Tapu Te Ranga with Bruce Stewart

“I got out of jail with $25 and a dream”, Bruce Steward, Stuff

At the invitation of Bruce Stewart  we are parked up at the amazing urban Marae Tapu te Ranga, a creation of Bruce and friends who built it out of recycled materials in the 1970’s. This “living marae”, which can accommodate 300 people, sits on 24 hectares of land given by the Sisters of Compassion next door that is being restored to its pre-human state. 

It’s an amazing place and Bruce is a living legend. He is still working tirelessly 16 hours a day not only on running the Marae and its humanitarian interests but also looking into new projects to bring housing and environmental restoration to the land he loves. 

“We need all people to have a place to practice their kaitiakitanga within their own community” Bruce Stewart

Recently at the Ngatiawa monastery, Merlene (who has now lived at both Ngatiawa and Tapu te Ranga), presented us with a painting of the Tape te Ranga Marae by Sir Michael Fowler. Its a fabulous painting and we are looking for a way to reciprocate the gift. Which is another reason we are here.

Bruce Stewart is an activist, a writer/poet and a playwright. One of his more recent poems is written about Te Raekaihau Point.

On a clear winters day to the East there is often a sprinkling of fresh snow on the Orongorongo…

to the south in the foreground, Tapu Te Ranga Motu and far far beyond The White peaks of rise out of the horizon…

Every now and again it all comes together…

extreme beauty…

ahhh it is indeed absolute beauty beyond words…

if only I were a painter…

it is so close to get so far…

I go there often to refuel the soul…

these days as I can no longer fish and dive or even walk…

I wind down the window so I can hear and smell and feel this special place where surf, sand, seagulls, and the sky play together.

I let the healing winds of Te Rae Kaihau wash over me…

sometimes I snooze…

it is my outdoor Cathedral.