Whakatata – Approach

Ngāti Te Whiti, in collaboration with many across our city, are working passionately to create a valued and much needed community focused facility – a home for Ngāti Te Whiti and a city marae where all are welcome.

Taking our past into the future.

The need and wish for a marae in central Ngāmotu, New Plymouth has been decades in the making and the wish of many of our elders over generations. Submissions to regional and local bodies for the establishment of a marae around this site on the foreshore date as far back as the early 1900's. 

This is a significant project, with many complexities. To manage all aspects carefully, we are staging our approach. Our feasibility and design stage is complete. Resource consent has been issued. We are currently seeking donations for construction phase of the marae.

Stage One marae construction
will consist of:

- Infrastructure and civil works
- Building our wharenui, wharekai and amenity blocks

Future planned development stages include; additional building capacity, restoration of wetlands and māra (gardens), adjacent papakāinga.

Ngā Patapatai Pākiki –
Frequently Asked Questions:

  • The site for our proposed marae development at 1 Bayly Road, Moturoa, adjacent to Ngāmotu Beach.

    You can find a recent history of this whenua in our Resources page.

  • Ngāmotu Marae will sit alongside Waitapu Urupā and within a few hundred metres of one of our renown pā sites – Ōtaka Pā, which was destroyed in the late 1880s.

    The foreshore area includes Paritutu, Ngā Motu/the islands of Moturoa, Whareumu, Pararaki, Mataora, Mikotahi, Motu-o-Tamatea and Motumahanga, several reefs (Waikaranga, Tokutapu, Tokomapuna, Paparoa, Tai Kokako, Tarawhata), waterbodies (Hongihongi, Tumu and Waitapu streams), two beaches (Onuku Taipari, Ngā Motu) and a number of former settlements (Ōtaka, Araraki, Mataipu, Maungaroa, Papawhero, Pukewhero, Onuku Taipari, Te Poki Te Rangi, Takahere, Ruataka).

  • Ngāmotu Marae is a needed kāinga for our people – a cultural centre that will enhance the mana and hauora of our hapū.

  • Our whānau and our community who call Ngāmotu home will benefit from the marae. It will capture the significance to the area, enhance cultural and tourism opportunities, and create a supportive environment for the reinvigoration and diversification of our local economy.

  • Ngāmotu Marae will provide manaatitanga (hospitality), whakaruruhau (shelter); mātauranga āhurewa (cultural knowledge) and pūrākau (stories). It will be a place for whānau, hapū, iwi and communities living in, and visiting the Taranaki region.

  • Ngāti Te Whiti are working in partnership with funding partners and project supporters, consultants, and contractors, so that together we can create a state-of-the-art facility that speaks to our vision. Beyond the building phase, this marae will be a place where we can come together and continue to foster relationships across our community.

  • Ngāti Te Whiti are working in partnership with local and central government, so that together we can create a state-of-the-art facility that speaks to our vision. NPDC have included Ngāmotu Marae in the Long-Term Plan and support our vision. Funding applications have been made to both local and central government.

  • We will be able to proceed with a staged construction approach for the marae as funds are available. That is why we are now seeking funding support from foundational partners and from across the community to get underway.

  • We are working closely with our design team and Quantity Surveyor to ascertain a full budget target. We are currently fundraising for the project, with approaches made to Central Government, Council, private and community organisations, grant providers, families and individuals. Any and all contributions to this project are gratefully received. Please visit our support page for further information on funding contributions.

Let’s build this
marae together.

With generosity and support from across our community, we can begin construction.
We welcome your support today for this vital project.
Visit Taranaki Foundation to make a donation.