Maori Culture: The Marae Meeting House

The meeting house, here at the Nga Hau e Wha National Marae in Christchurch, is the spiritual centre of the community. Its form and structure represent a living body, with the ridgepole as the spine, the rafters as ribs, the front windows as eyes, etc., as our guide vividly explained to us. All visitors must also observe the rules for entering the house.