Marae is a place of gathering for Maori Culture. It is where an Iwi (Tribe) gather for special ceremonies, events and just spend time together with the wider family. Usually Maraes are huge halls that could fit hundreds of people, and is a place that is sacred to the Maori People. At Te Papa Museum in Wellington, they have constructed a mini Marae called Te Marae, as an exhibition for visitors and hired out as a function venue. Unlike a real Marae, Te Marae was built indoors within the Museum, and is much smaller. However, it was constructed with a modern interpretation of a traditional Marae in mind.
Marae 是毛利人聚会的地方，每一个毛利部落（iwi）都有自己的Marae, 每当有节日，仪式，或其他聚会时，部落里的族人都会来到这里，和这个部落这个大家庭里的其他成员聚首。通常Marae的规模庞大，可以容立几百人，也通常是部落社区里最神圣的地方。在威灵顿的国立博物馆里，有一个叫 Te Marae 的小型Marae, 是一个供游客参观的展馆，同时也是一个多功能宴会厅。这个小Marae比真正的Marae小很多，而且建了在室内。它保留了传统Marae结构的同时混合的现代艺术的元素。
First off, its structure follows traditional Maraes, with a triangular roof supported by two large front poles that is covered with Maori carvings. At the pointy part of the front roof where the two roofs join is a larger Maori head carving, again another feature that is found in all Maraes. In this particular case the head carving showcases the ancient Maori legend of Maui and his brothers, who used flax ropes to slow the sun, so that days are long enough for people to prosper.
和传统的设计一样，The Marae有着尖尖的房顶，以两根布满毛里雕刻的前柱支撑着。和所有Marae一样，Te Marae房顶上有一个比较大，代表着部落的主雕刻。Te Marae的主雕刻是以一个古老的毛里传说为蓝图，传说中毛利英雄毛伊和他的兄弟们拿着用亚麻做的绳子把太阳拖慢，让人们可以在更长的日照下生活。
The carvings on and inside of the Marae infused modern art and culture elements into traditional Maori style carvings. In particular, to represent the now multicultural society of New Zealand and the all-welcoming nature of the Marae, carvings were made for different occupations, cultures and stories of other ethnic groups, especially in the inside of the Marae. The different colours also add to the sense of diversity and of course, make the traditional structure looks modern and pretty.
在Te Marae里外的雕刻用毛里的传统手法去演释新西兰现代艺术和文化。代表着不同职业和不同文化的雕刻用了不同的颜色去呈现，特显了现代新西兰对多元文化的接纳和包容，更是为这个传统的建筑添加了充满活力的现代色彩。
While visiting a true Marae is a truly amazing experience that cannot be replaced, for travellers who are short on time, Te Marae at Te Papa Museum showcases very well the essence of this warm and amazing culture.
虽然去参观一个真正的Marae是个十分精彩且不可代替的体验，然而如果时间不足的话，在新西兰国立博物馆的Te Marae也可以很好体验到美丽而友善的毛里文化哦！