May 15, 2014
Waterways uncovered
Ngati Whatua o Orakei wants to uncover the stream that used to run through its papakainga.
Environmental engineer Caleb Clarke from Morphum Environmental is talking to the hapu about daylighting the Okahu Stream, which runs in a culvert underneath Okahu reserve and into the Waitemata Harbour.
The stream was covered over soon after the village was cleared in 1952.
Mr Clarke says hapu has adopted the mauri model developed by Auckland University academic Kepa Morgan, which looks at the environmental, cultural, whanau and community aspects of a project.
That is giving him a strong sense of the cultural connection to the environment.
"That was really valuable as a designer because if you are looking at both the ahi kaa and mana whenua where people have had a long history of connection, then you can look at honouring that and respecting that and not disturbing the old environment, making sure you bring it back as close as possible to an authentic ecosystem that people used to connect with," he says.
Caleb Clarke says it will take more talking and possibly a couple of years before the Okahu Stream flows in the open again.
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