The land on which the present day marae is sited was gifted by three Ngāi Tūāhuriri families. The Rūnanga Hall is called Mahaanui after the famed waka of Maui from which he ‘fished up’ Te Ika a Maui, the North Island. Mahaanui also refers to the tides that run off the nearby East Coast. The hall does not embrace a specific whakapapa but represents and embodies all Ngāi Tahu whānui - all Ngāi Tahu will fit in the canoe of Maui. Mahaanui is therefore an inclusive name which denotes the concept of binding people together.
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