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Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamura' 
'When you understand the past, you know your future'
HERITAGE TOGETHER - KOTAHITANGA | OROKOHANGA POUTAMA 
Weaving a stairway from creation towards heritage unity, recognition and excellence
​Western Bay of Plenty | Tauranga | Regionally
From the 13th century when the first waka landed on our shores, countless footprints from Tāngata whenua, through European, Asian and Pacifica settlement have been laid throughout our region.  It's time to hear the varied stories from our very beginnings through to the many differing cultural stories of all those who now call Western Bay of Plenty home.  Enjoy this months Blog giving a thumbnail of four of our seventy-two central city heritage sites.  Let YOUR voice be heard - take our survey - and help our region on its heritage journey.
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Western Bay of Plenty | Tauranga is one of the few regions in Aotearoa | New Zealand without a connected Heritage Strategy. 

Our Tāngata whenua hāpu \ iwi are represented under: 
  • Tauranga Moana, and
  • Te Arawa Coastal

Taonga Tū | Heritage Bay of Plenty (TTHBoP) is an independent registered charitable trust partnering with Western Bay of Plenty Tāngata whenua, local councils, Heritage New Zealand | Pouhere Taonga, Western BoP heritage organisations and interested local businesses. 

The Trust came together in 2017 to advocate for a neutral Heritage Centre / Museum as a central hub for heritage located in Tauranga City.  Reason: All local council attempts since 1873 have been fraught with political, social and financial controversy.  Read why here 

Today, as heritage partners together, we are embarking on two key heritage journeys:

1. Working on a Heritage Strategy under the name: Heritage Together - Kotahitanga | Orokohanga
    Poutama which means: weaving a stairway from creation towards heritage unity,  recognition and
    excellence across the Western Bay of Plenty

2. From a TCC Grant writing a feasibility for an neutral Heritage Education Centre that
    represents all peoples across the subregion - not just those living in Tauranga City.
    
There is strong levels of community support and goodwill towards:
  • a community driven neutral Heritage Education Centre that supports the new school history curriculum 
  • developing a subregional Heritage Strategy for the purpose of bringing unity to our heritage community  
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Both the Heritage Education Centre and the Heritage Strategy will bring significant social economic and influential advantages for local hapu / iwi, differing cultures and ethnicities and the community as a whole.

Support is growing from heritage organisations, schools and the business community across the Western Bay of Plenty, including iwi / hāpu. 

​These two goals are huge steps forward for connecting heritage together in Western Bay of Plenty | Tauranga, the wider region and beyond.
CLICK ON AN IMAGE BELOW TO DISCOVER SOME OF OUR RICH HERITAGE 
Acknowledgement: Photographs: Chris Taylor; Tauranga City Libraries, Tauranga Heritage Collection, CR Brown,