Environment
Kaitiakitanga Guardianship
Te Wharewaka o Pōneke is the leading tourism and cultural services provider in the Wellington region and recognises that its core business is reliant on a clean and healthy environment. The core values of the business must work to enhance the role of tangata whenua as kaitiaki and the promotion of environmental sustainability. It is founded on the aspirations of tangata whenua, specifically, mana whenua, mana moana and mana taiao
Mana Whenua
Caring On Land
Te Wharewaka o Pōneke Tours Office plays a part in the revitalisation of waka kaupapa along with the many cultural practices that were associated with waka kaupapa in the Wellington region, helping reclaim cultural identity and mana whenua. The use of raukura, the symbol of Te Whiti o Rongomai and Tohu Kakahi and their peaceful resistance at Parihaka, the reclamation of swamp kauri to teach ancient karakia and practices utilised in the process of carving a waka, along with traditional navigation techniques are but some of the stories shared.
Mana Moana
Caring For The Sea
Te Wharewaka o Pōneke encourages mana moana by promoting and normalising waka kaupapa making it available to a wide audience. Use of water for something the wider community can take pride in encourages a community response to ensuring the quality and mauri of our moana.
Mana Taiao
Caring For The Evironment
The Tours Office alongside the other organisations operating from Te Wharewaka o Pōneke – Te Raukura build on this kaupapa by minimising consumption where possible (a move towards paperless business transactions), and using environmentally friendly resources.
To further encourage mana taiao, the building itself as a feature of modern green architecture meetings traditional Māori concepts was designed to minimise the environmental impacts on the surrounding area, while utilising natural resources such as sea water and wind to assist the natural ventilation and heating of the building.
