Tapu Te Ranga Marae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tapu Te Ranga Marae |
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Tapu Te Ranga Marae
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| General information | |
| Type | Marae |
| Architectural style | Contemporary Maori |
| Location | Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand |
| Address | 44 Rhine Street, Island Bay, Wellington |
| Construction started | 1974 |
| Height | 131 feet (40 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 10 |
Tapu Te Ranga Marae was a special community place located in Island Bay, Wellington, New Zealand. A marae is a traditional meeting ground for Māori people. This marae was started by Bruce Stewart in 1974. He lived there until he passed away in 2017. The marae was built to honor his mother, Hinetai Hirini, and was considered an important heritage site.
Building a Community Marae
Bruce Stewart began building Tapu Te Ranga Marae in 1974. He had a big dream to help young Māori who came to Wellington looking for work. Many of them found it hard to get jobs. Bruce started picking them up in his van. He took them to workshops where they learned to make furniture from old, recycled wood. Later, they also learned the art of carving.
Bruce leased a large piece of land, about 24 hectares, from the Home of Compassion. Building the marae took 30 years to complete. Bruce led the project with help from his family (his whānau), skilled workers, local young people, and even gang members.
Unique Design and Structure
The main building of the marae was built right into a hillside. Workers leveled the land by hand, creating seven different sections using only picks and shovels. The building's frame was made from wooden crates that used to carry vehicles from Japan. It also used many recycled materials. These included old doors and beautiful stained-glass windows saved from buildings that were being torn down.
This unique building was ten stories high. People described it as a "hand-crafted labyrinth." It had many stairways and interesting rooms filled with art and sculptures. It was truly a dream-like place. The main building was named Pare Waaka.
The Fire of 2019
Sadly, on Sunday, June 9, 2019, the main building of Tapu Te Ranga Marae caught fire. It was completely destroyed. The fire started around 12:30 AM. Many people were staying in the building at the time. This included a group of 27 children from the Ngaio Scouts and 9 adults. Luckily, everyone managed to escape safely and no one was hurt. Over 50 firefighters worked hard to put out the blaze. It is believed that a spark from a brazier (a type of heater) got into a storeroom, causing the fire.
