Evening Talk: Restoring Mauri

In this series of 1 hr Evening talks you’ll hear from people Restoring Relationships for the wellbeing of our environment and community. From lakes, mauri, gullies to native birds you’ll be educated, inspired and better connected to the restoration work happening around our region, and the people and groups behind it.
These talks can be attended on Zoom, or at EarthDiverse, 401 Angleasea Street, Kirikiriroa. If you’re interested in more talks like this, please check out our Lunchtime Talks in gullies across the city.

Speaker: Kimai Huirama
Ko wai tēnei?
Ko Kimai Huirama tōku ingoa
He uri ahau nō Waikato me Ngāti Porou
Ko Ngāti Tamainupō me Te Aitanga-a-Mate ngā hapū
Protect Pukeiāhua is a hapū-led campaign to protect the historic gardens of Pukeiāhua Pā in Ngāruawāhia. During a feast held at Pukeiāhua Pā, Ngāti Tamainupō chief Ngaere spoke the words: "Wāhia ngā rua - Open the food pits." The town of Ngāruawāhia takes its name from this 300-year old narrative and is carried in the postcode of every resident and business who call this town 'home'.
According to hapū research, over 140 borrow pits (‘rua’) were part of the extensive gardens making up Pukeiāhua Pā. Sadly, most of these rua have been destroyed due to development, and only seven remain today. These rua are located on the proposed site for a new subdivision and are considered taonga to Ngāti Tamainupō – a physical manifestation of whakapapa and mātauranga.
Ngāti Tamainupō has peacefully occupied this whenua for over 700 days. The hapū will continue to challenge the proposed development, through occupation and legal means, until all rua are protected. Ultimately, it is the hapū aspiration for this whenua, which was confiscated following the Waikato Land Wars, to be returned to Ngāti Tamainupō and utilised once again to nourish our whānau and community – mind, body and spirit.
I riro whenua atu, me hoki whenua mai.
As land was taken, so it shall be returned.

Other Evening talks:
25 May. Restoring lakes with Deniz Ozkundakci
22 June. Restoring gullies with Lynnette Rogers and Bruce MacKay
6 July. Restoring tuuii and native birds with Ellen Webb.
Please register via https://earthdiverse.org.nz/course/env211/