Marae take stock in case of emergency

People taking refuge in Moera’s marae during a civil defence emergency could be in for a culinary surprise if Joe McLeod finds himself in its kitchen after a big quake or flood.

Joe, general-secretary of the Randwick Road marae, is a chef with a longstanding interest in pre-European Maori cuisine. In fact, he’s so enthusiastic about the subject he has set up a business, Epuro Hands International, to revive and promote early Maori cooking methods and ingredients. Evacuees could be served traditionally prepared meats, seafood, seasonings, vegetables and puddings, but just as equally, he warns mischievously, they might be served baked beans on toast!

Joe and other senior people at the Te Kakano o te Aroha Marae have formalised a welfare centre preparedness plan adopted by seven other marae in the Hutt Valley, plus the Newlands-based Nga Hau e Wha o Papararangi Association.

The Civil Defence plan was adopted with the support of Hutt City Council and the Ministry of Maori Development in response to the big quake that struck Christchurch in February last year.

Joe says work has already begun on upgrading the marae’s kitchen and toilets to handle an influx of people caught out by a big disaster. Adoption of the plan means the seven marae and the association would have the necessary processes in place to deal with a large-scale emergency.

Discussions are now under way to get equipment not held on site, such as water tanks, power generators, storage containers and supplementary toilet equipment.

He says a core group of about 70 marae members could be relied on to provide assistance to several hundred displaced people in an emergency.The other marae to adopt the welfare centre plan are in Seaview, Hutt Road, Hikoikoi Reserve, Wainuiomata, Stokes Valley, Naenae and Upper Hutt.