Otaki takes destiny into its own hands

Being bypassed by a major expressway has given the Ka¯ piti Coast town of O¯ taki a new lease of life, thanks to a community project that will keep it firmly on the map.

The project is designed to reaffirm Otaki ¯ as a thriving community with a cultural centre and a destination retail hub by sharing stories of the town’s people, history and character, including its success with Ma¯ ori language revitalisation.

Elevate O¯ taki, launching today, is a collaboration between community groups, business owners, cultural representatives, Ka¯ piti Coast District Council and the NZ Transport Agency to support the diversity of the town, lifting it up to be seen and heard, says project spokesperson Libby Hakaraia — an acclaimed NZ filmmaker and creative force behind the O¯ taki-based internationally recognised Maoriland

Film Festival.

“We know we live in a unique, storied landscape and we wanted to share this widely,” she said.

It includes a stunning photographic series depicting people and wha¯ nau who live, work and play in O¯ taki, along with their stories, produced as a set of large billboards and photographic artwork placed on buildings around the town and on State Highway 1. This powerful, community-integrated art installation is supported by a digital campaign with storytelling and social engagement.

The project also includes a new identity statement and a new logo that reflects the O¯ taki story, which will be officially revealed at the project’s launch next week.

The entire campaign is bilingual — reflecting O¯ taki as a town where

Ma¯ ori is heard widely due in part to it being the location of the first Ma¯ ori university in New Zealand, Te

Wa¯ nanga o Raukawa.

Ka¯ piti Coast District Councillor and Elevate O¯ taki committee member Angela Buswell says values and a sense of purpose for O¯ taki are some of the main drivers behind the project, given recent world events. “Our world has changed,” she said. “Values of diversity and inclusion are more important than ever and through these stories, O¯ taki is saying proudly, this is what we stand for.”

Buswell says supporting the town’s loyal retail sector is a vital component, with the roading changes putting pressure on businesses even before Covid-19 hit. While a small number closed their doors, new businesses are choosing to open in O¯ taki, joining those who have been a huge part of the community for much longer.

“A lot of key relationships and connections have been formed or uncovered through the project through a willingness to collaborate between business, community and local government,” she said.

The Elevate O¯ taki project was funded jointly by KCDC and NZTA, and is the culmination of a series of community consultations including public and stakeholder meetings and engagement, preview feedback, and social media engagement and polling.

The logo and identity statement were developed by O¯ taki’s Fraser Carson and the project has been photographically curated and coordinated by Talk Creative, a

Ka¯ piti-based organisation that specialises in helping communities thrive through storytelling.