New website to support Northland Māori, community organisations and small businesses launched

Juanita Cleaver and Carol Peters will be launching Rerengātahi, a new website for Northland Māori, community groups and small businesses, in Whangārei on Wednesday. Photo / Tania Whyte

A new website aimed at supporting Northland Māori, community organisations and small local businesses will be formally launched today in Whangārei.

The site, named Rerengātahi, has been years in the making and is scheduled to launch at 1pm at Hihiaua Cultural Centre.

Rerengātahi is an online connecting place born from the restrictions of Covid when small businesses were disconnected from their buyers and not-for-profit roopu struggled to keep their community links alive. The website's name refers to birds like kūkupa flying together.

Rerengatahi.nz shows Northlanders how they can use the platform to share information and skills - including how organisations can connect with people; how communities can share events and ideas, and how micro-businesses like whānau economic initiatives or artists will be able to sell products and services.

Co-founder and Whangārei District Councillor Dr Carol Peters said each of the founding groups of Rerengātahi was part of the Covid emergency response for Te Tai Tokerau over the past couple of years.

A new website to support Northland Māori, community organisations and small businesses will be launched at Whangārei's Hihiaua Cultural Centre on Wednesday. Photo / File

"We wondered how we could support organisations that were struggling to connect with their communities. In response, Rerengātahi was created."

Lead coordinator for Rerengātahi, Juanita Cleaver, said all listings on the site are free.

"We want organisations to contact us if they want to be on the site. Even if it's just one person or whānau setting up on their own, we can provide a platform to get the word out.

"It's a community affair. Each area will have its own list of organisations, calendar of events, community noticeboard and a digital pātaka."

The project is established by 155 Community House, He Iwi Kotahi Tātou Trust and Northland Urban Rural Mission. The website has been set up and is run by Alex Mason of Red Inc Transmedia.