Pahi concept and design
Provision to explore a marae for Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō was first identified in the Te Tirohanga Whakamua five-year strategic plan. Through early research and kōrero, the concept of the pahi, a traditional temporary shelter used by our tūpuna, emerged. From this, the pahi model was developed as a uniquely Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō approach to marae development, reflecting who we are as a people.
Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō were not traditionally fixed in one place, but lived as a seasonal and mobile people, deeply connected to the rhythms of the taiao. Places like Rotoiti and Rotoroa were, and still are, like a mother to us, sustaining our people both physically and spiritually. The pahi concept draws directly from this ancestral way of life.
The Rotoiti pahi will be a multi-use space that is distinctly Māori in its essence, but not confined to traditional forms. It reflects both our past and our future, a contemporary and innovative expression of Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō identity, tikanga, and excellence.
