Olympians Visit UK Marae

The New Zealand Olympic team paid a visit to the Hinemihi marae in Surrey, England. Hinemihi was brought to Surrey by Lord Onslow, the former Governor of New Zealand, as a souvenir of his term in 1892. The Olympic team’s visit was organised to try to raise public awareness of the house, which is the only one of its kind in the UK but is in need of some restoration work. It had been buried under the ash of Mount Tarawera for five years before being unearthed and transported to Lord Onslow’s family estate at Clandon Park. James Shuster, who is from the Ngati Hinemihi tribe which once owned the house, said: “For many UK-based New Zealanders she provides a welcome link to home and heritage.”