Waipapa marae poukai plan
The two legal entities for Waipapa and Mōkai Kāinga marae have endorsed a plan for the combined celebration of Waipapa’s poukai to be held at Mōkai Kāinga on Friday 12 March 2021.
In a Covid 19 environment, the incumbent chair, Hone Edwards says the plan required sign-off from the Mōkai Kāinga trustees to ensure health and safety standards were endorsed to provide protection for the health status of our King, our pakeke and our people.
“In the event we have a positive COVID19 case for example turn up on the marae the day of the poukai, we have a plan.”
The plan kicks off with health standards around the preparation of kai. At last year’s poukai Nedra Dunn and Kelly Isherwood insisted everyone working around kai were wearing hand gloves, hairnets and suitable footwear for kitchens. They will ensure this hygiene standard is observed again in the kitchen at Mōkai Kāinga, with standard awareness around social distancing and face masks. So ringa wera, kaimahi and waitresses, please be aware of the hygiene standards and COVID 19 protocols expected around the preparation and serving of kai.
Toilets are the other area on the marae where we need to be vigilant about washing our hands with soap and water. Rick Tai who is managing our ablutions has health and safety front of mind.
“We have 6 portaloos that will be placed around the Marae. Two will be sited immediately in front of the Marae for manuwhiri waiting to be called onto the Marae”.
Our Covid 19 strategy will be managed by Tegan Porima with Raukura Hauora o Tainui conducting a full screening process for both haukainga and manuwhiri.
Hand sanitizers, sunblock, and water stations will also be positioned around the marae within easy reach of the paepae for manuwhiri and local orators.
Our manuwhiri tuārangi will have a tent inside the waharoa and our local speakers will have an awning in place as protection from the sun.
The King will be seated inside the mahau of the wharenui with his guests. To date, our poukai marae are working with the King’s office to ensure the King’s health is a priority. If there are social restrictions governing the King’s party, these protocols will be announced on the day.
Carparking in surrounding paddocks will be marked out, with access directed by Māori Wardens. Parking for Waikato Tainui buses and the King’s entourage will be directly in front of the Marae.
Hone says we only have two weeks left to nail the lead up preparation for the poukai.
“Mōkai Kāinga is prepping the marae. At the moment we have George Hopa working alongside Uncle Nick Tuwhangai who will have much of the work prepped before the poukai,” Hone says.
In the meantime, please keep an eye on the marae website, the marae Facebook page, and social media for regular updates.
The timetable for the 11th and 12 March will be published on Facebook to confirm the plan for both days.
The marae will be open on Thursday 11 March, the day before the poukai. However, please note, we only have one wharenui to sleep all of our whānau from Waipapa and Mōkai Kāinga. Please have a contingency plan up your sleeve in case the wharenui isn’t big enough to sleep, everyone.
Our marae committee chair, Steven Morgan will be at the marae from Wednesday 10 March 2021.
We want all our whānau to help out with mahi, so check the plan and chat with those who are running the kitchen, the dining room, the ablution block, the carpark and the marae to see where you can give a helping hand.
If we’re overwhelmed with kaimahi, wonderful! Better to have too many than not enough so take time out whānau. Our manuwhiri are with us from 10 am until 4 pm to celebrate our poukai. As soon as the flag comes down, they leave for Maketū.
Then it’s all hands on deck Saturday morning to clean up Mōkai Kāinga so we can leave the marae as we found it. The poukai meeting will be chaired by the incumbent chair for the trust at 11 o’clock Saturday morning venue to be confirmed after breakfast.
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