Iwi are feeling the full force of Waipuna-ā-Rangi, the star in the Matariki cluster who honours the rain, sky, and hydrological cycle, as ‘once-in-a-century’ weather events now seem to hit almost every year.

With intense weather systems sweeping the country, including flash floods in the South Island and increasingly frequent heavy rainfall, iwi and hapū leaders are questioning whether they’re adequately prepared to deal with the fallout.

Over the past month, Te Waipounamu has been inundated with relentless rain, resulting in destroyed homes, lost crops, and dead livestock.

Donna McLeod (Ngāti Rārua, Te Āti Awa) is helping whānau in hard-to-reach areas around Motueka by delivering warm meals, offering support through kai and aroha.

Meals for Motueka collective of volunteers who, amid devastation, are stepping up to support their community.

However, McLeod says, gone are the days when events such as these are once in a century.

“This is the worst ever. So, forget about [Cyclone] Gita, forget about the floods in the 70s and the 50s. This is the worst, and what happened to every 150 years, what happened to every 50 years. The saddest part is we sat in the whānau class and said this is your new normal,” she says.

Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Chair Bayden Barber, who himself has had much experience dealing with the aftermath of extreme flooding and cyclone damage, says no matter how hard we try to stop the extent of damage, it will continue to wreak havoc.

“Hāunga te whakatō kākāno, rākau Māori, tē taea te pēhea. Nō reira, ko ngā whare e tū tata atu ki te moana, ka aroha, ā tōna wā ka tautai moana rātou.”

Marae relocation

Questions around marae and community relocation are becoming more frequent as torrential rain continues to flood areas like Te Tai Rāwhiti, Te Tai Tokerau, and Hawke’s Bay.

Furthermore, some iwi leaders have openly discussed the matter for as long as a decade.

Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Chair Bayden Barber says after his marae in Waimārama was flooded in 2011, discussions began on what the future for his community looks like.

“Toromi katoa tēnei whenua i te wai o te Waingongoro. Heoi anō, taua mea i konei i te Matau ā Māui, pai kare, me uaua ka kitea tētahi āhuatanga pērā i tērā.

Social and economic impacts

I te tau 2022, i pā kinotia ngā rohe maha e Huripari Kāpriera, ā, ko te taha ki te ōhanga i noho hei papa.

Ka mutu, i Te Matau ā Māui ake, i hinga rā te rāngai ahumāra i te 1.4 piriona tāra te nui, ā, i moningaro kē atu i ngā wāhanga whakaora tūāhanga.

Ki Te Tai Rāwhiti hoki i waenga i te 30 ki te 40 miriona tāra tērā hei utu i ngā heketea 6000 i whakamōtītia, ā, nā te waipuke o ngā whenua huakai e 2500 heketea te nui i ngaro hoki i a rātou i tōna 40 miriona tāra i roto hoki i te rāngai huawhenua.

Hei tua atu, i tēnei marama tonu, he nui hoki ngā pānga kino ka tau ki runga o Te Tauihu.

E matapaetia ana koni atu i te 600 o ngā whare i waipuketia, i whakamōtītia rānei e te waipuke nui, e 200 mitamano te nui o te ua i heke iho, ā, kua tapa hoki tēnei waipuke hei waipuke kino rawa atu i roto i tēnei rautau.

Hei tā McLeod, ko ngā rākau paina nei te take ka kino kē atu te pānga o te waipuke nei.

“The logs were the things that have damaged the houses. All that slash has taken the houses, it’s taken the land, and has taken the stock.”

Ka mutu, ko tā Bayden Barber e āki ana, kia tirotiro pea ngā iwi o te motu ki ngā āhuatanga o ngā rākau Māori, kei reira pea te rongoā hei whakamarumaru i te tangata.

“Me tīmata, me tīmata tō kāinga ake, me tīmata tō marae ake, tō hapori ake. Mā tēnā pea, ka taea e tātou te whakaārai ngā āhuatanga take āhuarangi.”