Government chips in for first Ngāmotu marae in two centuries

The Government is to pay $8.6 million to complete the construction of the first marae in Ngāmotu New Plymouth for 194 years.

Māori development minister Tama Potaka announced the funding in Waitara on Saturday at the annual Te Rā o Tā Māui Pōmare (Sir Māui Pōmare Day) at Ōwae marae.

Potaka said the grant to Ngāti Te Whiti hapū would come from the Regional Development Fund.

“To support Ngāmotu Marae is something that I've been pretty dedicated to [since] I first visited and heard the vision of the whānau of Ngāti Te Whiti, and what you're trying to achieve to re-establish here in Ngāmotu.”

Ngāti Te Whiti's Shelton Healy was 'ecstatic' the marae build could be completed.

In February groundworks began for the marae overlooking Ngāmotu beach and Port Taranaki – but Ngāti Te Whiti had raised only $9.2 million of the $17.8 million cost.

The hapū staged the project, planning first to build a multi-purpose wharekai, with a carved wharenui paused until full funding was secured.

Potaka said completing Ngāmotu Marae without splitting the construction would save money.

“It will help the whanau there complete the job in one sweep, rather than having two goes at it.”

Minister Tama Potaka says the Government will give $8.6 million towards Ngāmotu Marae.

The chair of Ngāti Te Whiti’s marae board, Shelton Healy, said he was ecstatic about the announcement.

“The Government brought into our vision, which is great. They've heard our story all along and … it's a long time coming for us.”

Since colonisation Ngāti Te Whiti has had no place to stand in their rohe, which closely matches the city of New Plymouth.

“As a people, what it will do for us, it's almost like being reborn,” Healy said.

“It's going to give us a place to stand, to meet and greet as whānau, hapū, community.”

The $9 million already raised came from the hapū, Toi Foundation, New Plymouth District Council and private donors.

Ngāmotu Marae has been planned to offer space for tourism and cultural events, school visits, community gatherings, hui, workshops and conferences.

It would also be a civil defence centre in times of emergency.

Te Rā o Tā Māui Pōmare each year celebrates the first Māori medical doctor and health minister, whose great-granddaughter Miria Pōmare gave the annual whānau address.

Miria Pōmare called on the Crown to also fund the upkeep of Tā Māui's statue and wharenui.

She recalled it was 90 years since Kīngi Korokī Mahuta, Governor General Monckton-Arundell and Prime Minister Joeseph Savage stood together at the opening of the carved wharenui Te Ikaroa a Māui, and the memorial statue of Tā Māui Pōmare alongside.

“These taonga still stand today because they are not relics.

“They are architectural expressions of what becomes possible when Māori and the Crown collaborate as Treaty partners – a stark contrast to the political climate we face now.”

Te Arikinui Kuīni Nga wai hono i te po attended Saturday's Te Rā o Māui Pōmare.

Pōmare said the funding for Ngāmotu Marae was amazing news but that the Crown should also help to maintain the Te Ikaroa a Māui and the statue as “nation-building monuments”.

“There is room for some sort of Crown commitment … to help to uphold that legacy by maintaining these monuments that … represent, in the history of this country, both resistance and culture.”

nā Craig Ashworth craig@tekorimako.co.nz

LDR is local body journalism hosted by Te Korimako o Taranaki and funded by Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa and Irirangi te Motu