Tapu Te Ranga Trust

General information

Tapu Te Ranga Marae is a living Marae. It is the home of Bruce Stewart, his family and their descendants and anyone else who desires to live in a sharing way. The Marae is listed as a Heritage site.

The Marae concept of sharing is central - sharing with people of all races and creeds. Also, the importance of sharing with the natural world by the non-ownership of The Whenua (land). Bruce said he bought the land to set it free. It is time to give back. Our role is not as owners, we are Kaitiaki (nurturers, protectors caretakers).

ImageThe Whenua is 24 hectares - two thirds was set aside for native trees and birds. It is being restored by collecting seeds from the few remaining trees of the original forest. Over 100,000 seedlings have been planted., Tena koutou e nga hau e wha…Greetings people of the four winds.

Tapu Te Ranga Marae is a living Marae. It is the home of Bruce Stewart, his family and their descendants and anyone else who desires to live in a sharing way. The Marae is listed as a Heritage site.

The Marae concept of sharing is central - sharing with people of all races and creeds. Also, the importance of sharing with the natural world by the non-ownership of The Whenua (land). Bruce said he bought the land to set it free. 'It is time to give back.' Our role is not as owners, we are Kaitiaki (nurturers, protectors caretakers).

{mosimage}The Whenua is 24 hectares - two thirds was set aside for native trees and birds. It is being restored by collecting seeds from the few remaining trees of the original forest. Over 100,000 seedlings have been planted.

The other third is Tapu Te Ranga Marae. The main Tupuna Whare (ancestral house) is Parehinetai o Waitaha. The Whare rambles up the hill on many levels - it is a strong social, environmental and artistic statement. She was built out of need by young maori unemployed. 'They who build The Whare are built by the Whare' is the whakatauki (proverb).

She has been built on multi levels from recycled materials and sleeps up to 300 people. She has several kitchens, a dinning-room and ablutions. There is free parking for up to 150 cars and space for buses. There are spaces for a marquee, tents, house buses and caravans.

There are areas for passive recreation including a circular historic walk of one and a half hours up to the Pouwhenua (sculpture) on top of Maunga Kawakawa.

The Marae is ten minutes from Wellington city and only ten minutes from the International Airport. The drive from airport to The Marae is along the famous wild south coast.

It is so close to get so far…