Muaūpoko has stamped its mark on an expansion of housing in Levin by giving the 400 hectare development the name Taraika.
Muaūpoko Tribal Authority chair Tim Tukapua says it’s the name of the ancestor who settled the region 1000 years ago as te Iwi o Ngāi Tara – Muaūpoko are the people of Ngāi Tara.
The name also lives on in the Tararua Ranges, Whanganui a Tara, Roto a Tara and the full name of Kāpiti Island.
The development in an area formerly known as Gladstone Green has been fast-tracked by a $25 million investment from Crown Infrastructure Partners in shovel-ready projects.
Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden says work will begin later this year on the infrastructure needed to support 2500 homes, parks, reserves, shops, schools, and roads and pathways connecting Taraika to Levin.
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