Ruapōtaka Marae

10/09/2026

💬 "Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini."

Your reo journey doesn't have to be taken alone.

Our Te Pōkaitahi Reo Level 1 programme at Ruapōtaka Marae is about to begin, and we have just a few places remaining.

Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to build confidence in te reo Māori, we invite you to join us in a supportive and welcoming learning environment.

✨ Fees free
✨ Open to beginners
✨ Learn alongside your community

📧 Enquiries: [email protected]

Register now before the remaining spaces are filled. 🌿

10/09/2026

🌿 Mau Rākau Wānanga | Spaces Still Available 🌿

Join us as part of our Understanding Holistic Wellbeing Wānanga workshop series, where our next session will focus on mau rākau and the role it plays in supporting our hauora and wellbeing.

📅 Tuesday 15 September
⏰ Powhiri: 9.15am followed by Wānanga till 12.30pm
📍 Ruapōtaka Marae

We still have a few spaces available and would love members of our hapori to come along, connect with others, learn something new, and enjoy this meaningful kaupapa in a welcoming and supportive environment.

✨ Free to attend
✨ All welcome

To register or find out more, contact [email protected] or 027 346 2491.

Nau mai, haere mai. We look forward to seeing you there! 💚



*A pic from one of our last Maurākau sessions held on the pā.

09/09/2026

🎨 Blank Canvas | Art, Wellbeing & Connection 💛

We're proud to support and celebrate Blank Canvas, an exhibition exploring the power of art to heal, connect, and strengthen communities.

This kaupapa extends the impact of the free weekly art drop-in workshops led by Ryan Fisk, with support from Wiremu Cowell, Te Kaupapa, Ruapōtaka Marae, and Kāhui Tū Kaha. These welcoming sessions provide a creative space for self-expression, wellbeing, and connection.

If you're looking for a chance to reconnect, reflect, or simply get creative, we encourage you to check out the exhibition and join a workshop.

📍 The Good The Bad
🎉 Exhibition Celebration: Saturday 12 September, 11am-1pm
🎨 Free Workshops: Saturdays 19 & 26 September and 3 October, 11am-1pm

Everyone is welcome. Come along and experience the power of creativity in our community. ✨

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Blank Canvas explores the transformative power of art as a catalyst for social cohesion and personal wellbeing. This exhibition highlights how creative expression brings healing, bridges cultural divides, and strengthens community bonds. By turning the gallery into a shared space for reflection and dialogue, the exhibition invites us to experience art not just as an aesthetic pursuit, but as an essential tool for human connection.

Free therapeutic art-making workshops facilitated by art therapist in training, Ryan Fisk, and supported by local artist Wiremu Cowell, will take place at The Good The Bad in Panmure on Saturday 19, 26 Sep & 3 Oct at 11-1pm.

Exhibition celebration will take place on Saturday 12 Sep, 11-1pm with free music, food, and activities. All welcome.

This exhibition extends the visibility and impact of the free art drop-in workshops led by Ryan Fisk, with support from Wiremu Cowell, Te Kaupapa, Ruapōtaka Marae, & Kāhui Tū Kaha. Hosted at The Good The Bad in Glen Innes every Tuesdays from 11-1pm.

09/09/2026

💛 Ngā mihi nui ki Churchill Park School 💛

A huge thank you to the amazing Year 7 & 8 ākonga and kaiako at Churchill Park School for their generous gift of homemade kai reka as part of their Community Service Week.

Your delicious biscuits, slices, and sweet treats were greatly appreciated and were shared with whānau in our hapori through our community food support programme. Your thoughtfulness, hard work, and commitment to giving back are a wonderful example of manaakitanga in action.

We are so grateful that you chose to support Ruapōtaka Marae and our whānau. Thank you for spreading kindness and making a positive difference in our community.

Ngā manaakitanga ki a koutou katoa. ❤️



📸 We were honoured to receive your treats and look forward to continuing to build connections with our local schools and rangatahi.

09/09/2026

Ānō te pai, te āhuareka o te noho tahi ki ngā kaumātua o Ruapōtaka Marae i te rā nei. E mānawatia ana tō koutou manawaroa, manawanui mai anō hoki. Reka ngā kōrero, reka ngā kai! Te tohu o te manaaki - koia kei a koutou!

Being home means I get time to reach in to our hapori and today, I’m grateful for the quality hours I got to spend with the kaumātua of Ruapōtaka Marae, in G.I. I loved the pātai, the wānanga, and the whakaaro. Thank you to Whaea Georgie Thompson for inviting us in and holding space for open kōrero. Thank you also for sharing the history of the relationship between Ruapōtaka Marae and Te Pāti Māori dates back to the party’s formative years and holds firm to this day.
He hononga mauroa, mau tonu.
Kei aku ringa. E puritia ana.
For your trust - whakapono.
Thank you 🙏🏽

02/09/2026

📢 Ruapōtaka Marae Pānui: Make Sure Your Voice is Heard! 🗳️

E te whānau, enrolment packs have recently been sent out to voters across Aotearoa, but many have been returned because people have moved and haven't updated their details.

This year, more than ever, it's important that our voices are heard. Every vote counts, and every voice matters.

If you've moved house, changed your contact details, or you're not sure your enrolment information is correct, take a few minutes to check and update your details online at www.vote.nz/enrol.

If your details are up to date by 4 October, you'll receive an EasyVote card, making it even easier to cast your vote. The final deadline to enrol or update your details for the 2026 General Election is midnight, 25 October.

Our tūpuna fought hard for our right to have a say in the future of our communities. Voting is one way we can honour that legacy and help shape the future for our tamariki, mokopuna, and generations to come.

✅ Check your details
✅ Encourage your whānau to do the same
✅ Make a plan to vote

Don't leave it to someone else. Your vote is your voice. Every vote counts.

For more information, visit www.vote.nz

30/08/2026

🚗👏 Another successful Learner Licence Wānanga at Ruapōtaka Marae!

Last week's wānanga welcomed over 20 whānau, with all but one participant passing their Learner Licence test. An awesome result, and we'll be supporting our one remaining whānau member to get over the line this week. 💪

A reminder that this kaupapa isn't just for our rangatahi starting their driving journey. It's also for our pakeke, mātua and kaumātua who may not have had the chance to begin theirs yet. It's never too late.

Our learning and testing environment is welcoming, supportive and inclusive for all ages. We understand that sitting a test can be daunting, which is why we create a safe space where whānau can build confidence and succeed at their own pace.

📢 Our next wānanga session is this week. If you've been thinking about getting your Learner Licence, now is the time to register!

📅 Thursday 3 September
📍 Ruapōtaka Marae
🕗 Teaching: 8:00am - 12:00pm
📝 VTNZ Testing On-Site: 12:30pm - 4:00pm

⚠️ Don't forget to bring the correct ID. Check the VTNZ ID guide attached.

📧 Register: [email protected]

"Tuia te muka tangata, kia pai here mō te hāpori." 💚🖤🤍🚙

27/08/2026

🌿 Haere mai e te whānau! 🌿

Interested in learning Te Reo Māori? Come down to Whare Kāmaka at Ruapōtaka Marae today until 5.00pm to register and find out more about our upcoming fees-free Te Pōkaitahi Reo Level 1 course.

This 12-week programme is perfect for beginners wanting to start their reo journey in a supportive and welcoming environment. Classes will be held on Mondays and Thursdays from 2.00pm to 5.00pm, running from 21 September to 13 December 2026.

Come and meet our kaiako Tamara Hapi, ask any questions, and learn more about what the course has to offer. Whether you're looking to strengthen your connection to te reo, support your whānau, or simply give it a go, we'd love to see you.

📍 Whare Kāmaka, Ruapōtaka Marae
⏰ Today until 5.00pm

Nau mai, haere mai, whakatau mai. Your reo journey starts here! 💚

21/08/2026

🎶 Celebrating Culture, Friendship & Music Without Barriers 🎶

Tomorrow evening at The Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell, Ruapōtaka Marae is proud to be represented by Missy, Aunty Libby, Teina, Larli and Chyme as they join a collaborative choir alongside our Chinese whānau and a full Symphony Orchestra at the 2026 New Zealand International Music Competition Closing Awards & Charity Symphony Concert.

Together, they will perform a newly commissioned work in Māori, English and Chinese, celebrating friendship, cultural diversity and unity through the power of music.

This performance celebrates the strong relationship between Ruapōtaka Marae and our Chinese community partners, particularly CNNST Foundation. Last month, our Raukura were privileged to perform at the Auckland finale of the WLSA Oceania Education Tour 2026 at the Aotea Centre, and one of our rangatahi Payton Makoare-Moon had the opportunity to travel to China through a cultural exchange programme.

Together, these experiences reflect the values of whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and kotahitanga, strengthening connections between our communities through culture, education and friendship.

We are incredibly proud of our whānau representing Ruapōtaka Marae on this special stage. ❤️🎶

18/08/2026

⚠️ Please note: An earlier post incorrectly stated Level 2. The programme being offered is Te Pōkaitahi Reo Level 1.

If you've been thinking about learning te reo Māori, now is the perfect time to start! Join us at Ruapōtaka Marae for this fees-free beginner-programme starting in September.

📅 Information Sessions: Monday 24th & Thursday 27th August (2pm to 5pm)
📍 Whare Kāmaka, Ruapōtaka Marae
📚 Classes: Mondays & Thursdays, 2pm to 5pm

For more information, contact Tamara Hapi: [email protected]