Mangahanea Marae, Māori meeting grounds in Ruatoria, New Zealand

Mangahanea Marae is a marae in Ruatoria whose whare tipuna (main meeting house) has carvings and interior panels begun in the 1880s and was formally opened in 1896. Its wharekai (dining hall), Rutu Tawhiorangi, built and opened in the late 1930s, is adorned with carving and tukutuku.

Carving of the ancestral meeting house and its interior panels began in the 1880s, and the house was formally opened in 1896. The dining hall Rutu Tawhiorangi followed in the late 1930s. On 29 October 1947 the land beneath the marae was made a Māori Reserve under the Native Purposes Act 1937.

This place belongs to descendants of Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Uepohatu, who gather here for important occasions and ceremonies. The marae embodies a living tradition for several connected tribal groups sharing their heritage together.

The site sits north of Gisborne and is best reached by private transport following local directions. Visitors should check access conditions in advance, as this is an active community gathering place.

The marae hosted a Herbs album launch party in 1987, a reggae band event that brought a different kind of gathering to the grounds. The dining hall Rutu Tawhiorangi, opened in the late 1930s, is noted for its carving and tukutuku panels.