%203x_edited.png)
ABOUT
Te Kāwai is a bold, intergenerational kaupapa Māori initiative that seeks to transform supported living for Kaumātua and Rangatahi Whaikaha in Waihōpai, Invercargill. More than a housing project, Te Kāwai is a reclamation of space, identity, and wellbeing through a distinctly Māori lens. Grounded in manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, and tino rangatiratanga, it centres the lived experiences, aspirations, and strengths of our people.
Photo credit -
Anjelina Nikora-Wilson
WHĀNAU
BY
WITH
FOR
We acknowledge and respect the authority of Ngāi Tahu as Mana Whenua of Murihiku.
As a Māori-led, developed, and designed kaupapa, Te Kāwai moves beyond conventional service delivery, it is a movement to restore mana, embed cultural pride, and normalise te ao Māori within the very fabric of how we live and care for each other. It envisions healing, connected, empowering spaces that uplift our most vulnerable whānau and reflect the tikanga, values, and knowledge systems that have sustained us for generations. The success of Te Kāwai rests on a deep commitment to authentic co-design with whānau, hapū, iwi, and the wider hapori. This is not a project done for the community, but one created with them, ensuring the kaupapa is shaped by those it is intended to serve.
Pou Tahi:
Hononga
Meaningful Relationships and Reciprocity
Focus: Trust, balance and interconnectedness.
Pou Rua:
Aronga Whakamua
Innovation and Forward Momentum
Focus: Action, progress, and evolving for the future.
Pou Toru:
He Tuku Iho
Legacy and Intergenerational Thinking
Focus: Future generations, long-term impact and cultural depth.
The population of Waihōpai Invercargill is aging. Those aged 65 and older will form 24% of the population in 2034, up from 19% in 2023. The City Council has no current plans to add to its stocks of social housing across Invercargill and Bluff.
17% of New Zealanders experience at least one disability. Rangatahi whaikaha especially, face significant challenges finding supported living arrangements that allow them to transition out of the family home. Doing so allows them to integrate into community to gain independence.
the Vision
We are searching for a suitable location in Waihopai, to develop Te Kāwai, a mixed-occupancy village that offers supported living arrangements for kaumātua and tangata whaikaha. We are happy to explore any partnership that shares our vision and objectives. Location shown in conceptual design below for conceptual purpose only.
.jpg)
Media
Who are we?
The name for this kaupapa Te Kāwai refers to whakapapa, connections and the threads that link whānau across generations.
Te Kāwai is steered by Te Pare Kauika Ltd, a not for profit organisation, commited to the principles of Whānau Ora, in supporting positive community outcomes.
Te Pare Kauika Ltd has been established under the umbrella of Koha Kai and the stewardship of its indefatigiable founder and Pouārahi, Janice Lee. Koha Kai has been promoting resilience, equality and independence for tāngata whaikaha since 2014.
_2x_edited.png){kind=small}
Pare reflects the heart of our collective, the commitment to cherish, nurture, and protect. It is both a threshold and a promise, to uphold mana, care for our people, and ensure the wellbeing of future generations.
Kauika symbolises the strength and unity of a collective, like a pod of whales navigating the ocean together, guided by shared purpose and deep connection. It reflects a gathering of leaders who move as one, grounded in kaupapa, whakapapa, and collective responsibility.
Janice Lee
Ngāi Tahu | Ngāti Porou
Vanessa Hutchins
Te Arawa
Sumaria Beaton-Sikisini
Ngāi Tahu | Ngā Puhi | Te Atiawa
Angela Blair
Ngāi Tahu
Martin Conway
Ngāti Te Ata