Marae are the manawa taki, of Tāmaki Makaurau, connecting whānau, hapū and iwi to each other, to tūrangawaewae and to te taiao.
Marae are living centres of te reo Māori, tikanga and mātauranga, guiding how communities care for Papatūānuku mā and for the whakapapa connections between nature, people and place.
From environmental stewardship to critical disaster response, from hosting important hui to health, education and leadership initiatives, marae act as cultural, social, educational, environmental and economic anchors for the region. Marae provide both concrete services and the living framework of te ao Māori that sustains Tāmaki Makaurau.
Marae are powerful centres of connection, knowledge and leadership. Grounded in whakapapa and local mātauranga, they provide practical, culturally grounded responses that help hapū, iwi and Māori communities prepare for, withstand and recover from climate impacts.
He tangata | People-centred places: Marae are networks of relationships – between people, whenua and wai – and these relationships are the foundation of strong local responses when weather, floods or other shocks hit.
He tangata | People-centred places: Marae are networks of relationships – between people, whenua and wai – and these relationships are the foundation of strong local responses when weather, floods or other shocks hit.
Across Auckland, marae have already supported housing, civil defence and emergency responses - providing shelter, meals, warmth, manaakitanga and other tikanga that help people feel safe and connected.
Because every marae is unique to its landscape and community, adaptation responses grounded in local mātauranga offer practical, place-based ways to reduce harm and safeguard taonga into the future.
Ahikā, kaitiakitanga and rangatiratanga: Those who hold the hearth (mana whenua or ahikā) must be involved in and in control of decisions that affect their whenua and people. That leadership creates solutions that are culturally sound and fit for future generations.
Ahikā, kaitiakitanga and rangatiratanga: Those who hold the hearth (mana whenua or ahikā) must be involved in and in control of decisions that affect their whenua and people. That leadership creates solutions that are culturally sound and fit for future generations.
Local, place-based knowledge must sit alongside scientific information – mātauranga is essential in understanding patterns of risk and in building resilience.
Resilience is as much about strong governance and planning as it is about buildings. Investing in marae capability, infrastructure and support systems pays dividends in everyday life and in crisis.
Whānau, hapū, marae and mātāwaka are already engaged in a range of adaptation planning, including:
Whānau, hapū, marae and mātāwaka are already engaged in a range of adaptation planning, including:
Auckland Council supports marae infrastructure, capability and governance across the region, enabling mana whenua to maintain and develop robust, climate-safe and future-focused marae.
Resilient Marae is an iwi-designed, Māori-led kaupapa that delivers on Te Puawaitanga o Te Tātai, a priority in Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan.
Rooted in whakapapa and mātauranga Māori, this kaupapa strengthens taiao resilience by upholding traditional practices, fostering intergenerational knowledge sharing, and supporting marae, whānau, iwi and rangatahi to access tools and technologies that realise their taiao aspirations.
Through kaitiakitanga, innovation and dedicated action, Resilient Marae supports mana whenua and mātāwaka to create systems change and build a thriving future for te taiao and our communities.
Rural resilience is just as important. Marae and community halls often become gathering points during floods, offering shelter, connection, and support when it is needed most.
Through the Making Space for Water programme, Auckland Council is upgrading stormwater and wastewater systems at key rural sites, working alongside mana whenua and local leaders to respond to each community’s needs.
Partnering with Auckland Transport also helps prioritise improvements to rural roads, which are often the only routes connecting whānau to essential services.
By combining practical upgrades with better data, local insight and strong partnerships, we are taking a coordinated and long-term approach to flood resilience, helping build a safer, more resilient rural Tāmaki Makaurau.
In these links you can begin to explore practical tools, case studies, games, planning checklists and research on marae infrastructure, adaptation planning for papakāinga, and community-led emergency readiness. Then, when you’re ready, you can bring your whānau or hāpori together to begin planning from the place you know best.
Join our newsletter to receive the latest climate action and community news.
