Te Aranga Marae ready for lower COVID levels

November 2021

A refreshed Te Aranga Marae Board of Trustees is champing at the bit to get past COVID and get on with building the number of programmes and events available at the marae for the community.

Sitting board members Shelley Pritchard (co-chair), Greg Brown (treasurer) and Aunty Kara Kire have been joined by Peter Kerika (co-chair), Jaimee Lolo (secretary), Rongopai Kira and Pearl Kennedy.

Lindsay Abbott and Gary Barclay are looking after the public communications for the marae.

“COVID has caused a lot of disruption, like it has for everyone, says Shelley.

“For a big part of the last two years we’ve had to cancel bookings for groups wanting to stay here for things like sports events, and of course large events like tangi have been hugely affected,” says Shelley.

Some monthly courses have been able to continue under COVID level 2 restrictions, including cooking and rongoa Māori classes, and Youth Justice sessions held at te marae have carried on.

“We really are just waiting to get to level one again, or the equivalent on the new traffic light system, and then get on with offering more, especially in the education field.”