Our place at waikawa

Waikawa Marae is a fully functional marae, its operations focus on the delivery of social, health, education, cultural and language programmes and services to the whānau o Waikawa Marae and extends to the wider communities of Waikawa and Waitohi ki Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Māui, and beyond.
Waikawa Marae offers a range of facilities that are available to book. We offer our beautifully carved Whare Tūpuna (meeting house), a fully functioning commercial Whare Kai (dining room and kitchen), a Whare Wānanga (Training rooms), office space and the stunning grounds.

Waikawa Marae is 2km from the township of Picton.

The marae facilities as a whole are governed by the Marae Trustees. The kaimahi and whānau whānui give effect to the policies outlined and approved by them.

Ko Arapaoa te whare tūpuna (meeting house)

The Whare Tūpuna ‘Arapaoa’ is the carved meeting house at Waikawa Marae.
Arapaoa was formally opened on 24th April 1994 by Hon. Whetu Tirikatane-Sullivan on behalf of ngā iwi katoa.

Ngā wāwata o Arapaoa or ultimate vision of the whare tūpuna by the committee and whānau mā was that all people, from all walks of life - ngā iwi katoa, would have a place to connect to, and have a sense of belonging.

Arapaoa has the capacity to sleep 80+ people. At the back of the whare are the laundry and ablution blocks - four wāhine (women), showers and wharepaku (toilets), five tāne (men) showers and three wharepaku (toilets).

No photography of either outside or inside of this building is allowed, unless prior arrangement has been made with our Marae Trustees.