremonies featuring oratory. Some marae do not allow women to perform oratory there. The meeting house is the locale for important meetings, sleepovers, and craft and other cultural activities. The wharekai (dining hall) is used primarily for communal meals, but other activities may be carried out there. Many of the words associated with marae in tropical Polynesia are retained in the Māori context. For example, the word paepae refers to the bench where the speakers sit; this means it retains its sacred and ceremonial associations. Legal status A marae is a named piece of ground, registered as a reserve under the Te Ture Whenua Maori Act of 1993 ('The Māori Land Act'). Each marae has a group of trustees who are responsible for the operations of the marae. The act governs the regulation of marae as reservations and sets out the responsibilities of the trustees in relation to the beneficiaries. Generally each marae has a charter which the trustees have negotiated with the beneficiaries of the marae. The charter details matters such as: Tribal, church, and educational uses Most tribes and subtribes and even many small settlements have their own marae. An example of such a small settlement with its own marae is at Hongoeka Bay, Plimmerton, the home of renowned writer Patricia Grace. Since the second half of the 20th century, Māori in urban areas have been establishing intertribal marae such as Maraeroa in eastern Porirua. For many Māori, the marae is just as important to them as their own homes. Some New Zealand churches also operate marae of their own, in which all of the functions of a traditional marae are carried out. Churches operating marae include the Anglican, Presbyterian, and Catholic churches. In recent years, it has become common for educational institutions, including primary and secondary schools, technical colleges, and universities, to build marae for the use of the students and for the teaching of Māori culture. These marae may also serve as a venue for the performance of official ceremonies relating to the school. The marae of the University of Auckland, for instance, is used for graduation ceremonies of the Māori Department, as well as welcoming ceremonies for new staff of the University as a whole. Its primary function is to serve as a venue for the teaching of whaikōrero (oratory), Māori language and culture, and important ceremonies for distinguished guests of the University. Polynesian Marae picture gallery (To complete) New Zealand Image:Tanenuiarangi.jpg|"Waipapa marae, University of Auckland, New Zealand. The grassed area in front of the meeting house is the marae ātea" Image:Taupiri.jpg|"A marae beneath Taupiri mountain, Waikato district, 19th century" Society Islands Image:TaputapuateaMarae02.jpg|"Taputapuātea, an ancient marae at Ra'iātea (Opoa district) restored in 1994" Image:TaputapuateaMarae01.jpg|"A ti'i on the Taputapuātea marae (Ra'iātea)" Cook Islands Image:Taputapuatea.jpg|"View of Taputapuātea marae (Avarua-Rarotonga). The marae itself is located on the first stair of the paepae (platform)" Image:Taputapuatea-a'u.jpg|"Te a'u central stone of Taputapuātea marae (Rarotonga). This stone would have been brought by Tangi'ia from Raiatea in XIIIth century" Image:Maungaroa.jpg|Marae called "Maungaroa ki tai i te opuanga o te rā". It was the marae of the Tinomana Ariki (Puaikura tribe-Rarotonga). It was restored in the seventies after having been destroyed through the zeal of the missionaries. Image:Vaerota.jpg|"Vaerota marae(Ngatangiia-Rarotonga). Kainuku Ariki's marae located in the Avana Valley" Image:Araitetonga.jpg|"Arai te Tonga marae(Tupapa Valley-Rarotonga)" Image:Tangoitetipi.jpg|"Tangi o te Tipi marae (Arorangi -Rarotonga). A well maintained Marae located long te ara metua about Akaoa Tapere" Image:Tangoitetipi1.jpg|"Tangi o te Tipi marae (Akaoa Arorangi - Rarotonga). Pera mataiapo tutara's marae" See also Notes | ||||||||
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