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Auckland, February 2, 2018
Four hours of live music, food and market stalls is set for the Love Your Maunga event at Mangere Mountain on Saturday February 17, 2018 from 11 am to 3 pm.
An impressive stage line-up includes R&B singer/songwriter Vince Harder, Lavina Williams, and many others.
A highlight of the day will be a kapahaka performance by local school Te Kura Kaupapa Mori a rohe o Mangere.
The stage, stalls and a Kids Zone with bouncy castles and face painting will be located on the upper sports field at the Domain Road entrance to Mangere Mountain.
Limited parking will be available in the Mangere Memorial Hall car park.
Great Opportunity
A fun day out for locals and visitors alike, the event is also about raising awareness of the maungas significant history. Mangere Mountain was one of the most formidable Maori pa (fortified village settlements) in Tamaki Makaurau (Auckland) and remains a site of great significance to Mana Whenua today. Free guided walks around the maunga will be offered on the day, courtesy of the Mangere Mountain Education Centre.
For those interested in the future care and enhancement of Mangere Mountain the event is a great opportunity to meet members and staff of the Tupuna Maunga Authority which is responsible for many Tupuna Maunga (ancestral mountains) around Auckland. A pop-up information centre will also be on-site.
Peoples Connection
Chair of the Tupuna Maunga Authority, Paul Majurey, says that the Authority is looking forward to connecting with people who love Mangere Mountain and want to know more about it.
The Tupuna Maunga Authority will be familiar to some people and new to others. This is our chance to introduce ourselves and talk to everyone about the values now driving the restoration, protection and enhancement of the taonga that are the maunga of Tmaki Makaurau (Auckland), he said.
Community Celebration
Love Your Maunga is a community celebration of Mangere Mountain and the other Tupuna Maunga that are such an important part of our history. Mana Whenua and local communities draw a real sense of identity from the maunga and its important that we acknowledge and keep talking about the importance of respecting these special places.
The name of the event says it all really. We want people to enjoy their time at Mangere Mountain and come away feeling that they really do love their maunga and feel a real sense of ownership towards their care and protection, Mr Majurey said.
Background information
In 2014, a landmark Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) Settlement was passed, transferring the ownership of fourteen Tupuna Maunga (ancestral mountains) to the Mana Whenua tribes of Auckland and enabling the establishment of the Tupuna Maunga Authority to govern and manage the sites.
The Tupuna Maunga Authority is a co-governance body with six iwi representatives and six Auckland Council representatives. The Authority is independent from Auckland Council and has its own decision-making powers and functions.
Ownership of Mangere Mountain remains with the Crown and the Tupuna Maunga Authority is responsible for all ongoing maintenance and care.
A central role of the Tupuna Maunga Authority is to ensure that Mana Whenua world views and priorities, and the strong living connections that all communities have with the maunga, is woven into their long-term care.
For more information, please visit www.maunga.nz.
