Prior to European arrivals in Aotearoa, Parihoa had a history of Māori settlement. In recent times, the land has been used mostly for farming. The current custodian, Matt Chapman, first saw the land in 2012, and having visited and experienced it for himself, was so transfixed that a year later, he purchased it from the Storey family. The bold vision of the Storey family, in collaboration with acclaimed NZ architect Andrew Patterson, created an iconic house that is the architectural crown jewel of Parihoa, winning awards and featuring in many global commercials.
For the past decade, Parihoa has been used as a working farm, a private home, and an events venue. But what’s most important about Parihoa is its impact on people. For Matt, and for many friends who have visited and felt its special energy, Parihoa has been a place of transformation.
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I’m Matt, the current custodian of Parihoa and the founder of the Parihoa Network.
At the time I discovered Parihoa, I was living in a small condominium in Singapore, one of the most urbanised and bustling cities in the world. This was a very different environment from the wide-open spaces where I grew up in rural New South Wales. I went to university in Sydney, and in 2004, I moved from there to Singapore to begin my career in recruitment.
Although I was surrounded by people in Singapore, the company I co-founded there, ChapmanCG, operated largely in a virtual environment. Finding Parihoa meant reconnecting with the physical world, with my own physicality, and with other people in a more human way.
Parihoa has always been a remarkable spot for connection, cultivating a unique culture that draws in friends and partners from New Zealand and around the globe for a huge diversity of events and happenings. Many hands have created and worked together to maintain this sanctuary, and it’s evident in the way people experience this place.
Just as we seek to harness the skills of everyone involved to ensure that the communities that come together on the land at Parihoa flow and function harmoniously, we are taking that same philosophy into building the Network. The Network will be powered by the people who belong to it, along with the energy and ideas they share. Therefore, we are being very intentional about who we invite to be part of it.
While Parihoa will have a compelling digital presence, it will not seek to be prolific on social media nor to be in the public eye. The value of the Network will be created through genuine human connection, rather than through likes and shares.