The Ahuriri Marine Coastal area is a special place for mana whenua.
It contains taonga and is the home of Pānia Reef; a site of cultural significance as the embodiment of the sea maiden Pānia. It is also an important site for gathering kai moana as a designated mahinga mātaitai.
The Marine Cultural Health Programme is a kaupapa (initiative), driven and undertaken by Ahuriri mana whenua, in partnership with Napier Port as the port builds a new wharf (6 Wharf) to support the sustainable growth of Te Matau-a-Māui (Hawke’s Bay).
About the monitoring framework
At the heart of the Marine Cultural Health Programme is the cultural monitoring framework that has been developed by the Steering Komiti to monitor, record and assess the cultural health and environmental state of the Ahuriri marine environment.
The framework is made up of two pou: Mana Moana and Mana Tangata. Each pou has a number of Tohu Matua and associated Tohu Whāiti, which are weighted based on their significance. The score of each Pātai Inenga informs the Tohu Whāiti health and, in turn, the Tohu Matua and ultimately each pou.