Latest news with #WhenuaMāoriandMaraeRelocationProgramme
Scoop
4 days ago
- General
- Scoop
Matariki Pou Whenua Unveiling Marks Milestone For East Coast Marae's Cyclone Rebuild
Article – Zita Campbell – Local Democracy Reporter 'It's emotional for us because it is a long time coming,' a marae trust official says. A Tai Rāwhiti hapū unveiled a pou whenua over Matariki weekend, marking the beginning of its journey to relocate and rebuild its marae after it was destroyed by Cyclone Gabrielle more than two years ago. The waters reached 3 metres up the wharenui wall of Rangatira Marae when the cyclone struck Te Karaka on 14 February, 2023. The water line marks are still visible on the wharenui mahau (entrance). 'There wasn't any other option but to relocate,' the secretary of the Rangatira Marae Trust, Whitiaua Ropitini, said at the event on Saturday. Ropitini said the destruction was 'heart-wrenching', but the Ngāti Wahia hapū (of Te Aitanga a Māhaki) persevered. The pou whenua is dedicated to tipuna (ancestor) Wi Haronga, who will act as kaitiaki (guardian) over the project and signal the start of construction, Ropitini said. 'We're here with Wi Haronga … Watching over us and seeing us through our build … bringing our people home, our whānau home and bringing our community together again.' Many whānau had been up since the early hours attending the 4.15am dawn service, the karakia whakamoe, at the existing marae, which was followed by a karakia whakatapu (consecration) at the proposed new site and a pōhiri to unveil the pou whenua. The pou whenua was carved by local kai whakairo (carver) Eruera Brown (Te Aitanga a Māhaki/Ngāti Porou), who teaches at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. 'Through his strong whakapapa links to Rangatira Marae, Eru was approached by the marae trustees to design and carve the pou based on the kaupapa,' Ropitini later told Local Democracy Reporting. The marae is being rebuilt at the corner of Kanakanaia Rd and Paulson Rd, just a few minutes' drive by car from its original site at 66 Rangatira Rd. Rangatira Marae whānau and friends attended the unveiling of the pou, with mayor Rehette Stoltz, National East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick, Labour MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, and the national president of Red Cross, John Dyer all present. Millions for marae rebuilds from government Kirkpatrick said when she first saw the destruction of the marae, there was an 'absolute feeling of hopelessness'. She was delighted the Crown was able to play its part in the relocation. Last month, the government announced $136.2 million in funding for the Whenua Māori and Marae Relocation Programme, which supports Māori communities severely affected by North Island weather events, and includes Rangatira and four other Tai Rāwhiti marae: Puketawai, Ōkuri, Hinemaurea and Takipū. It was the first time everyone was able to gather at the new site together, which Kirkpatrick noted was fitting: 'At the time of Matariki, where it's time for us to honour what's gone before us, celebrate our successes, and look to the future.' Two months after the cyclone, in late April 2023, the hapū engaged Asher Nikora of Rotorua company Xcel Builders, which specialises in marae renovations and rebuilds, to direct the project. According to a statement, from February to April 2023, the Marae Trust and Nikora conducted Conceptual Design Wānanga both in person and online, where whānau and hapū were asked to add to 'the dream list' of potential designs and concepts. In August 2023, the hapū received an Oranga Marae technical feasibility grant to carry out an assessment. A year later, on August 12, 2024, the Rangatira Marae Trust secured the purchase of the whenua (land) for its marae rebuild. At the unveiling, Nikora said his company will hire locals where possible, and he expects the build to take anywhere between a year and a year and a half. 'It is building effectively a marae from scratch.' They looked 'long and hard' at the logistics of moving the wharenui but found that there had been 'significant deterioration'. They want to maintain the essence of that wharenui, which includes transferring some of its key elements, Nikora said. 'The idea is that when you walk into the new wharenui … it will give you the same feeling around the existing wharenui that, of course, many of you will have many fond memories [of].' In January, the Rangatira Marae Trust received a Crown offer from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet's Cyclone Recovery Unit, which the trustees signed in May, according to a statement. A revival journey Before the cyclone, the marae and hapū had been undergoing 'a revival journey' that started in 2016 and led to many whānau returning, the statement says. The existing Te Whakahau wharenui opened on 5 November, 1926; however, over the years, 'it fell dormant due to social, economic, and urban drift'. In 2019/2020, the marae trust secured funding grants, including from the Provincial Growth Fund, which enabled renovations valued at $200,000. Ropitini said at the pōhiri that the trust had completed several works and the last job came in January, just before the cyclone. 'The floods came through and took over everything … The carpet was only six months old. 'Today is about a celebration of our next stage. 'It's emotional for us because it is a long time coming.'
Scoop
4 days ago
- General
- Scoop
Matariki Pou Whenua Unveiling Marks Milestone For East Coast Marae's Cyclone Rebuild
A Tai Rāwhiti hapū unveiled a pou whenua over Matariki weekend, marking the beginning of its journey to relocate and rebuild its marae after it was destroyed by Cyclone Gabrielle more than two years ago. The waters reached 3 metres up the wharenui wall of Rangatira Marae when the cyclone struck Te Karaka on 14 February, 2023. The water line marks are still visible on the wharenui mahau (entrance). "There wasn't any other option but to relocate," the secretary of the Rangatira Marae Trust, Whitiaua Ropitini, said at the event on Saturday. Ropitini said the destruction was "heart-wrenching", but the Ngāti Wahia hapū (of Te Aitanga a Māhaki) persevered. The pou whenua is dedicated to tipuna (ancestor) Wi Haronga, who will act as kaitiaki (guardian) over the project and signal the start of construction, Ropitini said. "We're here with Wi Haronga ... Watching over us and seeing us through our build ... bringing our people home, our whānau home and bringing our community together again." Many whānau had been up since the early hours attending the 4.15am dawn service, the karakia whakamoe, at the existing marae, which was followed by a karakia whakatapu (consecration) at the proposed new site and a pōhiri to unveil the pou whenua. The pou whenua was carved by local kai whakairo (carver) Eruera Brown (Te Aitanga a Māhaki/Ngāti Porou), who teaches at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. "Through his strong whakapapa links to Rangatira Marae, Eru was approached by the marae trustees to design and carve the pou based on the kaupapa," Ropitini later told Local Democracy Reporting. The marae is being rebuilt at the corner of Kanakanaia Rd and Paulson Rd, just a few minutes' drive by car from its original site at 66 Rangatira Rd. Rangatira Marae whānau and friends attended the unveiling of the pou, with mayor Rehette Stoltz, National East Coast MP Dana Kirkpatrick, Labour MP for Ikaroa-Rāwhiti Cushla Tangaere-Manuel, and the national president of Red Cross, John Dyer all present. Millions for marae rebuilds from government Kirkpatrick said when she first saw the destruction of the marae, there was an "absolute feeling of hopelessness". She was delighted the Crown was able to play its part in the relocation. Last month, the government announced $136.2 million in funding for the Whenua Māori and Marae Relocation Programme, which supports Māori communities severely affected by North Island weather events, and includes Rangatira and four other Tai Rāwhiti marae: Puketawai, Ōkuri, Hinemaurea and Takipū. It was the first time everyone was able to gather at the new site together, which Kirkpatrick noted was fitting: "At the time of Matariki, where it's time for us to honour what's gone before us, celebrate our successes, and look to the future." Two months after the cyclone, in late April 2023, the hapū engaged Asher Nikora of Rotorua company Xcel Builders, which specialises in marae renovations and rebuilds, to direct the project. According to a statement, from February to April 2023, the Marae Trust and Nikora conducted Conceptual Design Wānanga both in person and online, where whānau and hapū were asked to add to "the dream list" of potential designs and concepts. In August 2023, the hapū received an Oranga Marae technical feasibility grant to carry out an assessment. A year later, on August 12, 2024, the Rangatira Marae Trust secured the purchase of the whenua (land) for its marae rebuild. At the unveiling, Nikora said his company will hire locals where possible, and he expects the build to take anywhere between a year and a year and a half. "It is building effectively a marae from scratch." They looked "long and hard" at the logistics of moving the wharenui but found that there had been "significant deterioration". They want to maintain the essence of that wharenui, which includes transferring some of its key elements, Nikora said. "The idea is that when you walk into the new wharenui ... it will give you the same feeling around the existing wharenui that, of course, many of you will have many fond memories [of]." In January, the Rangatira Marae Trust received a Crown offer from the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet's Cyclone Recovery Unit, which the trustees signed in May, according to a statement. A revival journey Before the cyclone, the marae and hapū had been undergoing "a revival journey" that started in 2016 and led to many whānau returning, the statement says. The existing Te Whakahau wharenui opened on 5 November, 1926; however, over the years, "it fell dormant due to social, economic, and urban drift". In 2019/2020, the marae trust secured funding grants, including from the Provincial Growth Fund, which enabled renovations valued at $200,000. Ropitini said at the pōhiri that the trust had completed several works and the last job came in January, just before the cyclone. "The floods came through and took over everything ... The carpet was only six months old. "Today is about a celebration of our next stage.
NZ Herald
16-05-2025
- Climate
- NZ Herald
Crown announces multimillion-dollar support for five relocated marae in Tairāwhiti
Luxon said it was 'a special and emotional day' hearing the accounts of marae being rebuilt where there had been 'utter devastation, grief and a sense of huge loss'. 'The community and iwi have come together to make a real difficult decision to make a change that will last for years and decades, and will set up future generations,' Luxon said. Gisborne District designated the five marae as Category 3 – high risk. 'Not safe to occupy because of unacceptable risk to life from future extreme weather,' Mitchell said. 'Each of the marae have accepted the Crown's support package and have acquired new sites to relocate to. 'The new sites are in close proximity within, or close to, their respective tribal boundaries. 'The impact of the severe weather on the marae was devastating for the many whānau and hapū connected to these marae and their wider community.' Mitchell said the decision to relocate was not an easy one. 'It has come from the desire of the marae trustees to keep their marae and their respective whānau safe and secure, protecting the lives of those who might otherwise be at real risk from any future severe weather events.' Potaka said relocating the individual marae would take time. 'We expect the relocation works, including the rebuild of wharenui and whare kai where required due to the damage, will take place over the next two or so years.' For some of the marae, the project would be a complete rebuild. 'Reaching this point is a significant milestone,' Potaka said. 'Most importantly, it will provide affected whānau and hapū peace of mind, and will have the added benefit of creating opportunities for SMEs [small and medium-sized enterprises] and jobs. 'This augments the growing construction capability on the East Coast as a result of the mahi at Toitū Tairāwhiti and others,' Potaka said. The ministers said the Crown was also working with two Kahungunu marae in Hawke's Bay, Tangoio and Petāne, with support packages available to both marae so they can re-establish in safer locations. 'These marae were also designated by their local council as having an unacceptable risk to life.' A total of $136.215m, allocated from the 2023 and 2024 Budgets, will fund the entire Whenua Māori and Marae Relocation Programme following the 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 urūpa. Potaka said the Crown recognised moving a marae required careful navigation. 'This is not an easy journey and we would like to thank the marae trustees for working with us to ensure the safety of people on marae.'
