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Marae
/mɑːˈraɪ/
HISTORY & CULTURESintermediate
Definition
A sacred communal gathering place central to Māori culture in New Zealand. The marae complex typically includes a wharenui (meeting house) decorated with elaborate carvings representing ancestors, an outdoor courtyard (atea), and ancillary buildings. It is the centre of cultural, ceremonial, and social life.
Example
Te Papa Tongarewa, New Zealand's national museum in Wellington (1998), incorporates a marae at its heart — one of the few marae located within a public building, making Māori culture architecturally central to the institution.