December 21, 2020
Te Henga marae land transferred to Te Kawerau a Maki
Auckland Council has transferred land at Te Henga/Bethells Beach in the Waitākere Ranges to Te Kawerau ā Maki for the building of a new marae and ‘kāinga whakahirahira’ or settlement of significance.
Te Kawerau ā Maki chair Te Warena Taua says the iwi has been without a formal marae and papakāinga since its last remaining lands at Waiti (Te Henga) were alienated in the mid-twentieth century.
The land was acquired from a member of the original settler Bethells family by the former Waitākere City Council in 2007 after a long search for suitable land for a marae.
It has taken until now to rezone it and transfer it to the iwi.
Te Kawerau Iwi Holdings director Edward Ashby the planned eco-marae will form part of wider aspirations to uplift the mana and mauri of the iwi and the Waitākere Ranges.
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