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They showed off the first stages of the project at the marae recently. Visitors could pop on a virtual reality headset, “click” on one of the Wharenui’s ornate panels and watch and listen to a telepresence explanation of the panel from Te Rūnaka O Awarua educator Bubba Thompson or kaiwhakahaere of the rūnanga Dean Whaanga. Ātea project lead Dr Hēmi Whaanga (Ngāti Kahungunu) idea for a virtual marae came about when Te Rūnanga o Te Whānau chief executive Rikirangi Gage mused how great it would be if he could still share knowledge with his grandchildren in the distant future, during a Science for Technological Innovation National Science Challenge workshop.