Marae manaaki
When a massive magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck North Canterbury just after midnight on November 14, Takahanga Marae in Kaikōura opened its doors to distraught locals and visitors with characteristic manaaki, promptly setting itself up as a welfare centre for the community.
This was the third largest earthquake in New Zealand in a century and it took the lives of two people. It wasn’t only the marae that showed whanaungatanga to Kaikōura – within hours Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu staff also set out to help whānau in need.