The future of Hapū whenua is still being explored

Mahi towards realising the aspirations for Hapū whenua near Te Rewa Rewa Pā is continuing to make progress as a draft master plan comes together.

“We are exploring what options are open to us as a Hapū that will deliver the largest benefit when measured against social, cultural, and economic parameters,” explains Sera Gibson, a member of the working group alongside Rangi Kipa and David Haskell.

“There are some exciting opportunities for us to look at and consider that will bring our people back to the Pā and whenua whilst ensuring its integrity is protected.”

With the Coastal Walkway running across the land, eco-tourism opportunities could be one option, with plenty of different ideas on the table to realise the potential of this whenua for Hapū.

“A papakāinga and arts and cultural hub could be a wonderful opportunity to bring life to the Pā and strengthen our cultural identity,” says Sera. “A visitor experience focusing on the Pā and the history of our people is another idea, with perhaps a hospitality element that would also service walkway users”.

“Commercial office space is another direction we could consider. We need to be sure that any decision is the right one, for the Hapū and the whenua, and so the working group is pulling together a draft master plan, or guiding document, before we hold wānanga to talk it all through.

“There is a lot of engagement and discussion that needs to happen before we will be able to make a decision.”

The 25 hectares of land on which the Pā stands has been subject to a joint management agreement with New Plymouth District Council since 2007. The council has provided funding worth $1.5m as part of the agreement, with $500k needing to be spent in the very near future.

“To take advantage of that funding, we are looking to put in some much-needed infrastructure such as fencing, accessway, car parking, and Hapū office relocation to support some of our employment initiatives over the next few months,” says Sera.

“This work is the first step in finding a sustainable and appropriate way to best use this land for the future benefit of our whānau now, and for future generations to come.”