Nō hea koe? - Māori Maps

Nō hea koe? - Where are you from? A common greeting in any Māori/Pasifika introduction. Who you are and where you are from determines your place in this world. It helps the person you are speaking to make a connection with you. So what happens when your sense of ancestral ties lie in another part of New Zealand. With most Māori living in urban areas the links to marae for many Māori occurs when you have lost a loved on, when you are celebrating an event or a family reunion.

Today I read an article in the Aucklander - "Putting Māori on the Map" which briefly details the endeavours of some wonderful people who have trekked Tai Tokoreau capturing images of Northland and Auckland marae - these images and details have been capture on a portal called Māori Maps.

Instinctively, I took the opportunity to search my own marae (as you do). And there in all of its glory is an image of Kohewhata Marae on Mangakahia Rd and Te Kotahitanga Marae on Rangihamama Rd. I can see the potential of such a site and am looking forward to see how it unravels.