Raukura Chankee-Paea

Raukura aims to create Ngā Tapuwae a-Taraika Tours, financially sustainable cultural walking tours to schools, businesses, and tourists, to learn about shared history around Te Whanganui-a-tara.

Raukura’s moemoeā…

Me tiro whakamuri, kia anga whakamua: looking backwards to move forward into the future

Ngā Tapuwae a-Taraika/Taraika Tours (NTa-T) is a grass-roots, rangatahi-inspired initiative that privileges mātauranga Māori through the lens of Māori youth. By following in the footprints of great minds from generations long ago, NTa-T offers a localised narrative that is specifically focused on the people, places, and historical events surrounding the majestic Wellington harbour, Te Whanganui a-Tara. This initiative forms part of a legacy that is accessible to and designed for all to enjoy, fostering a connection to the land and its rich history.

NTa-T are intentional about how our histories shape our present lives. By giving voice to these stories, we affirm our identity and ground ourselves in our tikanga, language and wairua. Our kōrero tuku iho emphasises the sacred, historical, cultural, and tribal landmarks that are significant to our ancestors across Aotearoa. These stories connect people and places across time – past, present, and future, ensuring a lasting legacy of knowledge that can be shared and passed down for generations to come.

To achieve these aspirations, NTa-T plans to develop a website and mobile platform to facilitate bookings, offer virtual tours, and provide educational resources for visitors. A drone will also provide us with the ability to showcase the breathtaking local landscapes, from an aerial and perhaps, professional perspective. This will provide further avenues for us to offer virtual tours and to undertake cultural mapping using Geographic Information Systems to expand our audience and make cultural content more accessible.

NTa-T aims to establish sustainable financial resources through strategic partnerships by offering cultural walking tours to schools, businesses, and tourists, to learn about our shared history. These tours provide a hands-on experience that ensures knowledge is passed down employing the tuakana-teina approach.