Kake, J.
Culture Homelessness Housing Schemes
Bridget Williams Books, ,
2019
Kake presents an exploration of traditional Māori housing concepts (kāinga) and their potential application in contemporary urban contexts.
The book delves into the historical significance of kāinga as not only physical structures but also central pillars of community, culture, and connection for Māori people. Colonial settlement and the discriminatory policies of successive governments, as the author notes, have challenged Māori connections to whenua and kāinga. As a result, home ownership rates for Māori are well below the national average and Māori are over-represented in the statistics of substandard housing. Kake argues that the principles underlying traditional Māori settlements, including communal living, environmental sustainability, and cultural identity, offer valuable insights for addressing modern housing crises. Through a mix of historical analysis, case studies, and policy critique, the author proposes actionable strategies for integrating Māori values into today’s urban planning and housing development practices. The book charts the recent resurgence of contemporary papakāinga on whenua Māori. It also reframes Māori housing as a Treaty issue. Kake envisions a future where Māori are supported to build businesses and affordable homes on whānau, hapū or Treaty settlement lands. The implications of this approach, Kake writes, are transformative. This work challenges readers to reconsider conventional approaches to housing and urban development through a bicultural lens, advocating for a future where Māori cultural practices inform and enrich New Zealand’s urban landscapes.
