Ihakara Gardens are opened with waiata
Foxton’s Ihakara Gardens twere officially opened on Saturday September 29.
Awhina Anne Watson from the Ra¯ tana Church opened with an introduction in te reo, speaking of the recent redevelopment of the town’s main street. This was followed by waiata and karakia, paying respects to the completed projects. About 50 members of the community attended this official blessing and reopening of Ihakara Gardens, which follows the completion of the Foxton Main Street upgrade.
As part of the Main Street upgrade, public space around the War Memorial was connected to Ihakara Gardens to the north and the footpath and shops to the west.
The blessing was a joint event by Horowhenua District Council, Foxton Community Board and Nga¯ ti Raukawa ki te Tonga. Following the blessing, members of the community engaged with Council staff to discuss Horowhenua 2040, a vision aimed at growing neighbourhoods and building stronger communities.
The Horowhenua 2040 Team engaged in conversations with the community about what makes their neighbourhood special while building a LEGO neighbourhood of the future together.
Ihakara Gardens was presented to the citizens of Foxton by Te Aputa Ihakara Karaitiana Te Ahu Rangiahuta Pataka, on July 11, 1919.
The cemetery in the gardens is the oldest used by Europeans in the Manawatu¯ and is one of the few reminders of Te Awahou Village. The graves, marked and unmarked, are those of noteworthy Ma¯ ori and Europeans and the gardens are symbolic of the peaceful relations that have existed between Ma¯ ori and Pakeha in the Manawatu¯ .