96 | Mahi at maraes recognised The Xcel Builders team celebrate taking out the Bilingual Business Category at the 2023 Rotorua Business Awards. XCEL Builders T T Bernadette Cooney BUILDING Putting in the mahi at maraes across the Bay of Plenty has earned accolades for a Rotorua building company at the 2023 Rotorua Business Awards. Delivered each year for the past 20 years, by the Rotorua Business Chamber, last years’ awards saw 62 finalists compete for a category win. Xcel Builders Ltd took out the Bilingual Business Category sponsored by BNZ, in recognition of the improvements they had made to 13 of the region’s maraes over the past two and a half years. Xcel Builders are contracted to rebuild, repair and renovate Bay of Plenty maraes as part of the Oranga Marae programme, funded by Te Puna Kokiri and the Department of Internal Affairs and another scheme which started under the former government’s Provincial Growth Fund. The building company are pleased to be recognised for their work, and add they are also rewarded by seeing the transformation an upgrade brings. “Maraes are the heart and soul of Māori culture and it’s not just the build that has a transformational effect. It’s the economic, social and cultural transformation it results in for iwi, hapu, communities and whanau that really is its own reward,” says Xcel Builders founder Asher Nikora. “Our purpose is to assist community, iwi, hapū and whānau with marae and social papakāinga housing development building projects which make a generational difference.” Established about 2015, Xcel Builders are certainly making that difference, including helping local rangatahi start building apprenticeships and obtain pre-trade tickets and licences. “We have partnered with Toi Ohomai polytechnic to ensure building apprenticeships are available and Vertical Horizon NZ to obtain their pre-trade Level 3 working from heights tickets,” says Asher. Xcel Builders are a Māori owned and operated company that works alongside marae trustees to complete projects. Ashers son, Chaye is the operations manager while Ashers daughter Reana, has recently joined the management team upon completion of her business degree. The Bay of Plenty region has 224 maraes within its boundaries, the highest number in New Zealand says Asher. One of which is Te Mapou marae at Maungapohatu, in the heartland of Urewera and affiliated to Tamakaimoana and the Tuhoe iwi. “Logistically it is one of the most challenging areas in the whole country. It’s an extremely isolated marae,” says Asher. Its remoteness meant the building site had no power supply and the weather was dramatically changeable. “No power, no hot water and then at one point it was literally snowing’’ says Asher. Xcel Builders quickly established a power connection by way of diesel generator and solar panel system, plus they installed gas hot water heating and established a satellite wi-fi connection through the governments marae connectivity initiative. “It’s all infrastructure that was gifted to the marae community and left behind after the build,” says Asher. Te Mapou marae received a complete ground up rebuild of its tipuna whare – Tanenuiarangi. First built in 1914, the meeting house also had its carvings restored. “The lead carver on this project was Marnie Te Are.” Ngahina marae, another Tuhoe marae, received a $1.5m upgrade through Oranga Marae and PGF fund, from Xcel Builders. This is located in Ruatoki, 22km from Whakatane. “This was a structural rebuild of the wharekai and dining room,” says Asher. “A small conference room was also built and a new toilet block. The lead carver on this project was John Rua, who restored the whakairo on the tipuna whare Tawhaki.” The marae revitalisation projects are professionally and personally satisfying, and Xcel Builders is aiming to continue transforming maraes with upgrades planned for Gisborne, Rotorua and Tauranga. ROTORUA Plumbing, Gas Fitting & Drain Laying In Rotorua Drainage & Soakage • Residential • Commercial Maintenance • Plumbing • Gasfitting 072626017 hutchyplumbing@gmail.com
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