Urenui Pā holds special significance for Ngāti Mutunga
Urenui Pā is our only remaining Marae, and it has been the focal point for Ngāti Mutunga Iwi activities since the early 1870s. Our Pā continues to be used for all Iwi events and Hui today.
Urenui Pā is the site of the three most important taonga of Ngāti Mutunga. These are our ancestral houses of Mahi Tamariki, Te Aroha, and Te Titohea. Mahi Tamariki and Te Aroha are both Wharenui, and Te Titohea is the Wharekai. Urenui Pā remains the cultural heart and key gathering place of Ngāti Mutunga. Whakapakari te Kāinga o Ngāti Mutunga is the project to renew and future proof our Marae.
Key Documents
- 25th September 2021 – Whare Concept Designs for Mahi Tamariki & Te Aroha – Design Report #4
- 07th August 2021 – Whare Design Concepts Overview – Design Report #3
- 01 June 2021 – Urenui Pā Design Report – Context & Analysis – Urenui Pā Design Context & Analysis
Annual Report
Whakapakari Working Committee
Brent Matuku, Hemi Sundgren, Rawiri McClutchie, Piripi Evans, Rodney Baker, Di Grennell & Tania Hodges-Paul
OUR VISION
- That we fulfil our whakataukī:
“Kia u ki te Marae, mā te Marae ka kīa koe he Tangata.”
(Hold fast to the Marae, for it is the Marae that makes you stand tall and be somebody.) - That Urenui Pā is strong, well maintained, busy, and utilised by iwi.
VALUES
- Whakapapa and whanaungatanga, we value family and our history.
- Mātauranga and manaakitanga, we respect one another.
- Tūrangawaewae, our Pā is a safe and healthy environment for all
- Manawanui, we are commited and unswerving in our service
- Taonga, we cherish Mahi Tamariki, Te Aroha, Titohea, connections to our tūpuna
Strategic Goals
- To undertake and accept kaitiakitanga and administration of lands and buildings or any other interest vested in the Urenui Pā Trust for the common use and benefit of Ngāti Mutunga Iwi.
- To maintain and administer Urenui Pā Trust for the common use and benefit of Ngāti Mutunga Iwi.
- To maintain and administer Urenui Pā, assist, advance, and promote the cultural, educational, recreational and spiritual needs of Ngāti Mutunga Iwi.
- To maintain and administer Urenui Pā to assist the development of human relationships and whanau participation at Urenui Pā for the well-being of Ngāti Mutunga Iwi.
Feedback On The Proposal And Opportunities To Participate: July 2023
Kia ū ki te Marae, mā te Marae ka kīa koe he tangata
Progress along a long road
Historical and whakapapa legacy
We are undertaking the most significant upgrade of the Pā in about a century. Urenui Pā became the marae for Ngāti Mutunga in Taranaki following te muru me te raupatu, the confiscation that deprived the iwi of our whenua, including the kāinga where our tūpuna lived.
Whakapakari Te Kāinga
The Whakapakari project was initiated in 2019, when the Urenui Pā Trustees engaged with Ngāti Mutunga uri on the future of our marae. As a result, they prioritised the restoration of Mahi Tamariki and the rebuild of Te Aroha.
The Whakapakari Working Committee was set up in 2020 to advance these issues. The Terms of Reference required us to look at the plan for the overall site. This brought landscaping into scope of the project. It also meant we had to consider the future aspirations of Ngāti Mutunga and leave options for further development.
The Whakapakari Working Committee and the Pā Trustees have been very conscious of producing results that will embody the stories of Ngāti Mutunga and fulfil the ambitions of the iwi for at least the next fifty years.
Ngāti Mutunga Drives The Process, Supported By The Right Experts
Update on priority workstreams
Final design details of the Mahi Tamariki restoration
We are close to finalising detailed plans. Some of the issues we have lately considered include restoring the earth floor inside while managing drainage and avoiding dampness problems. This is also an opportunity to ensure the structural integrity of the whare. To fully future-proof the building, it may also be necessary to undertake some drilling to establish whether the current concrete foundations are sufficiently deep.
Te Aroha Concept Design
We are also making good progress on the final design details for Te Aroha. There are still some design issues to finalise. One of these is around the toi design of the extended mahau. Here we are seeking to include design elements that tell our stories, while enabling line of sight to Titohea and the mounga. The mahau also needs to serve the practical function of keeping the weather off kaikaranga (and our shoes). You will see in the video some clips of the discussions that are taking place. These include issues such as the pros and cons of using patterned glass within the design of the mahau.
It is an awesome responsibility to stay true to the legacy inherited from our tupuna, while also thinking ahead to the needs of our mokopuna. More immediately, a key milestone is 2025, with Te Matatini being held in Taranaki. We want to be in a good position to undertake manaakitanga at that stage.
The support of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga has been vital throughout this process. There will continue to be opportunities to align the physical rebuild with the mahi the Rūnanga is doing to revitalise the cultural aspects of our Ngāti Mutungatanga.
As we have said in previous pānui, we welcome hearing from you at any time. Please give us feedback, ask questions, or indicate if you want to participate in the physical work of the Mahi Tamariki restoration and the landscaping work.
The best way to get in touch is through the Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga office. The office can be reached by email (office@ngatimutunga.iwi.nz) or phone (06 752 3247).
Landscaping decisions
The Working Committee is happy with the concept plan that has been delivered for the whole site. You will see how it accommodates manuhiri parking and waharoa for better flow onto our ātea. There is also playspace for tamariki. The plan preserves options for future development of papakāinga and māra kai.
Connections with Tītōhea
As we consider both the landscaping and Te Aroha concepts, the Working Committee has been mindful of the issues raised by Ngāti Mutunga uri about accessibility, connection and flow across the entire Pā. With that in mind, the Working Committee has taken the chance to commission some design around a mahau for Tītōhea that connects it with Te Aroha and ensures that there remains a strong korero between the whare.
Te mana ō Ngāti Mutunga
It is an awesome responsibility to stay true to the legacy inherited from our tupuna, while also thinking ahead to the needs of our mokopuna. More immediately, a key milestone is 2025, with Te Matatini being held in Taranaki. We want to be in a good position to undertake manaakitanga at that stage.
The support of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga has been vital throughout this process. There will continue to be opportunities to align the physical rebuild with the mahi the Rūnanga is doing to revitalise the cultural aspects of our Ngāti Mutungatanga. As we have said in previous pānui, we welcome hearing from you at any time.
Please give us feedback, ask questions, or indicate if you want to participate in the physical work of the Mahi Tamariki restoration and the landscaping work. The best way to get in touch is through the Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga office. The office can be reached by email (office@ngatimutunga.iwi.nz) or phone (06 752 3247).