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.
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