Rotorua housing: Whānau trust aspires to put a papakāinga in Ngongotahā

David Taui (from left), Julie Beach, Aidan Ashmore, Ngarene Stevens and Paul Button at a working bee in Ngongotahā to help clear gorse from land where a papakāinga is planned. Photo / Aleyna Martinez

“It takes a village to fulfil a vision” – and that’s exactly what descendants of Ngongotahā's Tārukenga Marae hope to do as they make plans for up to 100 affordable homes for whānau and elderly on returned whenua (land).

Land in front of Tārukenga marae was returned to the descendants of Taui Takerei and Te Ao Kahira Te Putu through the Māori Land Court in 2000.

Julie Beach, who was appointed secretary of the Okoheriki 2e Ahu Whenua Trust in 2000, said when the land was returned: “Our tūpuna wrote into the trust order that their descendants have a place of habitation.”

To fulfil their wishes, she and fellow trustees, cousins David Taui and Ngarene Stevens, had been working on a plan to build a papakāinga (communal Māori land) housing development on a section in front of the marae.

Neighbouring businesses had come on board to help clear gorse in preparation for the development, off State Highway 5.

Taui said they had enough land available for potentially up to 100 homes in the future.

“We want the best papakāinga possible for our whenua,” Taui said.

“It takes a village to fulfil a vision.”

Taui, who had owned a construction company for 39 years, said the new papakāinga would include facilities such as a gym and pool.

The trust had been encouraged by the success of other papakāinga projects such as those of Ngā Potiki in Pāpāmoa, Taui said.

Although the housing proposal had hurdles to overcome before it could progress, 98% of trust beneficiaries had welcomed it through a hapū survey.

The trust planned to apply for funding through the Whai Kāinga Whai Oranga fund, delivered by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and Te Puni Kokiri, to support the development.

The ministry said there had been no formal talks with the trust but that could still happen in the future.

Beach said the site was in “a bit of a state at the moment” but hoped the development would bring people back.

“Our people just want to come home, live next to our marae and be part of it,” Beach said.

Beach, a nurse, founded Māori health-focused First Health Centre in Ngongotahā village in 1992.

Trustee David Taui (left) and secretary Julie Beach were appointed as members of the Okoheriki 2e Ahu Whenua Trust in 2000. Photo / Aleyna Martinez

She said Māori experiencing ill health across the board and Rotorua’s need for affordable housing were also among reasons for pursuing the papakāinga project.

She believed their tamariki (children) would benefit from returning to their ancestral lands instead of “living out in urban areas”.

She said this had impacts on mental health.

“We bring them back here on the whenua and it’s going to be health, wellbeing and long life,” Beach said.

Businesses back project

Two businesses that operate across some of the land were supporting the project, joining a volunteer day on October 12 to help clear gorse from the area.

Canopy Tours and Rotorua Rail Cruising owners said they were proud to volunteer their time for the papakāinga plan.

Aidan Ashmore packed up his life in Auckland and bought Rotorua Rail Cruising, which offers scenic tours of the countryside, in April.

Clearing gorse along the railway tracks took him to the hapū land the tracks passed through. He said he was happy to help and be a good neighbour.

“I like to lift up the people who are around me.

Rotorua Rail Cruising offers scenic tours of the countryside.

“I said this to them in a hui the other day, I own the company just going on the land, but they had the land before I had the company and they will have the land after I’m gone, the land is always theirs. Always has been theirs and always will be theirs,” Ashmore said.

He wanted to build a train station outside Tārukenga Marae so “kuia and kaumātua can jump on the rail cruisers, head down to Ngongotahā, do their shopping and then rail car back up”.

Paul Button is the general manager of the ziplining tourism business Rotorua Canopy Tours. Photo / Andrew Warner

Canopy Tours general manager Paul Button said the tourism business’ zipline went over Ngāti Tura and Te Ngākau land.

“Our relationship with mana whenua is really important and the only way to move forward is if we move together,” he said.

Button said his team had been helping to restore the land and keep the area pest-free for more than a decade.

He said the native forest in Ngongotahā was “a real gem” for Rotorua and New Zealand.

“We really appreciate being on their ancestral lands, it’s a real privilege to us.”

Stevens envisaged future collaborations with the businesses, such as children using Rail Cruising vehicles to get to school in Ngongotahā.

“Our elders will be able to get to the village for shopping. Canopy Tours is offering us a whānau day so our people can have an experience and we are embracing it all,” Stevens said.

Aleyna Martinez is a multimedia journalist based in the Bay of Plenty. She moved to the region in 2024 and has previously reported in Wairarapa and at Pacific Media Network.