New Puketapu Bridge's name is a nod to its history
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New Puketapu Bridge's name is a nod to its history
Driving on the Mōteo Bridge over the Tūtaekurī River on May 16, 1920. Photo / Leslie Adkin, gift of G.L. Adkin Estate, 1964, Te Papa (A.005955)
A nod to the history of the original Puketapu Bridge will be reflected in its new name – the Mōteo-Puketapu Bridge.
Preparations continue to open the new bridge at Puketapu on August 23.
In 1906, when it was first opened as a swing bridge, it was called the Mōteo Bridge as it was primarily built to enable children at Mōteo to safely cross the Tūtaekurī River to get to school.
Later, when a more permanent structure was built and opened in 1963, it became more commonly known as the Puketapu Bridge, or sometimes Vicarage Bridge reflecting one of its approaches off Vicarage Rd.
The joining of the names reflects the rejoining of the communities cut off when the bridge washed away during Cyclone Gabrielle.
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NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
New Puketapu Bridge's name is a nod to its history
Driving on the Mōteo Bridge over the Tūtaekurī River on May 16, 1920. Photo / Leslie Adkin, gift of G.L. Adkin Estate, 1964, Te Papa (A.005955) Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech. New Puketapu Bridge's name is a nod to its history Driving on the Mōteo Bridge over the Tūtaekurī River on May 16, 1920. Photo / Leslie Adkin, gift of G.L. Adkin Estate, 1964, Te Papa (A.005955) A nod to the history of the original Puketapu Bridge will be reflected in its new name – the Mōteo-Puketapu Bridge. Preparations continue to open the new bridge at Puketapu on August 23. In 1906, when it was first opened as a swing bridge, it was called the Mōteo Bridge as it was primarily built to enable children at Mōteo to safely cross the Tūtaekurī River to get to school. Later, when a more permanent structure was built and opened in 1963, it became more commonly known as the Puketapu Bridge, or sometimes Vicarage Bridge reflecting one of its approaches off Vicarage Rd. The joining of the names reflects the rejoining of the communities cut off when the bridge washed away during Cyclone Gabrielle.
RNZ News
4 days ago
- RNZ News
Tolaga Bay marae 'preparing people's minds' for moving their wharenui
Hinemaurea Marae ki Mangatuna is one of three marae in Tolaga Bay that is being relocated. Photo: Supplied/Wayne Ngata You either move or your house gets moved, that's how one marae north of Tolaga Bay described the choice to move their whare tīpuna to safer ground. Hinemaurea Marae ki Mangatuna is one of three marae in Tolaga Bay that accepted the government's support package to move to a new site, along with nearby Ōkuri and Puketāwai Marae. Takipu and Rangatira Marae in Te Karaka north-west of Gisborne will also relocate to safer ground. Wayne Ngata (Ngāti Ira, Te Aitanga a Hauiti, Ngāti Porou) is the project lead for the relocation of Hinemaurea Marae ki Mangatuna. The whare tīpuna sits only a few hundred metres from the Ūawa river and Ngata said that during Cyclone Gabrielle water came into the whare, and despite the stopbank around the marae it's not the first time this has happened. "You fix it up, it happens again. On a good day it's a good place to be, but as we are more than well aware, the world knows there is actually quite a few major extreme events taking place throughout the world, it's becoming more frequent, it will become more frequent here." Ngata said Hinemaurea is approximately 80 years old, it was founded in the 40s and 50s in a time before urban drift when places like Mangatuna were well populated. "Certainly in the last 50, 60 years we've seen people move to the extent that there's... maybe two houses that have residents in Mangatuna today. So there's push and pull factors, things like floods and cyclones are one of those push factors." Wayne Ngata (Ngāti Ira, Te Aitanga a Hauiti, Ngāti Porou) is the project lead for the relocation. Photo: RNZ/Justine Murray Ngata said he's seen five one-in-100-year floods in his lifetime and the whānau of the marae had discussed the possibility of moving even before Cyclone Gabrielle. "The most recent discussions were quite pragmatic, as our people were. You either move or your house gets moved by natural elements, so we're moving. "These things force you to make some pragmatic decisions." Ngata said for some the concept of moving a marae can be tough to accept, so preparing peoples minds for the move is one of the most important parts of the project and something the whānau of Hinemaurea are working through now. "Even though we've already made the decision and have discussed it a number of times there are some who will still feel emotional about it, especially when an actual move takes place or when it comes to a time to whakamoe whare, to put the old houses to sleep." The relocation project has been underway for the last year and Ngata said the whānau have a preferred site and are in discussions with the owner to purchase it. A local artist has also drafted a design and concept plan for the relocated marae, he said. "Our next step is to begin the earthworks which is a major part, so the site is south of the current site, about 2k, 3k but up on a hill. You know, makes sense why our people built on hills. "Depending on weather, depending on availability of contractors, we're hoping to have relocated and rebuilt by end of 2026 probably moving into 27." The government set aside a total of $136.215m, allocated from Budgets 23 and 24 to fund the Whenua Māori and Marae relocation Programme after North Island weather events. It includes the costs to relocate owners of 24 whenua Māori properties to safety as well as demolition of residential structures and covers some assistance to support affected sites of cultural significance, principally urupā. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
5 days ago
- RNZ News
'It's got a lot of significance spiritually': The managed retreat of marae
The totara floor of Rangatira Marae was ruined in Cyclone Gabrielle, and the hapu plans to bury it with a karakia. Photo: RNZ / Alexa Cook A major project to relocate five marae in Tairāwhiti is underway, after flooding from Cyclone Gabrielle forced them to move to safer ground. The $136 million Crown funded project is expected to take several years and it's not just a logistical challenge, but a spiritual one too. Down a bumpy rural road in Te Karaka near Gisborne, lies the Ngāti Wahia hapū's Rangatira Marae. The red and white buildings are nestled on the banks of the Waiapoa River and a small stopbank wraps its arms around the site. Next to the wharenui, a lovely old kauri tree stands tall and you can hear the bubbling sound of the river mixing with cheerful birdsong. But look closer and the rustic wharekai building with its original dirt floor lies tilted to one side, and the wharenui meeting house is missing half of its walls - they've been stripped off and sad pile of totara planks lie rotting in the carpark. "We'll end up burying it, we'll have a karakia and lay it to rest," said Dave Pikia. The two buildings are lined with native timber and were lovingly crafted by hand 100 years ago. Pikia's face fills with pride as he shows me the clever design of the wharekai's kitchen bench. "You don't see stuff like this anymore, the grooves and that - you're talking over a hundred years old - it's crazy," he exclaimed. Pikia's ancestors built this special place, and it's filled with precious memories from his childhood spent playing at the river. "I was up to no good, mischief," he laughed. "The river was our playground and all around here were fruit trees, so we'd spend all day over there and when we got hungry at lunchtime.. we'd come up and have a feed," he said. Dave Pikia and nephew Himi Taingahue at Rangatira Marae. Photo: RNZ / Alexa Cook The marae is at risk from the Waipaoa River, which has flooded it countless times, most recently in 2023 during Cyclone Gabrielle where floodwaters reached three metres in depth around the buildings. The taonga that did survive includes eight woven whariki mats, some are about a century old and were gifted to Pikia's grandfather as he travelled the motu. "He was a tohunga, a spiritual man, he was a healer. And that was how they paid him, through gifts," he said. Rangatira is one of five flooded marae in Tairāwhiti's Category 3 areas being moved to safer ground. Puketawai, Hinemaurea ki Mangatuna, Okuri, Takipū are also in the process of relocating and each of them have accepted a support package from the government. Those decisions have taken time for each hapu to reach, as it's not just about the logistical challenges, but the spiritual ones too. "This wasn't something I took lightly because my mother said 'never move the marae', but she's not experienced what we've experienced.. "Now she'll be looking down on us saying 'you've made the right call', said Pikia. Photo: Supplied Ngāti Wahia is hoping the marae's original roof can be transported in one whole piece, as Pikia said it holds the mauri and mana of his people's history. "All the korero of the wharanui... it stays in the head and we take that to the new site. "Because of the rot in the lower walls we can only take what is good, but at least we still maintain the mana of the wharenui." Pikia's nephew Himi Taingahue supports the decision to move as during the cyclone he was stuck on a hill watching Te Karaka disappear under floodwaters. The new site sits on much higher ground only a few minutes away, and is where residents evacuate to in flooding. "If it floods up here then it'll flood all of Gisborne before it makes it this high," he said. At the end of a lush green paddock sits the freshly carved Te Pou Whenua o Wi Haronga, proudly overlooking and guarding the new marae site. "It's a nice site, it's going to be fitting as we all feel this will be safest place. "Across the road is our MTT site, our iwi led civil defence, that's where our headquarters are," Himi explained. A pou whenua overlooks Rangatira Marae's new site which is just minutes away from the original location, but on much higher ground. Photo: RNZ / Alexa Cook The aim is for the relocation to be completed within a year, so Rangatira Marae can celebrate its 100th anniversary at the new location. Pikia looks sad, but at peace, as he explains that the original marae site will be treated as a taonga. "We'll always come back here, there are a lot of stories and that here. My kuia passed away out in the gardens out there, and that's where my koroua used to bury the taonga... it's got a lot of significance spiritually," said Pikia. However, after seeing mother nature's fury unleashed on Te Karaka in the cyclone, he knows change is needed. "It's not the end. It's about preserving our taonga for the preservation of our mokopuna and their mokupuna, for future generations. "What is happening globally with climate change - we have to manage our retreat," he said. Dean Whiting is the Director Māori Heritage for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, and has been working alongside marae to help with the relocation process. "It puts a lot of pressure on communities when faced with these challenges. Some of these places are really treasured in the sense that they have carvings, painted art work and other taonga that adorn them or are contained in them," he said. Whiting told RNZ it's about acknowledging the relationship to the threat, such as a river or ocean, which will result in more marae deciding to move to safer ground. "It's that planned approach to it that we will see a lot more of. "The very nature of a lot of whare in particular is that they are reasonably moveable... it depends on where they need to come from and go to, as there may be obstacles in the way that prevent a whole building being moved." Whiting said many marae were located in a particular place for a unique reason. "It's the vantage of that place - there might be a particular orientation of a whare to an island or a land mark that was always referred to in a whai korero so if you move to a new location you might have to re-think that. "There are a lot of connections culturally that have to be considered." He said there's a lot of resilience in these communities, and his advice would be to keep marae well maintained if possible. "Then should a community need to relocate, they know their building is in a sound condition and it's a lot easier to move," he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
