Te Ara Tupua is being delivered by NZTA in partnership with iwi Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika and Ngāti Toa Rangatira - who hold mana whenua around Te Whanganui a Tara (Wellington Harbour), acknowledged in their Treaty settlements.
We have a few key people working in our team that ensure everyone working on site understands the significance of the land and water the project is being built on, including the iwi-owned land at Honiana Te Puni Reserve.
Meet Ali Houpapa. Ali is a Cultural Advisor at Te Ara Tupua Alliance and fondly referred to as Aunty around the construction site.
Aunty Ali who is uri (descendant) of Taranaki Whānui, inspires and connects our construction, design, engineering and environmental teams to the whenua, while sharing the Māori history, culture and narrative of the construction area. She promotes a strong sense of responsibility to Te Ara Tupua and the resilience work that being completed to protect not only the rail and road but the history of the land for future generations to learn about.
