Part 1 - (1960s - Present)
Te Atatū Whānau and the Search for a Home
Te Atatu Whanau and Marae Coalition (1960’s – 2002)
Since the late 1960s, Te Atatū whānau have worked to establish a marae. This was typical of the desire of whānau Māori to maintain cultural connections at the height of the Māori urban migration. Initially, multiple whānau worked independently, but by the 1990s three main groups formed the Te Atatū Marae Coalition to advocate for a marae at Orangihina Reserve. In 2000, the coalition established the Te Atatū Marae Coalition Trust with six trustees to formalize their efforts. One of these is Melba Wellington, whose whānau were one of the three original groups to champion a marae.
Te Atatu Marae Development Group (2002-2007)
By 2002, Waitākere City Council (WCC) allocated 2.5ha at Orangihina for the marae. Shortly after, Te Atatū Marae Development Group was formed to lead the marae project, including coalition trustees and experienced Māori and Community leaders. Based on recommendations from the Development Group WCC agreed that marae land tenure and marae governance should be as a Māori Reservation, and passed resolutions that this should occur.
After making strong progress, legal challenges regarding land ownership of Orangihina Reserve halted work. After the formation of the Auckland Supercity in 2010 the Development Group was never reestablished.
Te Atatu Marae Whānau Committee (2010 – present)
From 2010, concerned that the marae kaupapa would dissappear, Dave Tanenui began advocating for the marae in public forums, supported by Haare Tukariri and Bobby Newson, a former Coalition Trustee and Development Group Chair respectively. In 2012, Dave established the Te Atatū Marae Whānau Committee. This group revitalized community engagement, initiated annual Matariki events, and built relationships with local schools, environmental groups, and government agencies. The Whānau Committee consists of representatives from every stage of the Marae Kaupapa, from its beginnings in the 1960’s all the way through to the present day. In 2020, they officially adopted the name Te Atatū Marae Whānau Committee to reflect and reinforce their unity and continued advocacy.
Part 2 - (2020 – present)
Governance, mandate, and conflicts of interest
Between 2016 and 2018, discussions between Auckland Council and Marae Whānau reaffirmed a Māori Reservation as the Marae Whānau’s preferred tenure and governance option for the marae.
Te Atatu Marae Coalition Trust – Governance and Mandate (2020 – present)
In 2020, Raymond Hall was controversially appointed as chair of the Te Atatū Marae Coalition Trust at a trust ordinary meeting, despite the trust deed stipulating this can only occur at an AGM. Hall had recently joined the trust as an advisory trustee. Hall has never been involved with any other aspect of the Marae.
Hall began advocating for a lease rather than a Māori Reservation. This was preferred by Auckland Council but strongly opposed by Marae Whānau as it conflicted with their decades-long desire for a reservation, blocked government funding for construction without replacement funding options, and required the removal of historic WCC resolutions requiring a new trust and trustees (necessary for a Māori reservation).
Governance, representation, and mandate concerns, were immediately raised. Chief amongst these was that the trust had been given no modern mandate and was long obsolete, having not held an AGM or had any change of trustees since 2002, and refusing requests to do so. There were only three trustees remaining at that point. One of these, who opposed the lease option and argued for whānau representation and an AGM, was henceforth excluded from strategic meetings, leaving the trust inquorate since 2020.
Given the governance and representation issues of the Coalition Trust, the most consequential outcome of these changes was that a lease removed any mechanism for Marae Whanau to have representation in their own marae. Raymond Hall and the two Coalition Trustees claimed to be the only formal marae entity. HMLB and Council ignored the Whanau concerns and persisted in mandating the Coalition Trust to represent the marae.
Conflicts of interest (2020 – present)
Conflict of interest concerns were raised regarding Hall’s dual role as chair of both the Te Atatū Marae Coalition Trust and Te Whānau o Waipareira Trust. Waipareira Trust could clearly benefit through influencing marae design to accommodate their own operations, and/or by gaining control of marae facilities at a nominal lease rate. Exacerbating these concerns, strategic meetings with Council and HMLB were held at Waipareira Trust offices attended by Waipareira Trust representatives, whilst Marae Whanau and the dissenting trustee continued to be excluded from decisions and communications.
Auckland Council and Henderson Massey Local Board Due Diligence (2020 – present)
From 2020 the issues regarding governance and the Coalition Trust’s lack of mandate were consistently and persistently raised with Auckland Council and HMLB. These were ignored.
In 2023, Council sought public submissions on the option of a lease agreement with the Coalition Trust. Submissions demonstrated strong support for a marae but substantial opposition to the Coalition Trust, due to its lack of transparency and mandate, and being unknown in the Community. In late November, council advisors met with the Marae Whānau and informed them that a lease would not proceed until these concerns were addressed, and promised to arrange meetings between the Whanau Committee and HMLB.
In spite of this advice, whilst the Whānau Committee were awaiting the promised HMLB meeting, council advisors continued working to progress a lease arrangement with Hall and the Coalition Trust. The Committee meetings with HMLB never took place and Council advisors never communicated with the Marae Whanau again.
Two months after the Whanau meeting with advisors, in February 2024, based on a recommendation from these same council advisors and disregarding governance and mandate concerns, HMLB announced that it would offer a lease to the Coalition Trust.
In the Council advisors’ recommendation to HMLB, it was asserted that the Coalition Trust had addressed the community’s concerns by meeting with the Whānau Committee. The committee were never approached, and no meetings ever took place.
The Whānau Committee and wider Marae Whanau were not informed of the lease announcement, and indeed, neither was the third trustee, until just a few days prior.
Following on from this, the third trustee informed the Coalition Trust of her intent to resign, and did so later in 2024. With no beneficiaries the Coalition Trust at this point represents only three people with respect to the marae, these are the two surviving trustees from 2002 and Raymond Hall.
Summary of issues
The Whānau that have nurtured the long-standing vision of Te Atatū Marae since the 1960s are at risk of losing that marae to an external entity. This is due to Auckland Council and HMLB’s refusal to conduct appropriate due diligence, and consider Whanau concerns, insisting on mandating their preferred partner.
In effect, a marae has been removed from the Whanau who nurtured it, and handed over to an external party that are willing to agree to Council’s favoured outcome. This is behaviour scarcely different from 19th century colonisation tactics, but in 21st century Aotearoa.
The lease therefore is not the primary concern for Whanau. It is about representation, mandate, and mana.
Part 3
The Future: Mana Motuhake
Te Atatu Marae Whanau Trust (2024)
In 2024 a new trust was established. It was formed from, and named after, Te Atatu Marae Whanau Committee. This is the Te Atatu Marae Whanau Trust.
The overarching purpose of the trust is to provide a formal entity that represents the Marae Whanau, and the mana and mandate of the Whanau Committee. Among its trustees are key people with whakapapa to every stage of the marae’s history, all the way back to its very beginnings in the 1960’s.
In recognition of the fact that the Coalition Trust is obsolete, it also provides Council and HMLB with a formal entity with which to engage regarding the marae, one that answers to the Marae Whanau Committee, and operates with mandate and transparency.
To the Coalition trustees that have left the Marae Whanau, the Marae Whanau Trust extends its aroha, they will always have a rightful place amongst the Marae Whanau. The Marae Whanau Trust will make positions available to the former Coalition Trustees, should they wish to join the Whanau and new trust. E nga Whanau, hoki mai, hoki mai.
To Tatou Wawata – our vision and dream
We present a history of the marae, and outline the significant issues we face, in the hope that this provides some clarity for the Community, and we hope, some understanding as we navigate these difficulties.
Nevertheless, our intent is not to dwell on these issues. Our focus is to continue to deliver the many positive kaupapa that we have become known for, in service of our Whanau and Community, and motivated by our aroha for them.
It is our intent, that no matter the outcome of these issues, we will continue to work for our Whanau and Community. This is the true nature of a marae.
Regardless of a roof over our heads, according to our values and understanding, Te Atatu Marae stands strong, for so long as we work and stand together.
Ka whawhai tonu matou,
Engari, ka haere tonu tatou,
Ours is an ongoing struggle,
But we move forward together, all of us, always.