Ngāi Tahu ki Te Whanganui-a-Tara

Our taurahere rōpū held our wonderful Hui-ā-Whānau Tuarua on Sunday 26 February. Despite competing with the live televising of the final day of Te Matatini, nearly 30 whānau came together.

We enjoyed a full day of whanaungatanga filled with a te reo session, waiata practise and lots of good kai. New whānau from our previous hui came along which made us very happy to be increasing our connections. With the pepeha sheets prepared for the 2016 road shows, we learned more of our connections to each other and about our own whakapapa.

Helen Thoms from the Ngāi Tahu Funds team came to explain the different kind of support that exists for us as whānau or as a rōpū. It inspired us to think we should try to plan some wānanga weekend hui for our rōpū once we are a bit more established.

Our next hui is late May 2017 but in the meantime, our Facebook page (Ngāi Tahu ki Te Whanganui-a-Tara) keeps us all connected and allows us to share and invite each other to different events outside of these organised hui. Please join the Facebook page if you have not already. If you want to know more about the group, please contact Karen Coutts: [email protected]

Ngāi Tahu ki Tauranga Moana

Christmas party
While some might have later confessed to quickened mouth juices at the sight of the kererū that crash landed into the tree while we ate our Christmas lunch, none of the attendees would have quibbled at the venue chosen for our end of year ‘do’. Idyllic hardly covers it. We adults were thoroughly drawn into the magic of the setting, it wasn’t hard to picture what the 30 toddlers who attend the Earthchild Centre in Welcome Bay, Tauranga would make of it. Some adults were even drawn to try out for themselves the sturdy drag-action digger in the huge sandpit while others marvelled at the variety of animals the tamariki attending could grow up around.  Everywhere the centre’s learn-by-getting-dirt-under-the-finger-nails philosophy stood out. Moreover, in this land of PC gone mad, there were plenty of opportunities for risk-taking, a necessary component for any child growing up. As adults we could only sit and wonder where the growing-up experiences of our own childhoods have disappeared to as it seems that the world of technology has captured the hearts and minds of today’s tamariki. If that means they are going to be further distanced from the reality of getting some dirt under their fingernails, then what is being lost, or gained by them? We who attended our Ngāi Tahu ki Tauranga Moana end of year function owe thanks to Michael Bosman and partner, Cherie Dean for a memorable occasion, and in passing, we need to commend them for what they are providing some very lucky tamariki. Nā Laurie.

Bimonthly hui
Our first hui of 2017 was chaired by Annis Somerville who welcomed Sergeant Phil Gillbanks as our guest speaker. Phil’s background has seen him work in Auckland, Ōhakune, Palmerston North, Fielding, Papamoa and Tauranga over 23 years in the Police.

Phil gave an interesting talk and some information on internet fraud, identity security and being safe online. He is an expert in this field and was an extremely interesting presenter. Scams and scammers are constantly attempting to take money from people using online methods that can look authentic, but in fact they are scams. Phil said government organisations, businesses or banks will never ask for your banking information in emails. The saying, “if it looks too good to be true, it is” certainly applies to online offers. Scammers have also been known to target children by pretending to be their friends on gaming websites, and then trying to manipulate them. Parents need to keep an eye on their children’s internet activities. Another useful hint he gave our rōpū was that if you have allowed people to access your computer, including repair firms, you should change your password when your computer equipment is returned. After Phil’s address, we had the opportunity to congratulate Annis on her retirement.

Some of the Committee attended Annis and Peter’s last Court sitting and retirement function at Huria Marae in Tauranga. Peter and Annis are committed members of Ngāi Tahu ki Tauranga Moana. Annis served as Chair of the rōpū for many years and Peter actively participates in many events. Peter and Annis are originally from Dunedin. Annis is of Ngāi Tahu descent and she was a trailblazer as the first Māori Family Court Judge to be appointed in New Zealand. Peter and Annis also became the first husband and wife judiciary officers in the country.

We appreciate the support of Peter and Annis as they are very busy people. We are fortunate to have them a bit longer as they are moving South, but, not for a while at this stage.

Laurie Loper also updated the rōpū on the Bobbie
Maths programme and he bought along a beautifully framed photo of his and Uncle Joe Briggs last visit to
Te Waipounamu to discuss this initiative.
Look out for our future hui this year, and come along and join in with other Ngāi Tahu whānau.

Bimonthly hui
Are to be held on 2 April (annual general meeting), 18 June, 20 August, 15 October, 10 December (venue & time aTBA) at Tauranga Boys College Wharenui, starting at 1pm.

Ngāi Tahu ki Melbourne

Ko Poipiripi te whakaruruhau.
Ko Poipiripi te taurahere.
E whakarauika ana te hunga Ngāi Tahu.
Ko te ihoiho o Ngāi Tahu, maranga mai, tū mai rā.

Melbourne is the place where this Ngāi Tahu taurahere resides and gathers to celebrate their Ngāi Tahutanga. Ngāi Tahu, rise and stand tall.

Ko te tino kaupapa o te rōpū taurahere nei.
Ka hāpaitia te mana whānau kia tūhono, kia whakaako, kia whakanui hoki i te Ngāi Tahutanga.
The Melbourne taurahere was established after the Ngāi Tahu road show in August 2016. We are looking forward to hosting the Ngāi Tahu Road show 2017.

The main aim of the taurahere is to help local whānau connect, celebrate and grow their Ngāi Tahutanga. The Ngāi Tahu ki Melbourne Facebook page and pānui have been very important and informative to the whānau. They aim to keep whānau up to date with iwi news, teach te reo and waiata, learn whakapapa and history, and support each other as Ngāi Tahu ki Melbourne.
Upcoming events include Wānanga Reo April 8-9, aimed at total beginners – there will be something for everyone. If you have any whānau in Melbourne or the wider state of Victoria, encourage them to attend – all welcome.

The wānanga will provide an introduction to the basic personal introduction, mihimihi, karakia, waiata to the basic language structures and vocabulary at a communicative level. It will reinforce vowels, consonants, diphthongs, blends, correct pronunciation of Māori words and much more.

Contact Danella for more information [email protected].

Ngāi Tahu ki te Matau a Māui

Te Kahu o Te Amorangi.
Ko te amorangi ki mua, ko te hāpai-ō ki muri.
Te tūturutanga mahi pono o te Māori mana motuhake.

The prominent leaders take the lead and all will follow.
Māoridom, determining their own destination.

The activities and work of the Ngāi Tahu ki te Matau a Māui taurahere rōpū has been pre-occupied with Te Matatini 2017.
Many volunteered, hosted whānau, and performed on stage. Many Ngāi Tahu whānau travelled from Australia to join 50,000 others who participated in the five day festival. Thank you to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu for their manaaki extended to our tāua and pōua from our taurahere, who were honoured to watch the hui from the VIP tent. Mihi nui ki a Moana Jackson – Moana Jackson joined Ngāi Tahu as Te Whānau-a-Apanui kapa haka acknowledged his contribution in waiata on stage.