He Whakataukī

Hutia te rito o te Harakeke
Kei whea te kōmako e ko?
kī mai ki ahau”,
He aha te mea nui o te Ao?
Māku e kī atu“
He Tangata! He Tangata! He Tangata!
Whakatū Marae is situated in the leeward breezes of the Taitapu Bay on the northern entrance into Whakatū, Nelson.

The Whakatū Marae development in the 1960’s turned the exisiting land into a beautiful site that houses the Whare Tupuna-Kaakati, a Wharekai-Mauriora, 6 Whare Kaumatua, Kopuawai Te Kohanga Reo, a Kokiri Centre that services Health and Social Services, an equipment shed and ablution block. The land area is 10 hectares.

The kawa that is followed at Whakatū Marae is Tu Atu Tu Mai. This marae umbrellas 6 mana Whenua Iwi namely, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Rarua, Ngāti Tama and Te Ati Awa.

Ko Maungatapu te Maunga
Ko Maitahi te Awa
Ko Kaakati te Whare Tupuna
Ko Whakatu te Marae
Ko Ngāti Koata
Ngāti Toa Rangatira
Ngāti Rarua
Ngāti Kuia
Ngāti Tama
Te Atiawa

The common ancestor claimed by these Iwi ancestory is Kaakati. Kaakati is 7 generations from Hoturoa Captain of the Tainui Waka and is the name of the Whare Tupuna.

Whakatū Marae is constituted under the Incorporated Societies Act of 1908. This status was registered on 21st December 1977.

The Maori Community of Nelson identified a need for a culturally appropriate Marae that would allow us to practice our Tikanga and cultural values in an appropriate manner. This emphasised the need for a place to learn Tikanga Māori and Marae Protocol.

Since these early beginnings we opened our Kaumatua Whare in 1991. Development continued and on 1st April 1995, Kaakati our Whare Tupuna was opened. On 22nd October 2005 we opened the Wharekai Mauriora.
Mission Statement

Whakamanatia te tapu,te ihi, te wehi o te whānau
(To address, restore and enhance the mana and tapu of the whanau)

Whakatū Marae 99 Atawhai Drive, Nelson Phone/Fax: 03 546 9097
Website Design by Eiji Toyokawa Photography and Graphic Design