Wednesday 19th April, 8am
Rehua Marae, 79 Springfield Road, St Albans, Christchurch
The NZPI Annual Conference will begin with a pōwhiri from Ngāi Tūāhuriri, the mana whenua within Central Christchurch.
Ngāi Tūāhuriri are one of the five primary hapū that make up Ngāi Tahu whānui – the iwi that holds mana whenua status throughout the majority of Te Waipounamu. They will be welcoming all delegates onto Rehua Marae at 8am on the Wednesday morning. Unless you are leaving on one of the field trips departing before 9am, it is strongly recommended that you attend this pōwhiri so as to respect this integral custom of being welcomed into the region and to Conference itself.
Papa Pounamu members will take a leadership role within this pōwhiri process to support our wider New Zealand Planning Institute whānau who may not be familiar with marae and pōwhiri protocol. We assure you that it is a beautiful (and painless!) ceremony to be a part of. If you are nervous, you are welcome to research pōwhiri protocol before attending. Tidy, modest attire is required to show respect for this event. ‘Tidy & modest’ means that black formalwear is not compulsory – but miniskirts and short-shorts should be left at home. It is also recommended that you wear footwear that is easy to slip on and off, as shoes will need to be removed when entering the wharenui.
