International support gives boost to Mangatowai project
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has pledged support for the Mangatowai Community Trust’s initiative to embark on a sustainable, multicultural enterprise in and around the Whangaroa harbour.
The Trust seeks to open the headwaters of Pekapeka Bay and part of the Taupo Bay catchment at Mangatowai to the wider community and visitors, offering a marae based experience with a difference. A waka would take visitors from Totara North on the inner harbour to Pekapeka Bay where they would enjoy accommodation, tours to a multi-cultural marae, plus cuisine featuring local kai moana and organic produce.
Linda Joubert, director of the UNESCO observatory for multi-disciplinary research in the arts, describes the proposed water and marae-based cultural tourism experience as a project that falls directly within her directorate’s objectives.
“Our aims are to work closely with communities to strengthen and empower those communities and to work collaboratively and sponsor projects such as the Mangatowai marae project,” she said. “The Observatory supports the initiative which places Maori culture as the focus of the proposed centre, with the idea to develop micro-enterprises that will attract young Maori people on one side and educational, ecological tourism on the other”.
Creating a great community design was the intent of Mangatowai project designer Angela Alessi, who worked jointly for a couple of years with David Henare, Kaumatua for Ngati ki Whangaroa, and his whanau. The architecture translated the vision of the entire community through cultural based principles and ecological sustainable design. For these reasons Angela drove the initiative to obtain the UNESCO sponsorship.
Far North Mayor and Mangatowai Trust chair Yvonne Sharp said securing the sponsorship was marvellous news.
“It is very encouraging to receive this support from an international organisation,” she said.
“Aside from the gesture of faith in our plans, the sponsorship will enable us to go further with funding for this exciting and innovative initiative.”
"We are extremely grateful to Angela for her effort to develop the proposals and concepts into this unique and innovative plan for the marae" she said. "Angela is committed to eco-sustainable and multi-cultural development, and from the outset was convinced that the project would gain UNESCO ratification and international support."
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Mayor Sharp also noted that the trustees were excited to have such high-level support for the project "We are delighted with the positive review by Ms Joubert of UNESCO as such sponsorship is not given easily. The assessment acknowledges the strengths of the project in terms of sustainable design as well as its far-reaching cultural, social and economic outcomes".
“It also demonstrates how small communities can be drawn together to pursue a vision that is inclusive and far reaching,” she added.