Village Kawa

Hei congratulations!

You’ve picked up this pukapuka, so you and your whānau have taken the first huge step to making the Tāneatua village your new home. Ka pai whānau, too much alright! The next step may be asking yourselves how you feel about living with heaps of people every day. If this is you, we welcome you to the Village Kawa.

Your Village Kawa holds all of the tikana for living in the village. This will help to guide whānau behaviour and habits in the village day-to-day life. Living in the village comes with some roles and responsibilities to the whenua, to the whare and to each other. Living responsibly means caring about the needs of the all the whānau living in the village. The putiputi shows how everything is connected.

At the heart of the village is the Te Kawa principle of Mauri and some practical ideas to bring this to life. Let’s take a look at how living in the village can work.

MAURI

Heart of the village

Te Kawa Principle

Mauri: Life, generosity opens our soul to want connection, and is the collective spirit for all.

The living system between land, food forest, insects cultivates diversity and balance, reconnecting people to the healing potential of Te Urewera.

In the village this is your connection to all living things. We work with the whenua to nourish it up so it can once again give life.

Whānau who are a part of a community, appreciate being part of a greater kaupapa and we are able to contribute meaningfully.

Your village prospers when whānau are connected to one another and feel safe and are secure in their lives.

TĀTAI Village Land Agreement

Te Kawa Principle

Tātai: Heritage, sense of time – responsibility, because it is whakapapa, which is ordering who is responsible for what.

In the time of our tīpuna we were all they talked about. In their time they did everything they thought was in the best interest of everyone. Unity, hope and generosity is what they wanted for their mokopuna. Now this is our time and we need to do what is right for our mokopuna.

Ae, whānau are going to have to unlearn some new stuff and relearn some old stuff, and it won’t be easy to make those changes to live your life to the fullest.

Tūhoe historical and cultural heritage is embraced and celebrated.

Our ideas to bring this prinicle to life in the village:

• The Village Collective is our unifier, the attitudes and behaviours of whānau within the village produce the very consequences upon the same whānau, thus responsibility lies in the hands of the whānau separately and collectively, and through the Village Collective.

• The Iwi as the holder of the whenua and the funder of the Village sets out its expectations through a lease arrangement with the Village Collective.

• The Iwi shares the use of the whenua via a 99 year lease with the Village Collective at no cost, but does require a care responsibility by whānau to our Tūhoe whenua.

• All whānau, whether home-owner or occupier are ‘legal’ members of the Village Collective.

Below is the Village Collective site map.

• The Iwi and the Village Collective will review the lease arrangements periodically checking to see that standards and responsibilities have been delivered upon.

• Repeated, non-responsibility for village kawa could cause the Iwi to end its lease arrangements with the Village Collective.

• Whānau and the Village Collective must be responsible to maintain the state and standard of the Village, maintaining through improvements the future integrity of the Village infrastructure.

• Village Collective accepts responsibility for the care and standards of the village landscape, maintenance and endof-life replacement of all village infrastructure and homes.

• With Iwi input, the Village Collective will produce a longterm maintenance plan for all shared village infrastructure, covering 10 years, to be updated every 3 years.

• The Village Collective is responsible for village resource consent conditions and various warranties that apply to the Village and Village infrastructure.

• The Village Collective is responsible for the entry and exit of whānau homeowners and occupiers.

• The Village Collective is responsible for provision of any village shared services such as power or internet, Council rates and insurance. approach.

Resolution of disputes between the Iwi and the Village Collective.

• Firstly, the parties involved should take responsibility for sorting out their differences themselves.

• The Village Collective upon establishment, will work with the Iwi to develop a disputes resolution approach.

TAPU Whānau Home Agreement

Te Kawa Principle

Tapu: Resilience, needs for life - where things start to get real; where you manage consequences and conflict

We are mindful of the impact that our being will have on the wider living space around us, such as (the soil, the stones, the water, the living systems that is Te Urewera).

Our practices are enabled within agreed limits and constraints.

Water sustains life and fairness, and brings discipline for everyone sharing the village lifestyle.

The village is growing sustainable habits and attitudes to manage whānau self-interest for the benefit of the collective.

How we bring this principle to life in the village:

• A whānau home agreement, is between each whānau and the Village Collective.

• Whānau have exclusive use of one home and use of all village shared spaces.

• Whānau cannot pass on a whānau home agreement to another. All whānau need to go through the front door of the Village Collective, because such changes impact all the whānau.

• Whānau are responsible for being examples of the Village Kawa.

• Whānau will care for their home, playing their part in appreciating, valuing and respecting the whole Village. This includes all parts of the Village which operates as the wider ‘home’.

• Whānau will get the support of the Village Collective before making any alterations to homes or structures.

• Timeframes for whānau home agreement

(a) 99 years for village homeowner [requiring deposit and loan agreement].

(b) 12 months for “try before you buy” short term option [requiring no deposit or loan agreement; at end of 12 months a decision is needed whether whānau will exit or buy in].

• Termination by Village Collective in case of serious or repeated breaches of the Village Kawa, with 3 months’ notice period.

• Where the homeowner passes away, a 3 months’ notice period will apply to allow the whānau to settle any buy out arrangements. A Village home cannot be passed on through succession, as the Village Collective must have a primary say over who is living within the Village.

• On termination, the value of investment is returned to whānau (or their estate, in case of death) by the Village Collective.

• The Village Collective has legal power of attorney in certain circumstances (e.g., serious impairment) to ensure whānau financial responsibilities to the village are met.

TANATA WHENUA Responsibility

Te Kawa Principle

Tanata whenua: People of the land

Everyone instinctively comes together to do the mahi to uphold the integrity of the village, and because it’s the right thing to do.

Bringing resilience to our community counts on whānau commitment and action.

Raising a new generation with deep understanding and revitalised Tūhoe values.

Reconnecting whānau passion and memory for the next kaitiaki of the village.

Leadership and communication responsibility

1. All whānau who live in the village are part of the Village Collective.

2. The Village Collective is the tiaki pā of the village, and together are responsible for decisions that affect the village.

3. Whānau should be present at village hui to discuss things, together as a collective, where everyone’s views are heard. Don’t be shy, put your thoughts forward and be open to working together to come up with ideas which become stronger with unity.

Living responsibly means caring about the needs of the katoa

1. Being responsible means:

(a) Contributing fairly to the shared village mahi.

(b) Respecting other whānau at all times.

(c) Recognising we live in a shared space, and will let other whānau know in advance if we plan to use a space or resource.

(d) Seeking the support of whānau before altering or affecting the Village in ways which knowingly affect other whānau.

(e) Moderating drinking within private whare, and respecting alcohol free common areas.

(f) We can enjoy a drink in moderation within our private whare, but not in common areas.

(g) Not using illicit drugs, and no smoking around the common house or where any children are.

(h) Gaining the support of the Village Collective for any pets.

How we bring this principle to life in the village:

(i) Parking cars in the carpark, and only use the driveway closer to our whare when it’s an emergency or for moving heavy loads.

(j) Gaining the support of the Village Collective for bringing campervans or any alternative accommodation on site.

(k) Keeping hunting rifles safely secured in your own whare.

(l) All whānau reducing village waste by re-using and repurposing things.

(m) Respecting village resources by being thoughtful about how we use them.

(n) Ensuring that our children, and any manuhiri, uphold these same behaviours. .

2. When any of us stray too far from these responsibilities the Village Collective needs to have a conversation;

(a) Firstly, this should be about supporting and helping the whānau in question recognize the issues with their behaviour, and help them to rediscover the kawa. [This is a one off only]

(b) Secondly, serious or repeat behaviour that is far from responsible can result in a formal conversation involving the rest of the Village Collective about how to deal with the behaviour.

(c) The Village Collective has the ability to evict whānau who seriously or repeatedly stray from these responsibilities.

Whānau Maintenance of the village

Te Kawa Principle

Whānau: Discipline – doing better – treating the whole village as whānau, not just those in your whare

The wellbeing of the collective outweighs the good of the individual.

It’s not all about you, you are part of a whole, a whānau, hapū and Iwi. It’s about strengthening Tūhoetana, bal ancing ego and self-interest.

Whānau coming together to come up with ideas which become stronger with unity.

How we bring this principle to life in the village:

Mahi needed to maintain the village:

(a) Keeping up with the landscaping, the maara kai and food forests.

(b) Keeping the common house and all the other shared outdoor areas clean and tidy.

(c) Maintaining all the shared village infrastructure.

(d) Coordinating shared village finances and long-term maintenance plan responsibilities.

(e)Managing contributions from whānau towards shared village costs.

(f) Keeping up with shared village services, such as electrical supply, Council rates, internet.

(g) Taking the village recycling and rubbish bins to the transfer station.

(h) Arrange regular and on-going village dinners and gettogethers to keep everyone connected.

(i) Keep an up-to-date register of the village first aiders, and whānau who have special medical needs.

(j) Teaching new whānau about the village kawa and Village Collective forum.

(k). Teaching the tamariki this way of life to hope they too will pass it on to the next generations.

(l) Come together as a Village Collective to decide how all the village mahi is shared fairly across whānau.

Āhua

Loan Agreements

Te Kawa Principle

Āhua:

Character, selflessness and sacrifice today

Living responsibly means caring about the needs of the every one.

It’s our vision, the things we have in common and the āhua we want for the village that will inspirit us to care for each other and contribute together.

How we live in the village may be all new ways of living for some, but the sacrifices we make today will enable this lifestyle for our whānau in the future.

Maintaining our habits (repaying loan, and putting aside for the future) will become second nature to us, the more we practice the better we get.

How we bring this principle to life in the village:

1. TCT Loan Agreement with Village Collective

• The Iwi is open to financially supporting the buy-in costs of all the homes.

• The Village Collective ensures repayments reach the Iwi.

• Setting repayment timeframes over a 15 year term, with initial interest rate and review.

• Serious and repeated breach of kawa by whānau will lead to early termination of the Village collective loan agreement by the Iwi.

• The Village Collective ensures that whānau buy-in deposits reach the Iwi within 30 days of receipt.

• If there are any disputes between the Iwi and the Village Collective, the Rūātoki Tribal can resume a mediator role.

• The Village Loan Agreement fixed for a 5-year term and refinanced on the anniversary.

2. Loan agreements between Village Collective and whānau

• The whānau ensure their deposits are paid in a timely fashion to the Village Collective.

• The Village Collective is open to supporting whānau for the buy-in costs to the village, less their deposit paid.

• The whānau ensure that their loan repayments are paid in a timely fashion to Village Collective.

• Setting repayment timeframes over a 15-year term, with initial interest rate and review periods. Early termination will occur under exceptional circumstances.

• The Rūātoki Tribal can help resolve any disputes between the Village collective and whānau.