Oruawharo Marae.

CLIENT | Oruawharo Marae Whanau + Screentime Productions

OUR ROLE | Sustainability Advisor + Build Team

The whanau at Oruawharo Marae gave their large Marae a huge overhaul. They re-painted their buildings, built an extension to their kauta (kitchen) and tidied the landscaping throughout their large site. 

Because of their remote location, people arriving at Oruawharo would often have travelled some distance from the last ‘comfort’ stop. To offer strong manaaki (hospitality) to their visitors, the whanau chose to install a manuhiri (visitor) toilet in front of the Marae, which manuhiri could use before being allowed onto the Marae through a formal powhiri (welcoming) process. The Whanau chose to install a Biolytix Biopod which works by mimicking the way nature breaks down waste and is far more efficient and less energy intensive than conventional wastewater treatment. This approach removes the need for significant pipework to and from the existing supply and waste systems, reduces water use, and produces purified and filtered water which was then pumped into the garden for further filtration as a beneficial irrigation resource. 

For generations, people had been throwing their rubbish over the bank behind the Marae, creating an eyesore of a tip site. The site was indicative of an old way of doing things which Whanau were keen to move away from. The area was cleaned up, waste was sorted into recycling streams and the bank was shaped and planted with natives. A seated area was created to overlook the harbour – providing a place to reflect on our role as kaitiaki (guardian) of the environment.