CHI-Ha Pu-Tamainu (fourth generation), Marree Kereru (third Generation), David Keepa (second Generation) behind him Shalom Haenga (Te Puni Kokiri Senior Advisor), Marree Keepa (first generation) and behind her Alonzo Mason (Te Puni Kokiri Case Manager) at the signing of the financial contract on Sunday. PHOTO SUPPLIED
THE future of one whānau is looking more secure with plans to build a papakainga in Taharoa put in motion at the weekend. A milestone was met on Sunday for the John David Keepa/Kupu Whanau Trust with a ceremonial turning of the sod and the signing of a contract with Te Puni Kōkiri for $4.25 million of funding. Planned is a nine-home papakainga at Rotopuhoe Rd with six affordable collectively-owned rentals and three build-ready sites for future homeownership whare to be built in the next two to three years. The total cost of the project is estimated to be a little more than $5 million, with the trust contributing the $820,000 difference. The first six houses are expected to be on-site late next year after infrastructure is installed. Whanau spokesperson and trust secretary/treasurer Marree Kereru said the papakainga was primarily about getting family back home. “My nan and my grandad lived on this whenua up until 1990, then they moved away. So it’s been 32 years since they lived on the whenua. “First and foremost returning home is really important, getting back to our marae, putting kids through our kura.” The family trust started their journey for funding in August 2019 and it was approved in September this year. “We are extremely grateful for the funding given to us,” Marree said. Like many, Marree said her family was struggling with the housing crisis and building the papakainga was a way for them to take control of their futures. Some of her whanau were living in homes that were too small for the size of their families and others were dealing with the uncertainty of rising leases. “She has started panicking about whether or not she’s going to be homeless and she’s 74,” Marree said of one lessee. “We just had to come up with our own solution. There’s no rentals out at the coast. “There’s no Kainga Ora homes and we didn’t want to just sit back and wait for someone. “We thought we’d get on with it and try and help ourselves.” The trust was also setting up businesses, Marree said, so employment would be available for any whānau who had difficulty securing work in Taharoa, but hopefully for the wider village too. Work will be with the Department of Conservation in terms of pest control and fencing, and across a number of agencies with other aspects of life at the papakainga. Marree said they’ll be looking at waste management and composting and all the houses will be getting gardens. “We’ll get someone to take them through various different crop techniques and planting heritage seeds. “It really is a collective way of living and us looking at securing our future in many different ways, not just housing.” Marree said it was important to her that other whānau in Waitomo knew funding was available with Te Puni Kōkiri for Māori to build on their land. “A lot of Māori are renters and they’re homeless, so if they can tap into the funding they’re able to secure their futures and for their children and their children. “For us, that’s what it’s about. “It’s about securing the futures of our generations to come and living in a way that our tīpuna used to live.”
