A wharenui on the East Coast has become the first marae to open its doors to a global audience on Google Earth.
Te Pahou Marae near Gisborne Photo: Screenshot / Google Maps
Ngāti Maru is a hapū of Rongowhakaata in Manutuke and its ancestor Taharākau, who sits on the gable of the meeting house, might never have believed he'd become a global figure head a century later.
Google Earth allows users to navigate the globe with the swipe of a finger.
Te Pahou Marae's Google Earth rendering allows virtual visitors to admire the whakairo (carvings) throughout the marae beginning with a large wahanui (gateway) and the maihi (arms) of the wharenui.
Woven tukutuku panels inside decorate the ends of the wharenui, while portraits of those who have passed on hang on the walls.
The whare is named Te Poho o Taharākau and the wharekai (dining room), named Mokai, is situated to the left.
