Tolaga Bay marae 'preparing people's minds' for moving their wharenui
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.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
RNZ News
9 hours ago
- RNZ News
Faith Farm Fresh keeps milk flowing direct to customers
rural farming 15 minutes ago It's a busy time of year for Stacey Faith, calving 300-plus cows, rearing their calves and keeping the Faith Farm's roadside milk dispensing outlet going, providing locals with milk fresh from the cows over the fence - with the cream on top.
RNZ News
15 hours ago
- RNZ News
Third-annual national wild goat hunting competition gets underway
Wild goats are are believed to occupy around 14 percent of Aotearoa. Photo: Supplied / Department of Conservation Hunters are targeting thousands of wild goats in a nationwide competition in efforts to protect farmland and the environment. Wild goats were prolific breeders that threatened native biodiversity, forests and farmland, and were believed to occupy around 14 percent of Aotearoa. The third-annual national wild goat hunting competition begins today, running into November. The Department of Conservation (DoC) and New Zealand Deerstalkers Association event aims to address the growing population of wild goats, estimated to be several hundred thousand. Association board member and its Hutt Valley branch president, Trev Gratton said in the first year they totalled 10,000 goats, 12,500 last year, and now they hoped to exceed that figure. "Goats are an issue throughout the country and it's something that we've identified along with our partners at DoC as something that we want to be involved in, with trying to help mitigate those numbers," he said. "They are a pest and they need to be managed. And one of the ways of doing that is looking holistically and working with partners within the community to actually start getting those numbers under control." Gratton said there were 5000 hectares of huntable private land it was working to get hunters onto this year for goat removal. He said its landowner assist plan will give both hunters and landowners like farmers confidence about the hunting operations in the coming months. "We've had a tremendous response from landowners from one end of the country," Gratton said. "Particularly when it comes to going onto private land like that, it's a very considered operation. It's not done where you're posted on a Facebook page and say, 'hey show up there and feel free to go on.' "It's done via the local branch and the local branch management in conjunction with the landowners, so that everyone's comfortable with how things are going to progress going forward. So it is a very considered, very methodical process." Gratton said the plan detailed insurance coverage around NZDA hunters and health and safety to mitigate any concerns, and it held future possibilities. "We're looking at obviously bringing these relationships further field and doing it all year round with other problems with deer and what-not onto this land. "So it's a collaborative effort to talk to landowners and to build those ongoing relationships within the community." Ten landowners have already registered their interest. The event was also being supported by Federtaed Farmers, Hunting and Fishing and Te Tari Pūreke Firearms Safety Authority. The Department of Conservation said on its website, goats arrived in Aotearoa as early as the late 1700s when Captain James Cook released them in the Marlborough Sounds during his second voyage - and the government has run wild goat control operations for about a century. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
16 hours ago
- RNZ News
Warning after three injured trying to sort fires in Dunedin homes
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly Three people have been badly injured in separate attempts to remove a burning mattress, dryer and pot of oil from their Dunedin homes. Fire and Emergency said they were lucky not to have been killed by the fires in recent weeks, with one person asleep in a house without working smoke alarms. Otago risk reduction advisor Matt Jones said people should not try to deal with fires themselves. "These people have sustained serious injuries, but we were fortunate to not be responding to fatal fires," he said. "Let this be a reminder to people that if a fire is bigger than a football, then you can't put it out. You must get out and stay out. That means closing the door to the room if safe to do so, getting everyone out of the house and calling 111. Let the firefighters do their job and put the fire out safely." Jones said the mattress fire was caused by a vape's battery overheating while charging on a bed. "That caused a very intense, hot fire inside the mattress," he said. "The person attempted to remove the mattress three times, but this put themselves and others in danger, not only from the fire, but from the toxic smoke being emitted. "Everything in that house can be replaced, except for the people inside. People should never risk their lives to save their property - it's just not worth it." The home did not have working smoke alarms, Jones said. "It was just fortunate the person arrived home when they did as there was another person asleep inside the house at the time," he said. FENZ recommended having working smoke alarms in all bedrooms, hallways and living areas and a three-step escape plan.
