Cyclone-damaged Tangoio Marae needs home for piles of silt

Wednesday, 1 March 2023

All buildings but the wharenui are red-stickered at Tangoio Marae, and it's the sometimes 3m-high piles of silt they need help disposing of safely, chairperson Hori Reti says.

It was challenging enough to find insurance for Tangoio Marae in a high flood risk zone, so unsurprisingly, most damaged whānau homes are uninsured around it.

While the marae half an hour north of Napier awaits assessments on its damage from Cyclone Gabrielle to be carried out by the insurance company, council inspectors have given a red sticker grading to all buildings but the wharenui – which has been yellow-stickered, chairperson Hori Reti says.

The hapū of Ngati Marangatūhetaua – which extends to many smaller communities like Tūtira, Aropaoanui, Waipatiki and Waikoau – also needs guidance on where to dispose of silt as it is cleared, some of which is piled as high as 3 metres.

Heavy machinery would soon start removing the silt inside the complex, but regular rain was making it harder, with even experienced drivers getting stuck for the first time in their careers, he said.

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Tangoio Marae is filled with thick silt.

Removal of debris and slash would be “a marathon”.

“We’re going to be here cleaning up this valley for a long time. Right now, I could say that we get one step ahead, and get pushed back two.”

Removing silt would make it easier to remove all taonga from the site “damaged or not”, to be stored together, assessed and repaired in Napier.

In a remarkably unscathed part of Wairoa, Hinemihi marae deals with those who have lost everything with aroha and precision.

Reti was grateful the irreplaceable carvings would be saved, but the marae would be underinsured and need any funding it qualified for to get back on its feet.

Recovery options included rebuilding on the same site, or finding other non-damaged areas in the takiwā (vicinity) more suited to rebuild, he said.

“I think it’s important that once we have cleared the site [of silt and buildings], we go back to our people… and decide as a collective.”

He felt lucky the marae had insurance, especially given how challenging it was to get while flagged as a high flood zone.

However, it was a different story for whānau – many who had been there for generations.

Ten or so homes next to the marae were damaged, some unliveable, and most without insurance.

“They’re going to find it difficult moving forward. That’s what pains us.”

The marae would be helping them in any way it could because “our people carry our marae, so we also have to carry our people”.

The bridge at Tangoio falls scenic reserve was completely destroyed by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Whānau would be doing all they could to remain there, which was why it was important local authorities future-proofed infrastructure in Te Ngarue stream and drains to take water away from family homes.

Reti said the hapū had been asking authorities for help to build back the river’s integrity since the first breach of the riverbank during last year’s February flood, “but it just didn’t happen”.

After it happened again during a late December heavy rain, members of the hapū met with Hawke’s Bay Regional Council staff about logs falling into the river, and clearing the waterway – even showing them where the blockages were.

“We were putting pressure on the council back then to help us maintain our river, and also to maintain our drains and culverts.”

There were three fully grown trees inside a drain, weakened riverbanks, hills giving way across from the marae, “our riverway is unpredictable now”, and lack of maintenance did not help.

It was important to resurrect infrastructure of the riverbanks and waterways for future events, he said, or “we will be reluctant to rebuild our marae or any of our homes”.

He said they also needed expert advice on how to dispose of up to 3m-high piles of silt now lining roads and properties. He wondered if it could be placed in areas that would help divert future floods.

And then there were the piles of forestry slash to contend with.

Te Pāti Māori co-leaders Rawiri Waititi and Debbie Ngawera-Packer speaking to media at Parliament.

“Someone needs to make the call on where it’s going.”

In a statement, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s policy and regulation general manager Katrina Brunton said she couldn’t comment as Tangoio Marae was in the process of applying for consent to relocate the marae.

However, the council’s asset management GM Chris Dolley referred to the Tangoio scheme – a small maintenance scheme operated by HBRC.

“We have been in ongoing discussions with the scheme participants for the past five years on possible upgrades to the flood protection, however this has not progressed due to the user pays financial model being a financial constraint for the participants,” Dolley said.

For silt disposal, the regional council advised “farmers/lifestylers/orchardists” contact the HBRC. It also offered advice for insured residential property owners.

A Hastings District Council spokesperson said it had been working with the marae community since February 20 to understand the issues and agree on a plan for the immediate area.

It included supporting machinery for the clean-up of access to the area, removal of silt and debris from the marae property, and assisting with drainage and debris.

“It’s generally accepted that Cyclone Gabrielle has overwhelmed roads, drains and the stream and that there is a need for the various agencies to come together to consider the way forward.”

The Government announced $15 million to support the recovery of Māori communities impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle on Tuesday.

Earlier this month, Te Pāti Māori called on the Government to establish a $100m Māori Taiao Relief Fund focused on cleaning up marae, urupā and papakāinga impacted by environmental disasters, and an equity-based adaptation fund for uninsured people from all communities to apply to rebuild homes and replace possessions lost due to flooding.

“We need leaders who take care of our people in times of crises instead of leaving them to fend for themselves,” co-leader Rawiri Waititi said.