Ihumatao: Auckland's oldest Maori settlement under threat ...

Today, I went for a drive with my younger sister to check out some of the locations that I'd like my class to visit as a part of our 'Certificate in Indigenous Research' course that I'm currently teaching at Te Wananga o Aotearoa. For our research field trips, I've thought to start close to home to research local Maori issues in research. I wrote an earlier blog in this same subject last year but things may begin to soon escalate.

One of the sites is Mangere Mountain (although it has it's own former name which is not commonly used) will be the subject of my weekend blog and the other is in Ihumatao, a 5 - 10 drive from where I live, in the Otuataua Stonefields Historic Reserve.

I remember over the years driving around there and admiring the scenic beauty and rural feel of the area so close to the bustling Auckland airport, industrially zoned areas, hotel chains nearby and yet so different in nature and isolated from surrounding suburban sprawl.

That was until in 2014, when it first came to the attention of media and the local iwi/village that the former owner/s wanted to sell it for millions of dollars. It is a long story but the short of it as that after much opposition from local iwi (although there are some who agree with the development) Fletchers Living won the right (through offering $19 million and other provisos according to reports) to begin developing around 400+ housing right smack bang in the middle of the iwi with support from the government zoning it as SHA Special Housing area.

The sad part about the story is that historically the land was once a thriving area of trade and horticulture and was actually confiscated off Maori in the 1800s by the crown through some dubious political decisions and offered to pakeha settlers to buy for farming purposes (part of my Doctoral studies on the area of Mangere) and the rest is history. There is a lot more detail to this ongoing saga but this is where the story only begins...

As recent as Monday, I read a Facebook post that protest blocks of concrete have been erected on the site and when I went to investigate I couldn't believe that anyone would even consider building dense housing so close to a Historical site that hasn't been sufficiently researched and even on top of sacred burial caves, so close to the iwi - I thought that we were past that kind of thinking. Even under the guise of special housing this site should never have been considered! that's my opinion as a local, indigenous (to Samoan), research geographer and doctoral educator.

There is also a poem that was written that I think needs to be read but I'd need to seek permission first to share but a real concern on what's happening just down the road. I think as more locals learn about the history and implications a groundswell will occur in realising the significance of such a site. I'll be keeping eye on the developments and will offer support as appropriate...