‘Manukau Fruit Bowl’ coming soon!

‘Manukau Fruit Bowl’ is an unofficial name.. But right behind our current base at 41 Boundary road on the edge of Te Pae o Manukau (commonly known as Manukau Sports Bowl), we have been penciling in a Food forest.

Food forest site behind 41 Boundary Road, Ōtara (left) and drafted design of what our Food forest could be eg in the shape of the Nautilus shell… (right)

Forests are naturally regenerative. With a diverse mix of plants growing in different layers and heights, they protect and build soil. Forests once established, pretty much look after themselves whilst providing abundance in terms of food, fruit and resources. Thinking back to our ancestors, the ngāhere was their supermarket and their hardware store. Our dream is to grow an abundance of fruit amongst ancestral foods of the Pacific, to provide for the surrounding community but also to grow resources and taonga that sailed to Aotearoa with our Pasifika people on the waka, long ago. This is part of our kai resilience kaupapa, in our commitment to provide public access to kai while restoring our ancestral relationships with our roots and whenua.

Site visit with Mana whenua reps Paora Puru of Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua & Jeff Lee of– Te Ākitai Waiohua, plus Roots Creative, Council & Parks posing under the lonely Tītoki

After positive meetings with Mana whenua, local council and organisers of ASB Polyfest and Lantern Festival, we are excited to share that preparation for our Food Forest will commence in April after Polyfest. Deep soil examination and testing is complete so we know exactly what we’re working with, and what soil amendments are needed to give our future ngāhere kai the best start.

PVA will be main kaitiaki of the food forest, but the idea is that local community will help take care of this space as their own. Many hands make light work! The space is currently grass and for a forest as big as this we will need all the hands we can get. Imagine 10 years into the future being able to tell your kids and grandkids you planted this for them to enjoy…

If you are in a position to support us in any way with this upcoming project, or have a cool suggestion for a name instead of ‘Manukau Fruit Bowl’ please get in touch☺ We’d love your input: manava@pva.org.nz