Driving through Wellington’s Greta Point over the next few months, look out for a builders fence with a story – a story steeped in a history of displacement and the hopes of a new generation.
Behind the fence in this prime coastal spot 10 minutes from the Wellington CBD, building has started on a new papakāinga for Te Aro Pā Trust. There will be 10 three-bedroom units and four one-bedroom units designed to support affordable, modern living.
But while the build itself will take less than six months, its development stretches back to the 1840s when land that makes up a large part of the central and city fringes was occupied by whanau from Ngāti Ruanui and Taranaki Iwi.
Their pā thrived on the foreshore and their gardens extended all the way to Pukeahu (near the War Memorial) and right over to Island Bay. Their kāinga (traditional village) sat at what is now the intersection of Taranaki and Manners Streets.
Even then, it was valuable land that the British colonisers were anxious to secure for their growing settlement.
As Governor George Grey wrote in a despatch to The Right Hon. Earl Grey, Secretary of State for the Colonies Respecting Claims of New Zealand Company in 1847.
‘The Te Aro Pa is situated in one of the most valuable, portions of the Town of Wellington; and,
according to another report I have received from the same officer, it is now inhabited by 171
men, women, and children, who will naturally feel the greatest reluctance to quit a place which they have inhabited for years, which is well suited to their wants, and with the value of which they are well acquainted.’
And indeed, the growing British settlement in Wellington was making it harder and harder for Te Aro Pā Māori to keep their traditional kāinga and gardens. While small numbers stayed in Te Aro until the late 1870s, by 1847 they were pressured into accepting compensation mainly in the form of less desirable land in Aro Valley (next to the current day Happy Valley landfill and wastewater treatment plant) in exchange for their pā site and gardens.
New beginnings
Fast forward to the 1990s when the owners objected to the Council’s activities on the neighbouring land at Happy Valley. Eventually an agreement was reached with the City Council and they swapped that land for the small strip at Evans Bay.
Trustee and owner Leo Buchanan said the trustees considered different options for the land before settling on accommodation.
"We wanted it to be of benefit to the people connected with Te Aro Pā and also needed to produce a sustainable assets for owners.
But as well as being an emotional homecoming for its owners and extended whanau, it is Wellington’s first urban papakāinga and an exciting step for the capital city.
The Design
In his design, Wellington architect Roger Walker drew upon the traditional Māori concept of whanaungatanga (kinship).
“I was envisaging that the descendants of Te Aro Pā who will live here have a whanau connection and so it was important to support social interaction with shared spaces. Kids will be able to play together and there will be communal gardening spaces,” he says.
“However at the same time, we needed to ensure modern living standards in terms of insulation and warmth, durability, and privacy. I wanted the homes to be robust and efficient, and to look good.”
Want to live there?
The townhouses are due for completion in March 2016. The Te Aro Pā Trust, which represents the collective owners of this land, will manage a mix tenure of occupants.
Their vision is to create a contemporary kāinga made up of young families, kaumātua and professionals. Priority will be given to the thousands of descendants of the of the original Ngāti Ruanui and Taranaki Iwi people of Te Aro Pā.
If you have links to the original inhabitants of Te Aro Pā and want to find out if the Trust has accommodation suited to your needs, please contact: info@dwell.org.nz or 0800 943682 Option 2.
And we’re missing some contact details for some of the owners. So if you or someone you know has links to the original Ngāti Ruanui and Taranaki Iwi of Te Aro Pā please check the list of owners on http://www.tetumupaeroa.co.nz/te-aro-pa-trust-owners and let us know where you are.
Te Tumu Paeroa’s role
Te Tumu Paeroa is the Responsible Trustee for the Te Aro Pā Trust. It was our job to work with owners to determine what would work best on the land to meet their aspirations and have financial, cultural and social benefits. Te Tumu Paeroa then arranged the financial backing needed for the project and worked with property consultants to select the design and builders.
The project has received financial support from the Māori Social Housing Network that sits within Te Puni Kōkiri.
Once the project is complete, Te Tumu Paeroa, alongside owner representatives, will administer the block and ensure that it is well maintained, all the rents are paid, and the loans and repayments are made.
The Māori Trustee Jamie Tuuta says Te Tumu Paeroa is looking at a variety of ways to use its expertise to support Māori housing aspirations.
“Good housing is key to success in many other aspects of life. As we work to protect and build Māori land and assets, we need to consider housing opportunities.”
Be part of the story
For the duration of the construction, the story of Te Aro Pā will be told on the builder’s fence that surrounds the construction site, and we’re encouraging passers-by to stop and take a look.
What’s more, in the spirit of a papakāinga, we are inviting you to leave your thoughts on the fence and tell us what “Home” means to you.
At the end, we will gather these up and create an artwork that will be part of Te Aro Pā papakāinga community for future generations.
