Porirua’s Pacific and Māori strategies will be officially launched on Friday 15 December.
The Porirua City Māori Strategy Maungaroa 2050 will be launched with a morning tea at 8am held at Pātaka Art + Museum.
That evening, at Te Akapuanga Cook Islands Hall in Cannons Creek, there will be a night market to celebrate Ola Kamataga – Beginning of Life 2024-27. The city’s Pacific strategy will be welcomed with food, entertainment, crafts and people in an evening that will undoubtedly have a festive feel.
Porirua City Council signed off both strategies at its meeting of Te Puna Kōrero on 19 October, with more than 50 people packing the Council’s chamber in support. There were waiata, emotion, and applause as the two policies were adopted.
Ola Kamataga – Beginning of Life 2024-27 and Maungaroa 2050 are milestone moments to strengthen the partnerships between Council and Porirua’s Māori and Pacific communities – who make up about 45 per cent of the city’s population.
Council’s Senior Partnership Advisor Pacific, Taima Fagaloa, says Ola Kamataga – Beginning of Life 2024-27 is genuine and responsive, something that will mean Pacific people are included and engaged when it comes to the work that the Council does every day.
Manager Strategic Māori Steve Kenny, meanwhile, said Maungaroa 2050 was aspirational and it needed to be, as it was designed to safeguard future wellbeing for Māori in Porirua.
“Communities and populations change, but there is already a strong relationship between Council and Ngāti Toa, giving voice to a sector of people that don’t always have an effective voice in local government,” he said.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says these strategies will make a difference.
“We have high aspirations for all our people, so this work matters,” she says.
The night market takes place from 5.30–8.30pm and will feature sights, sounds and food from the 11 Pacific ethnicities we have in Porirua.
Details of the Maungaroa 2050 event will be published on the Council’s Facebook page closer to the time.
5 Dec 2023
