November 25, 2016
Papakainga returns hapu to Pukaki
The whanau of Pukaki today celebrate the opening of stage two of their papakainga.
Homeowner Leaha Clarke says 13 houses now stand on land cleared decades ago as a protection zone under the flight path into Auckland International Airport.
It has been a decades-long dream to bring people back to the land around Pukaki Marae, which reopened in 2004.
It required government and institutional support to make the dream happen, as well as a major commitment by kaumatua.
"We’ve kind of progressed from tents to caravans to portacoms to housing so it was a really long road and a really cold winter here for our old people and that was for the love of the land, because this is our tipuna whenua," Ms Clarke says.
There are another seven homes planned for the 6 acre block, as well as an office and playground.
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