Urban Intergenerational Kāinga Innovations In Tāmaki Makaurau there is a dire need for safe, secure and affordable housing. The Urban Intergenerational Kāinga Innovations (UIKI) research programme funded by Building Better Houses, Towns and Cities (BBHTC) is focused on addressing this need and aims to promote healthy urban community environments which enable whānau to flourish. The collective centre of wellbeing

About this project

In particular, UIKI seeks to develop approaches which support intergenerational housing aspirations and the diverse needs of whānau, hapū, iwi and marae.

As kaupapa Māori researchers we recognise, the deep innovative potential that lies within mātauranga Māori, as such, our programme of research draws on the traditional concept of kāinga (also called papakāinga or pā kāinga) to guide our thinking about new forms of housing development and to unlock housing innovations.

The UIKI programme is made up of three research projects:

Marae ki te Kāinga: Re-establishing home and re-connecting to community. This project focuses on the ways whānau from Te Puea Memorial Marae’s Manaaki Tangata programme are achieving sustainable tenancies and in some cases building towards home ownership, forging community connections, and the impact that this is having on whānau wellbeing.

Te Whare Kāhui: Design and delivery of affordable, culturally responsive marae-based housing solutions. Marae-based whare kāhui (tiny homes) designs have been developed in this project that can provide high quality, moderate cost, emergency, transitional and long-term housing solutions for whānau Māori.

He tātai whetu ki te rangi, he rangatahi ki te kāinga: Rangatahi pathways to safe, secure and affordable homes. This research explores the realities and aspirations of rangatahi in relation to kāinga, and how rangatahi can be best supported to navigate pathways towards affordable, safe and secure homes in Tāmaki Makaurau.

About the research
He Whare Mō Wai? Podcast

Key Insights

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Research Aim

The aim of the UIKI research programme is to investigate the potential of kāinga innovations to support intergenerational Māori housing aspirations and the diverse needs of whānau, hapū, iwi and marae in Tāmaki Makaurau. Ultimately, our research is intended to improve access to housing for whānau.

Our Research Team

The overall programme of work is led by Dr Jenny Lee-Morgan with project administrative support by Kate Lee. Each project has its own research teams and community partners.

Kate Lee

(Ngāti Hine)

(Ngāti Hine)

Kate Lee

has a BA in Art History, Cultural Heritage & Museum Studies from the University of Auckland. She is the research administrator of several research projects that form the Urban Intergenerational Kāinga Innovations programme of work, funded by BBHTC, National Science Challenge.

The Marae ki te Kāinga research team is: Dr Cat Mitchell, Dr Jo Mane, with marae-based researcher Whitiao Paul (Te Puea Memorial Marae). Previously, Rihi Te Nana and Irene Farnham were also key members of this team.

Dr Cat Mitchell (She/Her)

Taranaki, Ngati Tara, Ngati Haupoto

Dr Jo Mane (She/Her)

Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Toro, Te Popoto, Te Ngahengahe

Whitiao Paul

(Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Ruanui)

Taranaki, Ngati Tara, Ngati Haupoto

Dr Cat Mitchell (She/Her)

Dr Cat Mitchell is a senior researcher at Pūrangakura, working on various projects related to te taiao, housing and homelessness. She holds a PhD in higher education from the University of Auckland and has more than fifteen years of experience as a lecturer in academic development. In her mahi, she utilises her expertise in postgraduate academic writing to aid in developing the scholarly publications of Pūrangakura. Her commitment to Kaupapa Māori underpins her work to share significant Māori stories and to support emerging Māori researchers.

Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Toro, Te Popoto, Te Ngahengahe

Dr Jo Mane (She/Her)

Dr Jo Manes home is located in the south of Kaitaia, within the Mangataiore valley, under the protection of Maungataniwha. As part of a whānau and hapū-led initiative, she contributed to the establishment of Tautoko FM, an iwi radio broadcaster in Tai Tokerau. Working alongside her kuia to broadcast matters of importance to their local community provided her with a profound understanding of self-determination, where te reo Māori was placed at the forefront. This experience inspired her to pursue training in Kaupapa Māori education and research, fostering her active interest in community-based Kaupapa Māori research. Her work now focuses on supporting Māori-led initiatives that advance the aspirations of tino rangatiratanga and empower Māori communities to achieve their goals.

(Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Ruanui)

Whitiao Paul

is a highly experienced social worker. She is currently the Team Leader of Manaaki Tangata programme at Te Puea Memorial Marae. She is also a marae-based researcher in the ‘Marae ki te Kāinga’ research project that continues to investigate and foreground the work of marae in assisting our most vulnerable whānau.

Te Whare Kāhui research project was led by Rau Hoskins

Rau Hoskins (He/Him)

Ngāti Hau, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai

Ngāti Hau, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Wai

Rau Hoskins (He/Him)

Rau Hoskins is renowned practitioner, researcher, and educator with over three decades of experience in Māori architecture, housing and cultural landscape design. Raised in Whangārei, he earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in architecture from the University of Auckland. Rau combines kaupapa Māori design principles with skills in iwi engagement, urban design, Māori heritage, and cultural consultancy. In addition to his role as a director of Pūrangakura, he is also a founding director of TRIBE Architects, an architectural practice which specialises in cultural, health, urban, and educational projects. Rau served on the Auckland Council urban design panel (2012–2020) and contributes to major developments like the City Rail Link and Aotea Over Station Development. He was the founding Chairperson of Te Matapihi he Tirohanga mo te Iwi, a national Māori housing network, and co-created the award-winning Māori architecture series “Whare Māori,” which won Best Information Programme at the 2011 Aotearoa Film and Television Awards.

and He tātai whetu ki te rangi, he rangatahi ki te kāinga research team included rangatahi researchers Jacqeline Paul, Maia Ratana, Hannah Monga and Pania Newton.

Jacqueline Paul (She/Her)

Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga

Maia Ratana (She/Her)

Te Arawa whānui, Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Raukawa

Hanna-Marie Monga (She/Her)

Ngāti Whātua, Te Uri o Hau, Cook Islands

Pania Newton

(Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Waikato, Ngāti Mahuta)

Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga

Jacqueline Paul (She/Her)

Jacqueline Paul is a researcher whose work explores the intersection of Indigenous knowledge, treaty relationships, and urban planning. Currently pursuing her doctorate at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), her research examines how different treaty contexts shape Indigenous sovereignty and self-determination in land and housing affairs. Through Pūrangakura, she engages in research focused on improving housing and well-being outcomes for Māori communities.

Te Arawa whānui, Ngā Rauru, Ngāti Raukawa

Maia Ratana (She/Her)

Maia Ratana is a researcher at Pūrangakura, a lecturer at Unitec School of Architecture, and a PhD candidate at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. With research across Māori housing, homelessness, rangatahi leadership and equity in tertiary education, Maia is passionate about building relationships with Indigenous researchers and communities to create a better future for coming generations. Grounded in Kaupapa Māori research, her PhD explores ‘Kaupapa Rangatahi,’ a theory of change that challenges colonial norms and empowers rangatahi as leaders and change-makers. Her mahi reflects her unwavering commitment to centring rangatahi voices and fostering equitable, sustainable futures.

Ngāti Whātua, Te Uri o Hau, Cook Islands

Hanna-Marie Monga (She/Her)

Hanna-Marie Monga is passionate about supporting Māori and Pasifika peoples on their housing journeys through research and architecture. She has her Masters in applied architecture studies and research coordination, she is particularily interested in designing culturally informed housing solutions that reflect and enhance the identities of the communities she serves.

(Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa, Waikato, Ngāti Mahuta)

Pania Newton

holds a Conjoint Degree in Law and Health Sciences and is currently completing her Master’s degree as part of the Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity, The University of Melbourne. Well-known and highly respected for her leadership in the campaign to protect tribal whenua at Ihumatao, Pania is also a valued researcher with the MOKO and Rangatahi ki te Kainga projects.

Key Partners

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logo_Papatuanuku
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Funders

logo_BuildingBetterHomes

He Whare Mō Wai? Podcast

When COVID – 19 hit Aotearoa forcing a national lockdown in February 2020, the MOKO research had just started out. This was fortunate for MOKO to be able to observe first – hand, the response and approach by each of the five marae to the needs of their whānau and local communities during lockdown. Through the adversity of COVID, marae opened their doors and provided an extraordin ary service to whole communities.

A pikitia (picture) series was commissioned to tell the important story of each marae’s interaction with their communities during the pandemic. The imagery, symbolism and a whakatauki/whakatauāki (proverb) or statement, captures a snapshot of each marae and their activity in the pandemic of 2020/21.

All six marae were stretched to host different services on site, to become food outlets and health contact points. They worked more collaboratively with Government and other c ommunity agencies and redeployed their workforce to frontline essential worker duties.

This Pikitia Exhibition is the voice of the six marae. Four of the six marae are located in Mangere. It is a privilege that Pūrangakura has been able to showcase the am azing community contribution of these marae and their whanaunga marae from Manurewa and Papakura at a South Auckland site, and with their local community at the Mangere Arts Centre.

Credit

This podcast is funded by Building Better Homes Towns and Cities, and Purangakura Maori Research Centre.

Executive Producers

Maia Ratana,
Hanna-Marie Monga,
Jacqueline Paul and
Pania Newton

Production Team

Rewi Heke,
Taiha Molyneux,
Tatsuya Sasaki,
Taoitekura Eruera and
Mana Wikaire-Lewis

Music Composer

Jesse Monga
Jesse’s Instagram
Jesse’s Spotify

Graphic designers

Rihana Te Nana
Jarryd Saifoloi

Podcast Episodes

Episode 1: Papakaainga - Pania Newton

This episode features Pania Newton, who is a member of the research team. Pania is well known for spearheading the occupation and reclamation of Ihumaatao where she has lived her whole life. She will be discussing how she bought back a piece of her ancestral land within her papakaainga and is now designing and building affordable homes for her wider whānau.

Episode 2: Renting/Flatting - William Hatton

This episode features William Hatton, who will be talking to us about what it’s like to live in an apartment in Tamaki Makaurau. William moved away from his whānau in Kahungunu to pursue higher education and better job opportunities and now rents with his cousin. He shares his housing experiences, his mahi in landscape architecture, and how he creates a home away from home.

Episode 3: Youth Homelessness - Mahera Maihi

This episode features Māhera Maihi, the founder of Mā te Huruhuru, a kaupapa Māori organisation that provides services and programmes for young people in South Auckland. She will be talking about her real-life experiences that led her to start Mā te Huruhuru and the work she now does supporting rangatahi, in particular those who are experiencing homelessness.

Episode 4: Kiwibuild Homeowner - Kaylib Heke

This episode features Kaylib Heke and will discuss his experience of buying a home through the Kiwibuild scheme. Khalib shares his housing journey and the process he and his partner persevered to be able to become first home buyers. He takes us through the highs and lows and shares some advice for those who are looking to buy a home in the future.

Episode 5: Housing Financial Advice - Inez White

This episode features Ines White who is a specialist in Māori land and homeownership. She is the creator of Whatukāinga; a program that supports first home buyers and is here to share financial advice for those wanting to buy their own home. She also tells us a little bit about her own housing experiences and how she came to be so knowledgeable about homeownership.

Episode 6: Intergenerational living - Hanna-Marie Monga

This episode features one of our own team, Hanna-Marie Monga, who will be speaking about what it’s like to grow up and live in an intergenerational homestead, in Tāmaki Makaurau. She takes us through some of the advantages and expectations associated with living with her wider whānau and she shares some of her own experiences pursuing home ownership.

Episode 7: Shared Equity - Raniera Pene

This episode features Raniera Pene who is passionate about improving social and economic well-being of Maori, as well as inspiring whanau to pursue their definition of Rangatiratanga and Mana Motuhaketanga. Raniera will be discussing his experience of buying a house through shared equity. He talks about the struggles he encounters on his journey to home ownership and the shared equity scheme that helped him reach his goal.

Episode 8: Proprietor - Joanne Gallagher

This episode features Joanne Gallagher who is both a renter and a homeowner. Jo and her partner live with their blended whānau in a rental home that suits their needs, whilst also owning another home that they rent out to others. She shares with us why she doesn’t live in the house she owns, her journey to homeownership, and what it is like being a landlord in Tamaki Makaurau.

Episode 9: Housing Policy - Jacqueline Paul

This episode features Jacqueline Paul, a researcher on this project, who talks us through the ins and outs of Housing Policy. She shares a bit about her own housing aspirations and her mahi as an advocate for ensuring rangatahi have safe, secure and affordable housing. Jackie focuses on the need for good policy and the complexities of working and navigating within government.

Episode 10: Innovative Housing Solutions - Maia Ratana

This episode features Maia Ratana, a member of our team, who lives in a tiny house in Northland. She talks to us about tiny living and what led her to live in her in-law’s backyard, despite having owned a home in Tāmaki Makaurau. Maia gets us thinking about innovative housing solutions, our impact on the environment and our long term housing goals and needs.

Resources and Publications

Te Aka Pukaea exploring māori modern learning environments

Māori modern learning environments ko te aka

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