Tangoio Marae suffered a lot of damage during the cyclone and still hasn't reopened. Photo: Supplied / Tangoio Marae
A carved pou from Tangoio Marae north of Napier has washed ashore on the Mahia Peninsula - almost two years after it was washed away during Cyclone Gabrielle.
The chairperson of Ngāti Kahungunu Bayden Barber said it will be a boost for the whānau of Tangoio even as they continued to wait for a plan to rebuild their marae.
The pou was found by residents at Taylors Bay in Mahia on Monday - 87 kilometres away from Tangoio Marae.
Barber said the pou wasn't in the best condition, but he was hopeful it could be restored and returned to the whare.
"It was found within our rohe, quite ironic that it was found up at Te Māhia in terms of our tīpuna Rongomaiwahine, but the haukāinga are very happy of course to have that pou returned," he said.
Kaumātua Bevan Taylor carved the house at Tangoio and the pou.
Barber said Taylor would be the one to make the call on the future of the pou.
Tangoio Marae was one of the worst hit in Hawke's Bay when Cyclone Gabrielle swept through. The inside of the whārenui was covered in metres of silt and whānau have been unable to use it since.
It's been a 'slow burn recovery' for Tangoio, Barber said.
"Kei te mamae tonu rātau (they are still hurting), that they don't have a marae, they don't have a whare to have tangihanga and express their tikanga," he said.
Nearby Petāne Marae in the Esk Valley has recently negotiated a plan forward for its marae.
Barber was hopeful Tangoio would not be far behind, but said it has taken far too long already.
"There are challenges just finding land in their takiwā (region) which is safe and flood free, but two years, come on, it should have been done within a year."
Barber said it was time to get the process to a point where whānau could see a light at the end of the tunnel at least. He wanted to see a strong signal from the government that it has a plan for the marae.
But for now the return of the pou would lift the whānau's wairua (spirits), he said.
"He tohu o te ora, ahakoa ngā pēhitanga o te wā, despite the challenges of the day whether they be political, whether they be climate change it's a tohu (sign) of resilience. E kore e ngaro, we're not going anywhere we'll be here for another thousand years plus."
The government is being approached for comment about the future for the marae.
