BUILDING BRIDGES

18^th February 2016.  That was the day on which Ngāti Kahu first met with the New Zealand Transport Agency, the Crown entity tasked with promoting safe and functional transport by land. 

Nine days earlier we had received a letter advising that the Agency wanted to open discussions with us about the then proposed Taipā bridge upgrade.  Bearing in mind that this was one of the nine bridges promised by the National government during the 2015 byelection which they had lost to Tā Winitana of Aotearoa Tuatahi, I must say I was pleasantly surprised that it was still on the drawing board.  However, I digress.

At that first meeting in 2016, Ngāti Kahu’s advice to NZTA was simple and clear – you are operating in the rohe of sovereign hapū and iwi, not the other way round; listen to the hapū and iwi, build tikanga relationships with us, then work with us and on those foundations we will build a beautiful  bridge together. 

Did that happen?  Yes.  Was it easy?  No.  Would we do it again?  We already are. 

1,383 days after that first meeting, in the pre-dawn darkness of a balmy Ngāti Kahu morning, more than 1,000 people gathered for the official opening of the new Taipā bridge and the unveiling of the pou, Parata o Te Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa. 

Those who were blessed to be present will never forget the ihi, wehi, mana and kotahitanga felt by us all; from the first signal of the pūtātara through the rhythm of ancient waerea and the soaring call of karanga; from the karakia Mihingare through the himene, mihimihi and patere; from the speeches, songs and reveille through the laying of the first wreathe at the war memorial plaque; from the reading of the plaques commemorating our voyaging waka and tupuna through to the reading of the plaque honouring Tā Hekenukumai-ngā-iwi Puhipi, the great waka and bridge builder – those feelings were all-encompassing.

As the sky filled with light, smiles and tears were visible on many faces and I saw for the first time that the banks, road and bridge were filled with hakapapa Māori, Pākehā, Hainamana, Iniana and many others); and this hakatauki came to my mind –

Ma pango ma whero, ka oti te mahi

With black and with red the work is completed.

The rest of the day was spent watching waka taua, kiriata and kapa haka, as well as speechmaking, feasting and socialising.  Since then, our beautiful bridge has become a focal point of positivity, excitement, some controversy (jump or not) and pride.

Thanks to our tūpuna, Kahutianui raua ko Te Parata, Ngāti Kahu hapū and iwi exist.  Thanks to the hapū and iwi, tikanga was applied.  

Thanks to tikanga, everyone was kept safe.  

Thanks to the NZTA team, the hapū and iwi were heard.  

Thanks to each and every person who took part.  Together we built a bridge in 1,383 days.  Engari, there are more to be built on the same foundations.  Haere tōnu tātou (let us continue).