Crowds gathered in Waimarama to celebrate the opening of a new papakāinga development which will provide housing options for local whānau. Five homes have been built at the site - three are three-bedroom affordable rental homes and two are for ownership as part of the first stage of the papakāinga development.
Published: Tuesday, 4 April 2017 | Rātū, 04 Paengawhāwhā, 2017
Māori Development Minister, Te Ururoa Flavell, was "full of praise" for the Proprietors of Waimārama 3A1C2.
"Through the leadership, commitment and determination of the whānau and Incorporation, they have increased the availability of affordable and quality housing for whānau in the area," he said.
"They can be proud of what they have achieved today."
Te Puni Kōkiri representative Robert MacBeth said while the whare themselves were important, the message behind the papakāinga was much deeper.
"Papakāinga is more than just the houses, its also about whenua and whānau returning to the land," he said.
"Housing is a significant part of it but building up whānau ora and revitalising Māori land along side other productive stuff is an important part of rebuilding Māori communities."
Having the papakāinga located opposite the Waimarama Marae added to this, and allowed people to feel as though they were returning to their land.
Yesterday's opening adds to the many papakainga in Hawke's Bay - two have been completed, and there are three under construction, Mr MacBeth said.
The Senior Advisor for Te Puni Kōkiri said the different ownership models of papakāinga meant the Māori Housing Network led by Te Puni Kōkiri were able to support different whānau.
He congratulated the Waimarama whānau, and community who had driven the project.
The Proprietors of Waimārama 3A1C2 had recieved joint funding for project feasibility and infrastructure support through through the Māori Housing Network led by Te Puni Kōkiri and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment to build the homes.
In addition, the two whānau with home-ownership properties successfully obtained Kāinga Whenua loans through Kiwibank with support from Housing New Zealand.
Mr Flavell acknowledged the support of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Housing New Zealand and the Hastings District Council to the Waimārama 3A1C2 Incorporation.
"With the first stage of the papakāinga now complete, I want to commend all those involved for their dedication to this project to date," he said. "What they've achieved is a tangible symbol of success of working together to build homes for whānau."
"I am proud to able to support this papakāinga project as part of the Māori Housing Network. Like the Waimārama papakāinga, we are focused on better support whānau and Māori organisations to meet their housing aspirations."