Friday, August 15th will mark a pivotal moment in Napier’s development landscape as Mana Ahuriri conducts a whakahaumaru karakia of their first housing development on Owen Street from 6:30am-7:30am.

This moment represents far more than the start of the construction,  it embodies the realisation of a vision that provides warm dry safe housing for whanau,

The Owen Street development is part of Mana Ahuriri’s aspirational Accelerated Housing Programme, which will deliver close to 400 housing outcomes across multiple sites, marking a transformative chapter for Mana Ahuriri Trust, our whānau and the wider Napier community.

But this development carries special significance. The area where modern Owen Street stands was once part of the ancestral landscape surrounding Pukemokimoki – “the hill of the mokimoki fern” – a sacred island that served as the cultural and spiritual heart of Ngāti Pārau. Pukemokimoki Island, washed on three sides by harbour waters, was the only location in all of Hawke’s Bay where the sweet-scented mokimoki fern grew naturally.

The mokimoki fern was treasured by the women of Ngāti Pārau and the wider Ahuriri hapū, who wore its fragrant fronds as natural perfume and incorporated it into sacred practices surrounding new life and healing. As the ancient oriori reminds us: “Taku hei mokimoki” – “My pendant of sweet scented fern.”

The story of Pukemokimoki is ultimately one of choosing unity over division – a principle that continues to guide Mana Ahuriri today. Following the Battle of Taitimuroa in the early 1800s, the tīpuna of what would become Ngāti Pārau made a profound choice: rather than seek retribution, they turned toward kotahitanga (unity), recognising that greater strength comes from bringing people together.

This philosophy of connection over conflict now manifests in Mana Ahuriri’s development approach. The Owen Street project represents the first tangible outcome of their partnership with Hapai Housing, a collective iwi entity that demonstrates how Māori and iwi groups can collaborate to deliver meaningful housing solutions for their communities.

The karakia will take place on land that carries the spiritual essence of Pukemokimoki, even as the physical island was long ago reclaimed by urban development. The sacred nature of this connection is not lost – it’s being honoured and woven into contemporary spaces that serve both cultural heritage and modern housing needs.

As Mana Ahuriri moves forward with this groundbreaking development, they carry with them the wisdom of their tīpuna: “Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini” – “My strength is not that of one, but of many.”

The Owen Street development – Pukemokimoki is just the beginning. With resource consents already secured for additional sites including Wharerangi – Te Roropipi, and applications lodged for 65 Munroe Street, Mana Ahuriri is positioning itself as a major force in our regionals Bay’s housing landscape.

The organisation’s broader property portfolio includes significant sites like Ahuriri Station, which has been included in the government’s Fast Track development process, and potential acquisitions at Mataruahou (Hospital Hill).

The karakia on Friday, August 15th from 6:30am-7:30pm offers the community an opportunity to witness history in the making. This is not merely the start of another housing development – it’s the manifestation of ancestral wisdom in contemporary form, where the sweet-scented legacy of Pukemokimoki continues to inspire spaces that nurture both individuals and communities.

As the concrete blocks are laid and the first walls rise on Owen Street, they will carry with them the mana of Pukemokimoki and the enduring strength that comes from choosing connection, unity, and shared prosperity.