New community garden for Waipukurau 'will replenish our whenua'

Cold weather but warm hearts as Te Pua o te Pori-iti - the food-gathering place of the little community - was blessed last Tuesday.

The rain poured down, briefly turning to hail, the morning that a new community garden - Te Pua o te Pori-iti - was to be blessed at the Mackie Street Reserve in Waipukurau last week.

But as people gathered on the sodden reserve the rain stopped and the sun began to shine.

Johnny Nepe-Apatu, there to help with the blessing, said the sun - Ra - was shining its approval of the project.

The rain had been tears of joy, he said.

"Tears of life that will help this mara grow some food for our people in need.

"I want to thank the people involved for their vision, dedication and the spirit to help our community. This garden will replenish our whenua, bodies, minds and souls."

James Kenrick then blessed the garden, which is intended to become a hub for the surrounding community.

CHB Mayor Alex Walker was there for the event, gumboots on and braced against the cold wind.

She said she wanted to recognise the community leaders who had gathered for the event.

"We have here leaders of all types, across our community. For them to be here today shows how important this is. If this piece of land, which is owned by us all, is to be worked to produce food ... I can't think of anything better.

"I wish luck and enjoyment to all who will be here with their hands and feet in this earth."

Behind the new garden is a committee that includes chairperson Titihuia Grant and secretary/treasurer Darcie Scowen.

Behind the scenes they and their committee, along with help from CHB environmental group The Sustainable Ewe and CHB District Council staff, have been putting in the hard yards of planning, paperwork and drumming up support, all of which needed to happen before any soil could be turned over.

The garden is planned in the shape of a wheel, which will allow it to start small and grow as more people become involved, says Titihuia.

The main part of the garden will be "no dig", with layers of recycled cardboard put down to suppress weeds, create mulch and make a good growing environment.

There will also be three easy-access raised beds - one for wheelchair users and two for older community members who find it difficult to bend down to garden.

In the short-term the focus will be on getting plants in the ground and the garden productive. Living Colour garden centre has donated a variety of heirloom Māori potatoes to help get planting under way.

There are plans to include planting by the moon, native plants for rongoa - "the old ways - sharing that knowledge".

Longer term plans include seating, an area for children and a community barbecue area.

Organisers hope the site will become a community hub.

"EIT is already on board and will be holding a gardening course here, a level 2 course for 12 people," says Darcie.

"We will have composting workshops. Terrace School has expressed a wish to be included ... it's a space for the whole community.

"Food is a way for people to connect. "This will bring the community together."

Te Pua o Te Pori-iti - The literal meaning of this is the food gathering place of the little community.

The word Pori is a word for people and comes also from the word hapori - which is the word for community.

Pori-iti is also a tipuna name.

Pori-iti the ancestress, was a younger sister to Toroiwaho who inherited Pukekaihau pā from his father and great-grandfather. Pori-iti would have lived in Pukekaihau as a young girl. Her father Whatu-nui was regarded as the rangatira of Pukekaihau pā during his lifetime. Her great grandfather was Ruakūhā from whom the town of Waipukurau gets its name. The full name of Waipukurau is Te Waipukurau-o-Ruakūhā.

So the word Pori-iti has a double meaning here. The little community, and an association by name with a local ancestress.