The inspirational narratives of the great ancestor Taramainuku, the Manukau Harbour and two waka have, in this Ōtara kāinga, manifested in two broad embracing arms connected by a generous courtyard at ground level. The two waka Tau Ihu or prow carvings are here detached and grounded to become pou forming a gateway anchoring the frontage and place. A Whare Manaaki and community garden sit alongside, ‘steadying the waka’, while offering a trusted meeting space and broader social facilities for inhabitants and the community. This project rises to the challenge of securing a place for a community sector more accustomed to disparity. The all-embracing roof of the apartments intersects with the tau ihu or pou, yet does not touch them, leaving intact their defiant gesture as a key identifier and cultural statement for this project’s inhabitants.