Marae

A marae is a communal or sacred place that serves religious and social purposes across Polynesian societies. It typically consists of a roughly rectangular area of cleared land bordered by stones or wooden posts, sometimes including paepae, raised terraces traditionally used for ceremonial purposes. On Easter Island a central stone ahu is placed within the complex, and the term has come to stand for the whole marae there.

Marae generally consist of an area of cleared land, roughly rectangular (the marae itself), bordered with stones or wooden posts (au in Tahitian and Cook Islands Māori), and perhaps with paepae (terraces) which were traditionally used for ceremonial purposes; in some cases, such as Easter Island, a central stone ahu or a'u is placed.

Marae generally consist of an area of cleared land, roughly rectangular (the marae itself), bordered with stones or wooden posts (au in Tahitian and Cook Islands Māori), and perhaps with paepae (terraces) which were traditionally used for ceremonial purposes; in some cases, such as Easter Island, a central stone ahu or a'u is placed.