22 July 2019

Rangitīkei District Council has formally handed over Marae Feasibility Plans to Ngāti Hauiti of Rātā Marae as part of Council’s Maori Responsiveness Framework.

Rangitīkei District Councils’ Strategic Advisor for Mana Whenua, Lequan Meihana, said the feasibility study (that included architectural design and process mapping) was the result of eight months intensive work between Ngāti Hauiti, Council, Architects and Planners.

“This is a significant step forward for building and strengthening the relationship between Council, iwi and hapū.

"The focus of this Marae Feasibility Plan has been around the necessary infrastructure and design improvements for Rātā Marae, as well as the physical and cultural centre of Māori identity and mātauranga. It also seeks to act as a foundation document, providing the groundwork for Rātā Marae to apply to Te Puni Kōkiri for funding under its Oranga Marae programme for the building work to be carried out in the future.”

Mr Meihana said one of the key goals of the Marae Feasibility Plan is to strengthen the ability of marae to pass on their ancestral knowledge of whaikōrero, karanga and local mātauranga, tikanga and kawa to descendants.

Neville Lomax speaking on behalf of Rātā Marae said, “the plans that have been developed have been on display around the marae, everybody has been really appreciative and pleased with what the plans will allow us to do in the future.”

Council Strategy and Community Planning Manager, Blair Jamieson, noted that staff have received nothing but full support from Councils elected members, not only for this process, but for showing leadership in, and working with iwi/hapū in the development of RDC’s Māori Responsiveness Framework.

“We (Rangitīkei District Council) would like to acknowledge Murali Bhaskar and Emily Bolam of BOON Team Architects and Cam Twigley of BTW Company Planners and Surveyors for their amazing work and professional contribution throughout this journey. We look forward to working with them again in the future.”

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