March 05, 2026

#regional: Ngāti Mutunga Opens Homes in Urenui to Help Whānau Return to Ancestral Lands

Matthew Tukaki Posted On March 5, 2026

A Taranaki iwi is taking practical steps to strengthen whānau connections to their whenua, opening a group of new homes in Urenui designed to help tribal members move toward home ownership while reconnecting with their community.

Ngāti Mutunga has completed five new houses in the coastal settlement about 30 kilometres east of New Plymouth, creating an affordable housing pathway for iwi members wanting to return home.

The homes are intended for registered descendants of Ngāti Mutunga, who will be able to rent the properties at affordable rates for several years while building financial stability and preparing to purchase homes of their own.

The initiative forms part of a wider iwi strategy aimed at encouraging whānau to live locally and strengthen their connections to their tribal community. Leaders say having whānau living close to their marae, whenua and whakapapa is essential for the long-term wellbeing and vitality of the iwi.

The housing project was developed in partnership with Ka Uruora, a housing and financial wellbeing trust owned by a collective of iwi. The organisation will manage the properties and select tenants, while also supporting whānau through financial literacy programmes designed to help them work toward long-term home ownership.

Potential tenants must take part in Ka Uruora’s Whānau Saver programme and complete financial education training, ensuring families are equipped with the skills needed to manage finances and plan for purchasing a home in the future.

The homes were built on land returned to Ngāti Mutunga through its Treaty settlement in 2005. Iwi leaders say the development represents one of the tangible benefits of that settlement, enabling the tribe to provide real opportunities for whānau on ancestral land.

Beyond housing, the project is also about rebuilding connections to culture and identity. Community wānanga held in recent years have helped younger members learn karakia, waiata and kōrero, ensuring a new generation is prepared to take on cultural roles within the iwi.

The opening of the homes was marked with a dawn ceremony that reflected both the practical and spiritual significance of the development.

For Ngāti Mutunga, leaders say the initiative is about more than addressing housing pressures. It is part of a wider effort to bring whānau home, rebuild community strength and ensure future generations remain connected to their whenua and their people.