A rendering of the Pukerangiora Māori Cultural Experience. Photo: Supplied / Venture Taranaki
It is hoped a $2.8 million grant to help build tourism infrastructure will make the stories of Pukerangiora Pā - a site of immense historic and cultural significance in North Taranaki - better known, enhance tourism and deliver economic benefits to the province.
Minister of Māori Development Tama Potaka and Minister of Regional Development Shane Jones announced the Regional Infrastructure Fund boost for the project earlier this month.
Located on Waitara Road in Huirangi, Pukerangiora Pā has been inhabited by Pukerangiora Hapū since the 1700s and is one of Aotearoa New Zealand's most prominent heritage sites.
It was the location of major inter-tribal battles in 1821 and 1831 and played a critical role during the First and Second Taranaki Wars in the 1860s.
The project would create up to 28 full-time and part-time jobs during the 14-month construction period and six permanent roles to operate a Pukerangiora Visitor Experience.
Pukerangiora Hapū treasurer and project manager Jacqui Lichtwark said development would enable self-guided tours, featuring built structures with interpretative panels and a mobile phone-based tour offering oral history narratives and historical recreations of the site.
She said the funding was significant for the hapū and wider community.
"The stories of Pukerangiora will be shared more widely with hapū, iwi, Taranaki residents, and domestic and international visitors.
"This project also presents an opportunity to work closely with education providers, engaging young people with the site's history and its broader context in Aotearoa's past."
Project partner Te Puna Umanga/Venture Taranaki general manager of destination, Brylee Flutey said the project aligned with regional priorities.
"We are proud to be supporting Pukerangiora Hapū and are thrilled to see this development coming to life.
"The project will generate jobs, benefit local hapū, and strengthen the region's position within our growing domestic and international visitor market who are seeking unique cultural experiences and history."
Flutey said the development aligned with priorities outlined in the recently updated Taranaki Economic Development Strategy and Action Plan, Tapuae Roa.
Specifically, it supported to two areas "Visitor and Māori Economy" identified as priorities.
"The new visitor experience will be a key enabler of the wider visitor industry, attracting both domestic and international travellers and generating an economic impact for the entire region," she said.
The Department of Conservation (DOC) currently manages Pukerangiora Pā which received around 3500 visitors annually. The new development was expected to significantly increase visitor numbers, positioning the site as a must-visit cultural attraction in Taranaki.
DOC Operations Manager Gareth Hopkins welcomed the investment.
"We've been a strong supporter of the project and we're delighted to see the funding make it a reality.
"It's exciting to know the stories of Pukerangiora will be told with an authentic hapū voice."
The Pukerangiora Māori Cultural Experience would include two key components:
- A cultural experience at Kairau Marae, showcasing traditional Māori tikanga and manaakitanga.
- An interactive tour of the historic Pukerangiora Pā site, exploring its rich history through thematic and chronological storytelling.
Full funding was close to being secured, and construction set to start on 5 March with physical project works completed by April 2026.
Pukerangiora Hapū chair Nardia Lichtwark was excited about the transformative impact the project would have.
"This is a significant achievement for our whānau, from past to present who have worked on this idea for many years.
"I am very proud of our current working group for all their hard work.
"This will create numerous opportunities for our hapū, whānau and local businesses.
"The story of Pukerangiora will now be heard from our Pukerangiora uri."
