The Tūpuna Maunga Authority, supported by the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board, is thrilled to invite the community to the Love Your Maunga event on Saturday, November 23, 2024. Set at the award-winning Whānau Ātea at the base of Te Pane o Mataoho / Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain, this community-focused event offers a unique opportunity to honour the cultural heritage and natural beauty of the Tūpuna Maunga (ancestral mountains) of Tāmaki Makaurau while fostering connections among locals.

"The Love Your Maunga event is an excellent way to increase awareness of the vision and aspirations of the Tūpuna Maunga. Coming together with the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board supports the Maunga, te taiao, and the community,” says Paul Majurey, Chair of the Tūpuna Maunga Authority. "It’s a powerful example of manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga – honouring the heritage of Te Pane o Mataoho while empowering our communities to protect these sacred sites for future generations.”

The Love Your Maunga event will feature activities designed to engage, educate, and inspire the whole whānau. Each Love Your Maunga event will support a different local partner to help fund initiatives within the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board area. Highlights of the event include:

A community hāngī fundraiser, in partnership with Etū Rākau, a local environmental initiative that combines litter collection with community fun. The group will serve 300 hāngī meals for $10 each with proceeds supporting the Māngere Community Enviro Hub who promote sustainable and locally grown food for the community. Etū Rākau will lead a clean-up activation, on the day with local school groups to help spread awareness of the impact of rubbish to our natural environment.

Māra Hūpara (traditional play) workshops will be led by Māori games expert, Harko Brown and the Māngere Mountain Education Centre team, featuring traditional Māori activities and games that reflect historical cultural practices and traditions tied to Te Pane o Mataoho / Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain.

A Tūpuna Maunga information hub will provide insights into the Authority’s conservation work, showcasing key initiatives such as native planting days and pest-free trapping that is essential for protecting the unique flora and fauna on the Tūpuna Maunga.

The Tūpuna Maunga holds incredible cultural and environmental significance. Our event being supported by the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board reflects our shared commitment to support events like Love Your Maunga to enhance community well-being and foster connections," says Majurey. "We encourage our local whānau and community members to come along to this special event".

Event Details
Date: Saturday, November 23, 2024
Time: 10.00 am – 3.00 pm
Location: Whānau Ātea, Te Pane o Mataoho / Te Ara Pueru / Māngere Mountain

For more information, visit the Tūpuna Maunga Authority’s website https://www.maunga.nz/

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