Kia hiwa rā, kia oho, kia tū, kia mataara!
Kua takoto te mānuka, hei kawe ake.
Ka tau te mauri ora!
Nekeneke noa mai ana a Rūaumoko
i te kōpū o te whenua.
Mataku tonu mai ana ngā mokopuna a Tāne-toko-i-rangi.

Poutūterangi, poua ki runga
Poutokomanawa, titia ki raro
Kua rauika te Matatini ki te Matau o te Ika a Māui. Kārohirohi ana te kahurangi o Te Wai – Pounamu e.
Tihei mauri ora.

February marked six years since the tragic earthquakes that rocked our Canterbury whānau, and I can’t think of anything more fitting to commemorate those who lost their lives than Oi Manawa, the Canterbury Earthquake National Memorial. The name was gifted by Ngāi Tahu and means the tremor of the heart.

Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu played a significant role in the development and unveiling of Oi Manawa and I would like to thank everyone who was involved in the memorial development and the many months of planning for the unveiling ceremony.

February wasn’t only a time for commemoration, it was also about celebration, and it was great to be able to go to Te Mātinitini and support the four kapa hakā teams from Te Waipounamu. Everyone in the crowd was impressed by their routines and I was very proud of all the participants. I would also like to congratulate all those who completed Aoraki Bound in February. Aoraki Bound is a mental and physical challenge and it is great to see another rōpū learn about Ngāi Tahutanga and be pushed to the edge. I know there will be some future tribal leaders to come out of this year’s alumni.

As I mentioned in my last column, 2017 is a very exciting year for Ngāi Tahu as it marks the significant milestone of 20 years since the Deed of Settlement. During the year we’ll be reflecting on our journey to settlement and recognising and paying tribute to those people past and present who dedicated their lives to progress the claim over many years. Watch this space as we tell some of those stories – but for now, let’s remember some of the key historical events that have happened in the month of March that contributed to our Settlement. In 1859 the Kaikōura Deed was signed, this was one of the key land sales that helped Ngāi Tahu develop our Settlement. In addition, March was the month the Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust moved into Te Waipounamu House on Armagh Street. I’m sure many whānau have good memories associated with that building and I hope one day Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu will return to a building in the central city.

In February, I also attended the Iwi Chairs Forum in Waitangi. The Forum provided a great opportunity for iwi from across Aotearoa to come together and discuss some of the pressing issues for Māori. Some of the big discussions centred on freshwater, iwi engagement with the Crown and the Children, Young Persons and Their Families (Oranga Tamariki) Legislation Bill. Iwi Chairs will continue to strongly advocate for Māori on these, and other, kaupapa.

You will also be aware that Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu has paused the election process for the Kaiwhakahaere – a decision made by the board and announced by Arihia in late February. It has been more than two decades since the formation of TRoNT, and the departure of Tā Mark from the board late last year, who has admirably filled the Kaiwhakahaere role almost since TRoNT’s inception, was seen as an ideal opportunity to review the role.

Tā Mark leaves some big shoes to fill and a key part of this process is to review the Kaiwhakahaere role to identify whether it is appropriately structured and resourced as we enter the next phase of our iwi development, and to also identify a process that supports the smooth transition for the new Kaiwhakahaere into what is a crucially important role for Ngāi Tahu.

I hope everyone takes the opportunity to get out into the beautiful autumn air and spend some time outside with whānau before we head into winter.

Lisa Tumahai.

Lisa Tumahai

Pūkatokato ana te ngākau o tangata, kōrengarenga ana te puna roimata.
Whakangaeke ana te poho o te tangata.
He roimata ua, he roimata tangata.
Takoto mai rā te rau piopio, te rau o tītapu.
I kaha nei te ringa o aituā i ngā marama, kua hori nei.
Heoi anō, ko tātou te urupā o rātou mā.
Tihe!

Kua eke nei te tau hou, he aha ōu nei moehewa awhero hoki kia tutuki i a koe?

Ko ngā pia o ngā whare wānanga o te motu mai i Te Whare Wānanga o te Whare Tū Tauā tae noa ki ngā Wharekura, ki ngā whare wānanga whānui. He ākonga rangatahi mai, pākeke mai, kaumātua mai.

Me ki pēnei ai , whakakī ana tō kete uruuru rangi, tō kete aronui. I tutuki ai nā rau ringa, ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari, he toa takitini .

Heoi anō, e te tī, e te tā, koutou māte takitini, tēnā koutou katoa.
Tena koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.

I hope everyone had a relaxing summer break and that you are all feeling energised for 2017. I spent the break on the West Coast and loved hanging out at home with friends and whānau.

To kick off the new year on a positive note, I would firstly like to congratulate all those Ngāi Tahu whānau members who graduated in 2016. It was overwhelming to see the number of graduates profiled in this magazine throughout the year and at the graduation services I attended. I graduated from Canterbury University myself and it was great to see such a large number of fellow Ngāi Tahu whānui participating in the Māori student celebration.

I would also like to congratulate all those Ngāi Tahu whānau members who were recognised in the New Year’s Honours list; and Richard Wallace on becoming the Bishop of Te Waipounamu. I attended his ordainment at Ōnuku in January and it was wonderful seeing all his whānau supporting him on his special day. It is great to have the first-ever Ngāi Tahu Bishop of Te Waipounamu – and a Coaster to boot. Kāti rā, ka tau ana, ko te Amorangi ki mua, ko te hāpai ō ki muri.

From a Ngāi Tahu perspective, 2017 is a very exciting year, marking 20 years since the signing of the Deed of Settlement. We are planning a number of initiatives to celebrate the occasion with Hui-ā-Iwi a key focus of our celebrations – watch
this space.

Initially we were planning for Kaikōura to host the event, but due to the quakes Te Rūnanga has made the decision to move Hui-ā-Iwi to Christchurch. The dates are 24 – 26 November, so put them in your calendar whānau and start making your plans to join the fun.

Other events I am really looking forward to this year include Naia te Toa, our rūnanga sports day which will give whānau from around the takiwā the chance to come together for some friendly competition; and Te Matatini, where we have four teams representing Te Waipounamu.

In February I went to the Iwi Chairs Forum in Waitangi. The Forum provides a great opportunity for iwi from across Aotearoa to come together and discuss some of the pressing issues for Māori.

Ngāi Tahu also commemorated Waitangi Day with the Ngāi Tahu Treaty Festival taking place at Ōtākou Marae This is always a great time of year for whānau to come together and discuss the fulfilment of Treaty obligations and the big issues for Ngāi Tahu.

As you are all aware 2016 was not without its challenges. In December 2016 Tā Mark Solomon ended his 18-year tenure as Kaiwhakahaere after choosing not to stand for re-election as Representative of Kaikōura Rūnanga. Over the coming months we will be completing the process to appoint a new Kaiwhakahaere. As Interim Kaiwhakahaere, I believe that it is my role to keep the waka on course, not to make any changes to our ordinary course of business, launch new initiatives or make substantive changes. I have therefore set up a wider advisory team that incorporates a cross-section of Rūnanga Representatives to help with interim decision-making.

I must also acknowledge that there have been issues at a governance level in regards to the leaking of confidential information. Te Rūnanga takes these matters seriously and I expect there to be a resolution in the very near future.

It was with great sadness that we saw the passing of Aunty Rima Subritzky and Georgina Hilda Mary (Tilly) Tainui in January of this year. My aroha goes out to their whānau.

I hope that the rest of the year brings positive outcomes for all our whānau and I look forward to a rewarding 2017.

Lisa signature

Lisa Tumahai

Hotuhotu nei te manawa i te wehenga atu o ngā mate huhua o te motu. Ko rātou mā nō te kei o te waka tae noa ki te hiku kua karangahia e Tahu Kumea, e Tahu Whakairo. Hanatu rā i a Tamarēreti e rere ana i te au o oti atu, ki te kāinga tūturu o ō tātou tīpuna okioki mai rā, okioki mai rā.

Kāti ake rā, ū mai te waka whakaaro i te moana o wairua ki ngā oneone o te ao kikokiko, tīhei mauri ora.
Ko te manako ia e noho haumaru ana tātou ki tēnā pito, ki tēnā pito. Kei te mahana haere, kua pihi mai ētahi tipu hou hei whakarākei i te kahu o Papatūānuku, ā, kare he roa ka tatū mai a Rehua. Nō reira, tēnā tātou katoa e tai mā i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā.

This is always a busy time of the year for me and for Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. We celebrate ‘Settlement Day,’ the date on which the legislation to give effect to the Ngāi Tahu Deed of Settlement came into effect. At times it only seems like yesterday and at others it seems a life-time ago. To celebrate Settlement Day this year, the staff of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu took the opportunity to get out the office and help local Papatipu Rūnanga with jobs around their marae.

Our Christchurch staff were divided up across Rāpaki, Koukourārata, Tuahiwi, Taumutu, Wairewa and Ōnuku where staff helped with tasks that included: inventory, gardening, painting, harakeke harvesting and maintenance. Dunedin staff worked at Te Nohoaka o Tukiauau (Sinclair Wetlands).

The fruits of the settlement are also reported on at this time of the year when Te Rūnanga issues its annual report, which sets out the activities of the Te Rūnanga Group for the previous year. I encourage you all to look at the annual report on the Ngāi Tahu website. It is pleasing to see our long-term investment approach is paying off. This year we posted an end-of-year profit of $168.73m (post-distribution) for the year ended 30 June 2016. You can find our annual report and accompanying videos online here: http://ngaitahu.iwi.nz/investment/ngai-tahu-annual-reports/2016-annual-report/

Our strong financial performance ensures we can continue to deliver initiatives to whānau that help enhance their wellbeing and quality of life. Our focus is always intergenerational, and strong investments now mean future generations of Ngāi Tahu will thrive, Mō tātou, ā, mō kā uri ā muri ake nei – for us and our children after us.

One big news items for Māori recently has been the Kermadec Ocean Sanctuary Bill. You may have read that Te Ohu Kaimoana has rejected compromises the government proposed in relation to the Bill. The government did not adequately consult Māori about the creation of the sanctuary, which takes away rights that are guaranteed to us under the 1992 Sealord Deal.

Te Ohu Kaimoana offered a compromise to shelve the use of the Māori fishing quota in the Kermadec region but not lose the right to it, but this was not accepted. In my view we cannot stand by and let Treaty rights be swept under the table by the government. If the fisheries settlement is so easily breached then what of our own settlement? For these reasons I have voiced my support for the position taken by Te Ohu Kaimoana. We do not oppose Marine Reserves, or the protection of the marine areas, but this has to be done by agreement and not by trampling over the rights provided for in our settlements.

At the end of October I will be giving the keynote address at the ending domestic and family violence summit in Wellington. This summit is a great follow up to the family violence consultation hui which have taken place across Te Waipounamu over the past few months. These hui were hosted by Te Puna Oranga in collaboration with Te Whare Hauora, Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and He Oranga Pounamu. I applaud these hui for creating new ways to support whānau and prevent the impact of violence.

With all the positive things I have to report on a regular basis it always saddens me when I have to report on matters such as the leaking of confidential information from Te Rūnanga sources and the misinformation that is being reported in the media. The actions of what can only be a very small number of people casts doubts on the integrity of the majority of Representatives and Alternates whom I am confident have the best interests of Ngāi Tahu Whānui at heart.

Te Rūnanga is taking this misuse of information seriously and we have had an independent person leading an investigation into these leaks. It was sobering reading to have a report tabled at our September meeting that said while the source of the leak to the media had not been found, what was revealed was that a number of Representatives and Alternates were clearly breaching their obligations to keep confidential information confidential. Te Rūnanga is meeting in mid-October and again in November and I am hoping to be able to report back on the steps we have taken to date to address these issues.

Finally I am pleased to announce that Hui-ā-Tau 2016 will be held at Koukourārata Marae, on Saturday 19 November starting at 9.30am. I hope to see as many whānau there as possible.

Mark.

Tā Mark Solomon.

Tā Mark Solomon.

Kaikinikini nei te manawa i te rerenga atu a ngā rau kawakawa o te motu. Kua wehe atu rā ki te kāinga, ki ō tātou tīpuna. E Pōua Monty, e te manukura, e iri tonu ana te kawakawa i te pare o tō whare o Makō. Kua tahuri kē atu ki te whare o Pōhutukawa, ki tua o tatau kahurangi. Ko koe tērā, Te Ika-a-Whiro, te Kārara o Tūwhakarau i ngā pakanga a te iwi, i whawhai kaha nei kia whai hua tō tātou kerēme. Nāhau te ara whakamua i tārai kia ora ai tō iwi. Tuakoka katoa ana mātou i tō ngaronga atu.

Otirā koutou ngā tini aituā kua karangahia e te hākui o te pō. Haere atu rā koutou ki te kāinga āhuru i te rangi, ki ngā mātua tīpuna, moe mai rā, moe mai rā, okioki mai rā. Kāti ake rā, waiho rātou te hunga wairua ki a rātou. Hoki mai tātou ki a tātou te hunga ora. Kua puta tātou i ngā matimati o Hine Takurua, ko ngā huka ka rewa, ko ngā hau kino o te wā, ka māmā, ka mahana. Ko te inaka kua rere, taihoa ka pihi mai ko ngā tipu hōu. Nāia te miha, te owha atu ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini ahuatanga o te wā. Tēnā rā tātou katoa.

I am sure you will join me in welcoming the warmer weather that Spring is providing us. Spring, coming so soon after matariki is a time of renewal and for seeing things through fresh eyes. In the last month the Ngāi Tahu road shows have continued with sessions in Perth, Rotorua and Ōtautahi. Although I was unable to attend them all, the feedback we get from whānau is always both welcome and inspiring.

Over the past month I have been working on some kaupapa that is very important to me personally as well as for Ngāi Tahu. This has seen me travelling across the country from the Iwi Chairs Forum in Hopuhopu, near Ngaruawahia to the He Toki alumni dinner in Ōtautahi.

The first Iwi Chairs Forum in 2005 was convened at Takahanga Marae in Kaikōura and since then the forum has been meeting regularly to discuss and enable Māori cultural, social, economic, environmental and political development aspirations.

The recent forum was hosted by Waikato Tainui, who introduced a new format that saw iwi chairs working in specialist workstreams. I have heard nothing but praise for this new format, as it allowed for more in depth discussion and better outcomes. At the forum I chaired the Pou Taiao workstreams. Our discussion focused on freshwater and the Resource Management Act.

The forum took time to vote on the signing the Children’s Covenant, a document that creates a commitment by iwi to protect and treasure our tamariki. This is something I am passionate about because we need to work hard to support measures that protect our whānau. When I was approached by Judge Carolyn Henwood to support this kaupapa and to take it to the Iwi Chairs Forum I had no hesitation. In New Zealand we have a huge issue with family violence in our communities, in 2015 police attended around 105,000 domestic violence incidences and children were present at about 80 per cent of all violence incidents in the home. These statistics are unacceptable so I encourage everyone to sign and abide by this Covenant so that our tamariki can grow up safe from violence.

My work on the environment did not stop at the Iwi Chairs Forum. This month I attended a governance meeting with Environment Canterbury, where we discussed iwi rights and responsibilities on freshwater, resource management and the future funding of Whakaora Te Waihora (a partnership programme aimed at restoring Te Waihora) and Whakaraupō – the Lyttelton Harbour plan. I also attended the Te Waihora Co-governors hui.

This was Dame Margaret Bazley’s last meeting, as she has retired from Environment Canterbury. I would like to applaud all the work she has undertaken with Ngāi Tahu in her role and I know in projects like Whakaora Te Waihora we would not be in the position we are today without her support.

In August, I was also fortunate enough to met with He Toki students and apprentices at the He Toki alumni dinner. The dinner was an awesome opportunity for me to engage with the students and hear their stories. I always find it inspiring to hear about the hard work these students are putting in to become trades leaders of the future.

Over the last couple of years Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu has worked with local councils and the community to create the Resilience Greater Christchurch Plan, which was released this month. This plan works to create greater resilience for our Canterbury whānau and it was great to see our cultural values and principles reflected throughout the document.

In this edition you will find an overview of the annual report. Please take some time to read it. We are encouraging feedback on the report at Hui-ā-Tau, and if you do have pātai, please email them through to [email protected]. We will collect these questions and answer them at our report back session at the hui.

To finish, I would like to acknowledge the passing of Montero (Monty) Daniels. Monty served on the Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust Board and played a role in the development of our iwi vision in a post settlement environment. Monty is from the generation of Ngāi Tahu that set the platform for where we are today. I attended his service at Pakira Marae and my aroha is with all the Daniels whānau.

Mark.

Ka tangi mōteatea tātou ki ngā parekawakawa o te motu kua whatungarongaro, kua wehe atu rā ki tua o Moriānuku, ki Te Pūtahi nui o Rehua. E te pītau whakarei o Mātaatua, e Ngapo. Haere ki te huinga o ngā kahurangi, ki tō ipo e tatari tonu ana ki a koe. Ko koe tērā, te huia kaimanawa o te motu, te reo korokī, te pou ahurewa o te ao kapa haka. E noho pakukore ana mātou i tō wehenga. Otirā koutou ngā mate huhua kua karangahia e Tahu Kumea, e Tahu Whakairo. Hanatu rā ki te whare o Pōhutukawa, moe mai rā, okioki mai rā. Kāti ake rā, rātou te hunga wairua ki a rātou, tātou ngā urupā o rātou mā ki a tātou. Tihei mauri ora.

Tēnā rā koutou ngā whānau o Ngāi Tahu e noho ana ki tēnā pito, ki tēnā pito.

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge the contribution Tim Rochford has made as a representative on Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu for the past 17 years. In his mahi Tim has contributed significantly to the development of the iwi and has strongly advocated for Makaawhio. Of particular note for Makaawhio was his strong advocacy for their boundary change, which culminated in an Order in Council in 2001; and for the return of tahutahi pounamu.

I would also like to acknowledge former representatives Ngaire Tainui, Ashley Warnes and David Higgins for their mahi; and the newly appointed representatives, Susan Wallace, Rik Tainui, Gail Gordon, and Karen Coutts. Over the coming months further Papatipu Rūnanga will complete their election cycles and I look forward to seeing the results.

One of the best parts of my job is meeting with whānau and hearing their dreams for the future and their views on how we are doing. The Road Shows are an awesome opportunity to do this. Over 100 whānau attended the Melbourne Road Show and not only did I get to talk to them, but I saw many of them engaging with our staff representatives — discussing their tīpuna and enrolling and gathering information from programmes like Whai Rawa, Tribal Economies and the Ngāi Tahu Fund. I would encourage all whānau to check out these programmes if you have not done so already.

I would also encourage all whānau to head along to your local Road Show. Venues this year have included Melbourne, Te Tairāwhiti and Ōtaki with Rotorua, Ōtautahi, Te Tai Poutini, Ōtākou, Murihiku, Perth and Tāmaki Makaurau still to come. If you would like more information have a look at the Te Rūnanga website and Facebook page.

It was also great to see our people attending the consultation hui on family violence. These hui have been hosted by Te Puna Oranga in collaboration with Te Whare Hauora, Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, and He Oranga Pounamu. As whānau members, we need to speak out when we know family violence is occurring and I applaud these hui for working to create new and improved ways to support whānau and prevent the impact of violence.

I would also like to take this opportunity to acknowledge a special anniversary for three key Te Rūnanga programmes: Aoraki Bound, Whai Rawa and the Ngāi Tahu Fund — all celebrating their 10th anniversary.

Over the last decade, these three programmes have contributed significantly to our development as an iwi and although each programme is unique, they each offer whānau the ability to grow culturally and financially. Each programme aims to ensure Ngāi Tahu whānui live better lives, and that is something we need to celebrate.

Whenever I meet with whānau these programmes are always a big talking point. Whai Rawa has grown to have $52 million in funds under management with over 22,000 members; Aoraki Bound has helped to develop the leadership capacity of over 250 participants; and the Ngāi Tahu Fund has approved over 850,000 applications with over $8.5 million distributed. I am tremendously proud of these programmes but I note they are just the start of unleashing the unlimited potential we have to support our tribal members to realise their dreams.

Mark.

Tā Mark Solomon.

Tā Mark Solomon.

E heke tonu ana ngā roimata ki ngā tini rangatira o te motu kua whetūrangihia i ngā marama tata nei. E tāua, e Te Whe, te kōtuku taiea o Rāpaki kua rere atu ki te ope o te rua Matariki. Ko mātou kua ora i a koe, i āu mahi katoa i te whakarauora reo, i ngā mahi tiaki i ō tātou taonga tuku iho, ā, i te whakapeto ngoi kia ora ai te iwi whānui. Otirā koutou ngā mate huhua kua karangahia e Tahu Kumea, e Tahu Whakairo. Hanatu rā ki te poho o te kāinga o ngā mātua tīpuna, okioki mai rā. Kāti ake rā, rātou ki a rātou, tātou te hunga ora ki a tātou. Mauri ora ki a tātou katoa.

E te iwi, kua anu mātao, ko Makariri. Ko te manako ia, e whitawhita ana te hatete i te kāinga kia whakamahana i te manawa me te wairua o te tangata. Kia kaha tātou ki te tiaki i a tātou anō. Tēnā rā koutou i runga i ngā āhuatanga o te wā.

It is with sadness that we farewelled Te Whe Phillips who passed away in May. Te Whe was always a strong advocate for Ngāi Tahu and her passion and knowledge will be missed. My aroha is with all of her whānau.

Congratulations to Charles Crofts who was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori last month. It was great to see acknowledgement of our rangatira and due recognition of his efforts as part of the Ngāi Tahu A team whose responsibility it was to negotiate the Ngāi Tahu Deed of Settlement. Charles was the first Kaiwhakahaere of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and the public face of the Ngāi Tahu Claim during the 1990s. He continues to play an active role as chair of oukourārata and of course he’s never been one to let any of us rest on our laurels, so is a familiar participant at hui and always ready with a probing question or two.

Congratulations also to Professor John Broughton (Ruahikihiki) who was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori health, theatre and the community. John was a founding director of the Ngāi Tahu Māori Health Research Unit and is Professor of Māori Health, Department of Preventative and Social Medicine, Otago Medical School. John has also written and co-produced 22 theatre productions including ‘Hell and Bullets: The WWI Diary of Private Hohepa Teihoka’, which was showcased at Hui-ā-Iwi last year.

Charles and John were among many Māori who received recognition in the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

I have sent my personal congratulations to our Ngāi Tahu recipients and in many ways each of their journeys are a small indication of how far our people have come. They have each made amazing contributions to our community.

In May, I was asked to speak at the official opening of Environment Canterbury’s new building. Being asked to speak at this event was a reflection on the ever growing partnership Ngāi Tahu has developed with Environment Canterbury.

As a sign of this partnership, the 10 Papatipu Rūnanga of the Canterbury region gifted a taonga to Environment Canterbury. The taonga was a collection of eight stones arranged in the night sky formation of Puaka and Matariki, representing the geographical reach of the Council’s work.

During my speech I emphasised that our partnership needs to continue to grow. Recent media attention on the prospect of 40 billion litres of Canterbury’s water being bottled and sold highlighted that greater involvement of mana whenua is required in relation to the management of, and decision-making around, water in our rohe. I attended the Ahuwhenua Māori Excellence in Farming Awards where the Proprietors of Rakaia Incorporation took home the win. This was the first time in the 83-year history of the competition that a South Island dairy farm has won the Ahuwhenua Trophy.

Over the past couple of months I have enjoyed seeing the recognition that Ngāi Tahu Holdings has received for their mahi. Ngāi Tahu Holdings won the Outstanding Business Leadership award at the Māori Business Leaders Awards. Award organisers emphasised the great mahi Ngāi Tahu Holdings has done over the past few years to develop a diversified portfolio.

I also acknowledge all of the Ngāi Tahu Holdings subsidiaries who have been winning some excellent awards. These awards are a reflection of the hard work employees are putting in.

It is great to see our people attending the consultation hui on family violence that have been taking place around the takiwā. These have been hosted by Te Puna Oranga in collaboration with Te Whare Hauora, Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, and He Oranga Pounamu. We must continue to seek new and improved ways to strengthen the capacity of support for whānau to prevent the impact of violence. The kōrero has been fantastic and I am pleased to see whānau embracing this conversation.

Over the next few months, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu will be holding a series of Road Shows across Australia and New Zealand. These will provide whānau with an opportunity to hear from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and celebrate Ngāi Tahutanga and whanaungatanga. I hope to see many of you at these events — please keep an eye on Facebook and our website for all information about dates in your region.

Mark.

Ko Mātahi a te tau. He tohu, ko pihi mai he ao hōu, he ao hōu i te rewanga o Puanga, kua tau mai hoki a Pieke. Hei tohu whakamaharatanga ki a rātou kua whetūrangitia i te tau kua taha ake nei, rātou kua haere ki te ope o te rua Matariki hei whetū taukapo i ngā rangi. Ko tātou tēnei e takatū nei ki te tau hōu e hanatū nei. He tātai whetū ki te rangi mau tonu, mau tonu. He tātai tangata ki te whenua ngaro noa, ngaro noa. Hoki mai ki a tātou ngā uri makorea o rātou mā, tēnā rā tātou katoa.

Nāia te hau o mihi e rere arorangi atu ki a koutou ngā uri o Tahu Pōtiki e ponitaka nei i ngā ahi o ngā kāinga huri noa. Ko te manako ia e noho haumaru ana koutou i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Mauri ora ki a koutou katoa e tai mā.

As you may be aware, in late April I announced that I will not be seeking re-election as the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Representative for Kaikōura. I was always aware that my stance on supporting the victims of sexual abuse in my own community may come at a high price. My decision not to stand as the Representative of Kaikōura needs to be separated from my commitment to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, to Ngāi Tahu Whānui and to all iwi aspirations that will assist our people to lead healthy and prosperous lives.

My focus going forward will be on changing outcomes for our whānau. I will continue to lead anti-abuse initiatives within all communities but particularly within our Ngāi Tahu communities.

I am particularly excited about a new project which is about to be launched in conjunction with Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu. Tu Pono – te mana kaha o te whānau – has been scheduled as a partnership approach alongside of a new pilot, the Integrated Service Response pilot which starts on 1 July in Christchurch. The response team will bring together Police, Child, Youth and Family, Corrections, health, specialist family violence NGOs and Māori service providers. The new approach will replace the Family Violence Interagency Response System (FVIARS).

What will follow is a collaborative programme which will develop and implement a partnership approach between whānau, hapū and iwi and specialist providers Whānau Ora Navigators within our communities throughout the Ngāi Tahu takiwā.

On 28 April, Te Puna Oranga presented me with some fantastic new resources to be launched at the 20 May symposium, Whakatōkia te Kākano o te Hā.

Education for our whānau will also remain a key priority for me. For some of our whānau it will be tertiary education, for some the after schools initiatives and for others it will be the practical programmes such as He Toki ki te Rika and Whenua Kura. 1200 students have now participated in the He Toki suite of programmes, including pre-trade and trade programmes.

Ninety-eight students have participated in the Whenua Kura suite of agricultural and horticultural training programmes since the commencement of Whenua Kura just under two years ago. This collaboration of education and industry has been of huge benefit to all the parties, not least of all our whānau.

Within the environmental arena we (the collective we) have some huge challenges as we tackle a future affected by climate change. Our debates of today about protecting mahinga kai resources and Te Mana o te Wai are going to continue well into the future. As a member of the governance board for Pure Advantage and also the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge I am privileged to take part in some very real strategic initiatives which will be of benefit to the hapū and marae of tomorrow.

Many of these types of initiatives were also raised and discussed at Iwi Chairs Forum in Rotorua and at the Te Waka a Māui hui the preceding day. Our challenges are the same challenges that are experienced by other iwi. I was delighted that the iwi of Te Waka a Māui came with Ngāi Tahu to the national forum as one.

In April, I spoke at the celebration of the completion of the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Addington housing project. This is an iwi-led project completed in partnership with the Rātā Foundation and Te Puni Kōkiri. These projects take considerable effort.

I want to thank Arihia and our partners for bringing this project to a conclusion, but as always there is more to be done. The project is the beginning of a much greater focus on housing initiatives for our whānau. It is our long-term plan to look at housing throughout the takiwā. We want to grow and expand on potential housing initiatives, with a focus on supporting whānau to achieve home ownership.

Mark.

Papaki kau ana ngā tai o Mahaanui. E rere ana a Roimata me Hupe. E tangi ana te iwi mō te uri a Ruahikihiki, a Irakehu, mō Joseph Nutira. Nāia te tangi, nāia te matapōrehu mōhou e Pōua. Koutou ko ngā mate tuatinitini, tuamanomano, ngā mate huhua o te wā, hanatu rā koutou ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi, ki te kāinga tūturu o te tangata. Haere, haere, haere atu rā.

Waiho atu rā ngā mate ki ngā mate. Ko tātou ngā urupā konohi o rātou mā ki a tātou, e te iwi nei rā ko te whakamiha o te wā ki a koutou.

Mauri ora ki a koutou e tai mā, ko te tūmanako ia e ora ana koutou i te nohotahi ki te whānau me ngā hoa. Ka nui te mihi kau ki tēnā rūnanga, ki tēnā hapū, ki tēnā whānau. Tēnā rā tātou katoa.

In March I was invited to address the 46 new students beginning the Whenua Kura programme at Koukourārata. It was great to see so many happy faces and it was an awesome day.

Whenua Kura is open to all Māori, with scholarships available for those aged 16-40. It is a learning partnership between Te Tapuae o Rehua, Ngāi Tahu Farming and Lincoln University, that seeks to grow Māori leadership in agriculture. When I met with the students I saw real potential and enthusiasm among them. I know that with the help of Whenua Kura they will have the opportunity to become future leaders in agriculture.

It is so important to have these celebratory events to remind ourselves of the achievements and milestones that the iwi continues to attain, particularly when faced with negative news coverage of other events. I’m sure many of you will have seen the media coverage and will be aware that the descendants of Kurī are facing a challenging time. As I said in a pānui on this matter to whānau in early April, it is extremely difficult to live within a community with the knowledge that some of your whānau have been the perpetrators of or victims of sexual abuse. Kurī are being courageous in facing these challenges. The national statistics on sex abuse are staggering with the victims being both male and female and Māori and non-Māori – so very few cases come to Court and when they do it is very important to let the process take place without external influences on the process. Again, I want to mihi to my relations as they stand up for what is right.

Throughout March there was a lot of public attention on the proposed Kermadec Sanctuary and the subsequent legal action Te Ohu Kaimoana has taken against the Crown. For me the key with these matters is always that Treaty rights cannot be ignored. To achieve this, the Crown needs to engage in proper dialogue and consultation with Māori.

Te Ohu Kaimoana were given 10 hours notice before the Prime Minister announced the Kermadec Sanctuary Plan and that is not
real consultation. This is why Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu has publicly expressed our support for the efforts of Te Ohu Kaimoana
in rectifying the situation. Our involvement in the work of Te Ohu Kaimoana is occurring on a number of levels. I also attended their annual general meeting in Auckland, where Quentin Hix and myself were mandated to vote with other iwi representatives on the future funding of the organisation. Representatives decided that further investigation into the funding options should be undertaken before a final decision is made. I will update you as this progresses.

And finally, I wish to confirm that I have resigned as the Chair of Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura and as chair of the Kaikōura Rūnanga holding company. I remain however, on the executive of my rūnanga as the chair of the Marae Trustees and as the Representative of Kaikōura to Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. This means that my position as Kaiwhakahaere of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu remains unaffected.

Auē te tangi kau atu ki ngā mate huhua o te wā. Ka maumaharatia rātou mā i aituātia rū ki Waitaha nei i ngā tau e rima ki muri nei. Ka noho ki te pūmanawa e kore rawa e wareware. Ka matapōrehu kau atu hoki i te mātanga take Māori, i te uri a Whakatōhea, ki a koe Tākuta Ranginui Walker. Ko te motu e hopo ana mōhou. Nō reira e ngā mate huhua o te motu, hanatu rā ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi, ki ngā mātua tīpuna. Okioki mai rā, ā, whakangaro atu rā.

Ki a tātou te urupā kanohi o rātou ki a tātou, tēnā rā tātou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Ko te wawata nui, e noho ora ana koutou i te kāinga. Noho ora mai i ngā manaakitanga o te wāhi ngaro. Naia te whakamiha.

February was a time of remembrance for Canterbury whānau and we had a few reminders from Rūaumoko about the tough times we have faced over the past five years. I continue to be humbled by the large numbers who still attend the earthquake memorial services in the Botanic Gardens and at the CTV site. These numbers speak to the lasting impact of the 2010–2011 quakes.

At the beginning of March, I was invited to speak at the 2016 Tāne Ora Conference. The theme of the conference was Whakanuia Ngā Rangatira – Celebrating Leadership.

I have spoken about leadership many times and when I think about it in the context of our appalling statistics for family violence and Māori men’s health, I keep coming back to one thing – good leadership is rooted in a solid sense of personal identity and, by virtue of that, in encouraging our whānau to be the best they can possibly be. We need our men to know who they are and where they come from. We need them to embark on a journey of cultural growth, to renew their ties to their whakapapa and what it means to be Māori. And as I’ve said far too many times before, it’s time to stand up against abuse; to speak out against neglect; to seize every opportunity, to believe our whānau, and especially our children, should be cherished, nurtured, loved and cared for.

The moment that we come together and appreciate the intimate connection between whakapapa, wairua and wellbeing will be the moment in which we can proudly say we are whānau, we are Ngāi Tahu, we are Māori.

You may be aware that Ngāi Tahu Farming was selected as one of three finalists in the Ahuwhenua Māori Farming Awards. In their bid for the award, Ngāi Tahu Farming hosted the judges on the 7-8 March, with the public who were also welcome to look at the facilities on the 8 March. The winner will be announced in May, and I am hopeful Ngāi Tahu Farming will win the award.

On a final note, it is with great sadness that I acknowledge the passing of Dr Ranginui Walker. Ranginui had a profound influence on Māoridom. His passion for te reo Māori and Māori history were second to none with his services to Māori recognised in 2001 when he became a Distinguished Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit. Dr Walker will be remembered for his activism, writing, teachings and social commentary. Our aroha and condolences are with his whānau.

Mark.

Ka heke a Roimata, ka rere a Hupe, ka tangihia ngā mate huhua o te wā, huri, huri, huri noa i te motu. Nei au ka matapōrehu ki tērā o ngā mareikura, ki Te Whatukura a Takaroa, ki te uri a Huikai a Tūtehuarewa, ki a koe Linda, whakangaro atu rā. Waiho atu te tewe muri nei hei hopo, hei auē mōhou, otirā mō koutou te hunga wairua. Kua karangahia koutou e Tahu Kumea, e Tahu Whakairo kia hono atu ai ki ngā mātua tīpuna, ki te Matua nui i te rangi. Hanatu rā, hanatu rā, okioki mai rā. Ko koutou ki a koutou. Ko tātou te urupā konohi o rātou mā ki a tātou i tēnei ao hurihuri, i tēnei ao kōmiro. Tēnā tātou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā.

E tai mā, e hika mā o ngā Papatipu Marae, e te iwi whānui, nāia te uruhau, nāia hoki te whakamiha o te Tau Hou. Ko te tūmanako ia kua ora koutou i te noho tahi ki te whānau, i te whakatā, i ngā hīhī o Tamanui-te-rā, ā, kua reri mai mō ngā āhuatanga katoa kei mua i te aroaro. Nō reira, kia tau ngā manaakitanga o te wāhi ngaro ki runga i a koutou. Mauri ora e te iwi.

I hope you all had a relaxing summer break and that you feel rejuvenated and ready for 2016. For this year’s Waitangi Day celebrations Lisa Tumahai and I stayed in Waitangi following the Iwi Chairs Forum so we could attend the opening of the Waitangi Museum – a brand new complex situated on the treaty grounds – and Waitangi Day celebrations the following day. The week before the opening a Ngāti Waewae and Ngāi Tahu contingent traveled to Waitangi and gifted a mauri pounamu for the new museum. The name given to the mauri pounamu is Te Whāriki kia mōhio ai tātou ki a tātou. The museum is magnificent and there are many taonga from throughout the country on display including the carved Coronation chair and the piece of tangiwai pounamu gifted to Lord Bledisloe in Picton in 1934. We encourage everyone to visit the museum if you are ever in the Te Taitokerau area.Just prior to this event, Lisa and I attended the Iwi Chairs Forum, which was held in Waitangi and hosted by Ngāti Wai.

It was expected that the Government would announce the outcomes of the Iwi Leaders Group joint work programme on addressing rights, interests and responsibilities in freshwater for iwi. Ngāi Tahu and other iwi have has spent much time and effort on this mahi.

The way that freshwater is managed is very complex and it is heavily regulated. So it means that it is going to take a little longer than we anticipated. However it is important that both the Crown and iwi take time to get this right. We have to find a solution that is fair and equitable for all – one that is durable for our community, our existing users and for iwi. The next Iwi Chairs Forum is in May and will be hosted by Te Arawa.

Our Ngāi Tahu Treaty Festival was hosted by Ngāi Tārewa, Ōnuku Marae this year. I hear it was a great day – perfect weather, crowds of whānau and manuhiri in a celebratory mood and thought-provoking speeches by Te Rūnanga Representative for Makaawhio, Tim Rochford and Te Rūnanga Representative for Arowhenua, Quentin Hix, who focused on freshwater and what our changing New Zealand demographic might mean for both Ngāi Tahu whānau and the future of the Treaty of Waitangi.

In that context, it’s important to think about the fact that, as New Zealand’s population becomes increasingly diverse, we’re looking ahead to a very different landscape.

Who we are and how we understand ourselves will continue to change, so our thinking about New Zealand as a bicultural and multicultural nation is going to have to be refined and developed into something much more sophisticated. We are going to have to discuss this amongst ourselves rather more than we currently do. This becomes more and more important as we emerge into the post-Treaty settlement phase of our future.

At this year’s commemorations Ōnuku also hosted the Citizenship Ceremony where 40-plus immigrants from 13 countries were formally given New Zealand citizenship. This is the second time Ngāi Tahu has hosted a citizenship ceremony at Waitangi Day commemorations and I’m glad we are able to do so, as it makes the day even more meaningful. Ngāi Tārewa, ko koutou mō te manaaki tangata, nāia te mihi kau atu.

During Waitangi weekend we also celebrated the 25th birthday of our iwi radio station, Tahu FM. Past and present station staff gathered for a reunion dinner. I would like to personally congratulate Tahu FM for their great work and I look forward to the next 25 years.

On a final note I would like to acknowledge the passing of our whanaunga, Linda Grennell. Linda was a wahine toa who served not only her own iwi but Māori katoa. She was an advocate for wāhine Māori and served as the President of the Māori Women’s Welfare League from 2005 to 2008. She was a constant support for whānau in need of assistance. She was a member and Māori advocate on many health-related boards from the Nationwide Health and Disability Advocacy Service to Kidney Health New Zealand. Linda was also a member of the Whānau Ora Taskforce in 2009, which was instrumental in preparing the way for the Whānau Ora approach – a kaupapa Linda had a strong affinity for. Koukourārata was Linda’s paradise and her aroha and hard work for whānau will be her legacy. Our aroha and condolences are with the Grennell whānau and Te Rūnanga o Koukourārata.

Mark.

E ngā mate huhua o te motu, ka tangihia koutou. Hanatu atu rā ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi, ki ngā mātua tīpuna, ki te korōriatanga o Te Atua. Okioki mai rā koutou. Rātou te hunga wairua ki a rātou. Tātou te urupā kanohi o rātou mā ki a tātou. E te iwi whānui, tēnā rā koutou katoa. Nāia te mihi kau atu i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā.

Āraiteuru nā koutou te iwi i manaaki mai, ā, ko koutou a runga. Kātahi nā te hui ko tēnā. Mei kore te whakatangetange riaka, mei kore te mahi ngātahi e kore rawa te Hui-ā-Iwi i eke panuku, i eke tangaroa. Ka nui te owha, ka nui te whakamiha.

I would have to say 2015 has been an exhilarating and exciting year. It started off with a big celebration with Te Matatini and finished off with another big celebration – Hui-ā-Iwi.

Hui-ā-Iwi was a great way for us to celebrate our Ngāi Tahutanga. It was such an awesome hui and was enjoyed by all who attended. The hui was jam-packed with performances, wānanga, forums and activities, including Shotover Jet rides and bus tours around Dunedin. I particularly enjoyed the kaumātua breakfast where once again I got to wear a pinny and serve tea, much to the amusement of our cheeky kaumātua. The Hākui exhibition, Ngāi Tahu Reo Māori Awards, and Ngāi Tahu Toi Māori Exhibition were also stand out events, and we were spoilt for choice at the kai and information stalls.

One very important component of Hui-ā-Iwi was the launch of the Ngāi Tahu Pēpi Packs. These packs contain beautiful clothes for pēpi, books, a piece of pounamu and a scroll with baby’s whakapapa, which is all placed in a wahakura (flax pod). We have received only positive feedback from whānau, other iwi and Māori organisations across the motu. Congratulations to the Mātauranga team for developing this amazing resource.

No wrap-up of the hui would be complete without mentioning the Showcase and concert. I continue to be astounded at the talent we have within the iwi. I thoroughly enjoyed all the performances and mihi to each performer and groups for an awesome time and show. Also to our Te Ika a Māui relations, Troy Kingi, Rob Ruha, Ria Hall, Maisey Rika, Beau Monga and the Modern Māori Quintet, thank you for coming down to celebrate our hui with us. Ngā manaakitanga ki a koutou katoa.

Also I would like to take this opportunity to mihi and celebrate Tā Tipene O’Regan’s achievement in receiving the Aoraki Matatū Supreme Award at the Ngāi Tahu Reo Māori Awards. Tā Tipene received the award for his contribution to te reo Māori and Ngāi Tahutanga revitalisation. E te rangatira, nāia te iwi e whakamānawa atu nei.

Moeraki, Puketeraki and Ōtākou, you did us proud! Thank you so much for hosting a very successful event and we look forward to future events in your takiwā. Ka nui te mariri ki a koutou katoa o Āraiteuru.

We have had so much to celebrate as an iwi this year including the development of iwi initiatives and projects to support and enable our whānau.

Therefore I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank all the staff of Te Rūnanga Group for their commitment and hard work throughout the year. On behalf of the iwi we truly appreciate the work you do for the people – e rere nei ko te whakamiha me te aroha ki a koutou.

On a final note whānau, enjoy your summer break. Look after each other, enjoy quality time with whānau and friends and above all be safe.

Meri Kirihimete me ngā mihi o te Tau Hou ki a koutou katoa. Kia tau te rangimārie me ngā manaakitanga o te wāhi ngaro ki runga i a koutou.

Mark.

E tangi tonutia ana ngā mate huhua o te wā. Haere atu rā ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi, ki ngā mātua tīpuna kua whakawhiti atu rā i te pae o mahara. Hanatu rā koutou, okioki mai rā. Rātou ki a rātou, ā, tātou ki a tātou.

Nāia te mihi kau o te wā ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Mauri ora ki a tātou e te iwi.

I expect you are all getting busy with only a few weeks to go before Christmas. The iwi calendar is jam-packed with tribal events and celebrations. By the time you read this we will have all caught up at Hui-ā-Iwi in Dunedin and some of us will also have attended the 50th anniversary of the Shotover Jet in Queenstown. The other events which are just around the corner are the Iwi Communications Practitioners’ Forum and Iwi Chairs’ Forum to be held at Arahura Marae in the first week of December. In the December issue of Te Pānui Rūnaka we will provide some photos and feedback of the Hui-ā-Iwi and the Shotover Jet celebrations for you to enjoy.

Earlier this year, I was invited by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Peter Dunne to be on the Archives Exhibition Project advisory group, which involves relocating the Treaty of Waitangi, Declaration of Independence and other constitutionally significant documents to the National Library in Wellington.

The Department of Internal Affairs has also been engaging with the Te Taitokerau Iwi Chairs given the historic link, and together they are developing an educational programme about the Treaty, which will be incorporated into the new display.

Recently, I met with the department and Te Taitokerau Iwi Chairs to view the Treaty. This is something all New Zealanders should have the opportunity to do. I look forward to seeing this project develop and the benefits it will bring to the country.

Throughout the year I have been giving you all updates on what’s happening in the freshwater space. We anticipate that we will meet our deadline to present a plan to the Crown in February 2016. Recently iwi leaders completed a round of political engagement with the Māori Party, Labour, United Future, NZ First and ACT. The purpose of these hui was to provide parties with information on the Ngā Mātāpono ki te Wai framework and the freshwater objectives of the priority work streams.

All parties were supportive of the Ngā Mātāpono ki te Wai framework and there was significant interest in the mechanisms required to give effect to iwi aspirations to access a fair portion of the economic opportunity.

As a follow up to these hui, a number of parties will attend the Iwi Chairs Forum in Arahura in December where they will have an opportunity to show how they might work with iwi.

Over the years, we have been working closely with the iwi of Whanganui and supporting them where we can.

In late October, our Whanganui relations visited the office to introduce the newly-appointed chair and board directors. This was an opportunity for us to network, share information and to provide an overview on what Ngāi Tahu are doing. The visit was a success and they also had the opportunity to engage and network with our
Te Pūtahitanga whānau.

We were also honoured and humbled as Whanganui presented a stunning Pakohe Patu to the iwi.

Mark.

Kei ngā mate huhua o te motu, nei rā ko te tangi mōteatea mō koutou. Hanatu rā ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi. Waiho mai ngā urupā kanohi hei hopo. Okioki mai rā koutou. Tātou ngā maramara o rātou, tēnā tātou katoa. Tēnā tātou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Ko te tūmanako ia e ora ana koutou i tēnei wāhanga o te Kana. Mauri ora e te iwi.

The start of October saw the iwi celebrate another Settlement anniversary. To mark the occasion, office staff took the opportunity to learn more about the struggle and success of Te Kerēme. Throughout the week sessions were held with iwi members, governors, members from the Treaty negotiation team and rangatahi giving an insight, view and history of the claim. Staff and whānau felt privileged to hear from the different generations. Early in the week David Higgins presented on Matiaha Tiramorehu and we had three rangatahi presentations from Reriti Tau, Delane Luke and Talia Ellison. All three presented on where they predicted Ngāi Tahu might be in 2040. Attendees were very impressed with the presentations and their confidence in sharing their aspirations for the tribe. I am so proud of our rangatahi and their drive and passion for whānau, rūnanga and iwi success. Another highlight for attendees was spending time with Charlie Crofts, Uncle Trevor Howse, Edward Ellison, Aunty Jane Davis and Sid Ashton, who spoke about the time of negotiations. We all appreciate and value the hard work they all did in advancing the iwi. I thank all those who shared the history and aspirations of Te Kerēme with Te Rūnanga staff – e kore rawa te whakamiha e mahiti.

Lisa and I have enjoyed traveling the motu with the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Road Shows. We are impressed and proud of the good turnout of whānau attending the various hui. It was a great opportunity to engage and be with whānau we haven’t seen for a long time and to meet other iwi members for the first time. We received some positive feedback on the direction of Te Rūnanga. We have found that whānau are very impressed with the work the office, Ngāi Tahu Holdings and the subsidiaries have been doing for the iwi. What was also encouraging, was that whānau are very impressed with new initiatives such as Whenua Kura, Manawa Nui and particularly the Pēpi Packs.

More recently a small contingent traveled to Sydney and Brisbane. As always it was awesome to catch up with whānau who have been living in Australia for a long time. We were humbled by their participation and interaction at the two hui. Also it was a good opportunity for whānau living in Australia to mix and mingle, meet relations they have never met before and for Sydney-based whānau to form a taurahere group. We received a few new whakapapa registrations too, especially for our tamariki and mokopuna.

While we were in both Sydney and Brisbane we took the opportunity to engage and network with mana whenua – the local Aboriginals, who welcomed us and opened both of our hui. We look forward to working with our Sydney and Brisbane taurahere groups and continuing our relationship with the Aboriginal people we met.

In other news, I’d encourage you to take a look at our Annual Report, which is on the Ngāi Tahu website. It’s pleasing to see that the long-term approach we have taken to investment continues to pay off for Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. This year we posted a year-end net profit of $109.36m (post distribution activities) for the 2015 financial year.

Strong financial results like these provide the platform we need to create and deliver life enhancing initiatives that will enable our people to reach their full potential not only as individuals but also as whānau and communities.

Finally, I look forward to seeing everyone at the Hui-ā-Iwi in Ōtepoti. The programme is full of fun, whakawhanaungatanga and an opportunity for whānau to hang out and enjoy each other’s company.

Mark.

E tangihia tonuhia ana ngā mate o te wā. E te Kahurangi, e Te Pā Whakawairua o Ngāti Waewae, e Ben, kia au tō moe. Nāhau te ara whakarauora reo Māori ki Te Tai Poutini i ara ake kia eke tō rahi ki te keokeonga o Tuhua. Otira koutou ngā mate huhua, hanatu rā ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi. Waiho atu te tewe muri hei hopo, hei mōteatea mō koutou. Rātou ki a rātou. Tātou te hunga ora ki a tātou. Mauri ora ki tātou katoa.

E rere ana te whakamiha ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Tēnā rā tātou katoa. I’m sure you will all join me in welcoming the warmer weather of Spring. With this year’s winter behind us, I look forward to seeing what the rest of the year will bring. [Read more…]

Nāia te tangi kau o te iwi e matapōrehu ana ki ngā mate huhua o te wā. Te Ao Hurae, e ngau kino nei te iwi whānui i tō korenga, i tō wehenga atu. Ka noho koe i te pū mahara, ā, e kore rawa e wareware i a mātou āu mahi katoa mō te whenua, mō ngā taonga tuku iho, ā, mō te iwi whānui hei hāpai i ngā uri whakatipuranga. Nō reira e ngā tini aituā, kua karangahia koutou e Tahu Kumea, e Tahu Whakairo. Hanatu rā ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi, ki ngā mātua tīpuna. Okioki mai rā. Tātou ki a tātou e hora nei, e tautau nei te ahi i te kāinga, mauri ora ki a tātou.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu is committed to keeping whānau well informed on iwi initiatives and projects but this can be difficult when whānau change address and forget to update their contact details. I encourage you to stay connected – currently we have 8000 registered whānau who we have lost contact with – that’s 15% of the iwi and in my opinion far too many.

We are starting a campaign to reach out and find whānau. Some of them could be members of your whānau, so we need your help. As a first step, we are encouraging you to go to our website to see if your name or someone from your whānau is on the list of those who are no longer receiving our updates and various communications. There is more information in this issue of Te Pānui Rūnaka, so I ask that you read the pānui on pages 5 & 6 and help us all stay connected and keep the benefits of tribal membership open to all who are registered.

Another important pānui in this edition, concerns the commencement of our annual round of road shows. This is where the tribal leadership gets to meet many of you kanohi ki te kanohi at hui throughout Te Ika a Māui or at Hui-ā-Iwi in Dunedin in November. The purpose of this engagement is to discuss, share and receive feedback on the direction of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. I encourage all our whānau living in the North Island to attend one of the road shows close to you. It is always great to see and catch up with you all. Please refer to the pānui in this issue for dates and venues. I expect some of you will want to discuss fresh water, which is still a hot topic with iwi across the motu. The Freshwater Iwi Leaders Group are conducting another round of regional hui on Iwi Rights and Interests in Freshwater throughout August. These hui will support the Freshwater Iwi Leaders Group to have a more detailed conversation with the Crown on realising the cultural, social, environmental and economic benefits of an allocation of Freshwater to Iwi.

The Te Waipounamu Case study was recently completed. It is one of a number of case studies undertaken to assist the Crown and Iwi leaders with their mahi and captures how some of our mana whenua view and participate in freshwater management. The themes from this case study have been helpful in deepening our understanding of the current state of the regulatory and planning systems within our takiwā. We are now driving to get our message out widely and understood across the nation. For instance, in Auckland last month we presented our aspirations and perspective to over 80 representatives from 60 key stakeholder groups across Aotearoa –ranging from NGO, corporate, energy and agricultural sectors. The evening provided everyone with an opportunity to ask us questions. Stakeholders came away feeling the outcomes sought by iwi were practical and reasonable. We will continue the momentum with further engagement in coming months.

Lastly, I would like to pay tribute to Te Ao Hurae Waaka of Arowhenua, more commonly known as Uncle Joe, who passed away in July. He was a great servant and contributed so much to the tribe. I will miss his assertiveness, direction and advice. E te manawa o Arowhenua, e te rangatira, haere atu rā, okioki mai rā.

Mark.

Kua pōhara tātou i te ngaronga atu, i te wehenga atu o ngā tini rangatira o te motu, kua whetūrangitia i te marama kua hori nei. He maimai aroha, he matapōrehu, he tangi mō koutou kua ngaro atu rā, kua karangahia e Tahu Kumea, e Tahu Whakairo. Waiho atu te tewe muri nei hei hopo, hei auē.

Rātou ki a rātou, ā, tātou ki tātou. Tēnā rā tātou katoa.

E te iwi, ko te tūmanako ia, e noho ora ana koutou i te nohotahi ki te whānau. I tēnei wā o te makariri, tēnā tiakina koutou i a koutou anō.

Tēnā rā koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. [Read more…]

Whakamoemititia Te Atua mō ōna manaakitanga ki runga i a tātou. Ka tangihia, ka poroporoakitia ngā mate huhua o te motu. Nā koutou mātou i ārahi i tēnei ao kōmiro kia eke panuku, kia eke Tangaroa. Kua karangahia koutou e Tahu Kumea, e Tahu Whakairo, ā, hanatu rā koutou ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi, ki ngā mātua tīpuna. Okioki mai rā. Te pito mate ki te pito mate. Te pito ora ki te pito ora.

Kei taku karangatanga maha, kei taku iwi, mauri ora ki a tātou. Nāia te miha, te owha atu ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Ko te tūmanako ia e ora ana koutou i te nohotahi ki ō koutou whānau, ki ō koutou hapū, ki tō koutou rahi.

April has been all about fresh water or that is how it has felt at times. Six regional hui were held throughout Te Waipounamu during April, initiated by the Freshwater Iwi Leaders Group, which has the task of working with the Crown as it develops a new framework for the management of fresh water in Aotearoa.

There was unanimous support for continuing to explore a rights – based approach to the allocation of freshwater to create certainty for all users and accommodate iwi/hapu rights and interest in freshwater. The Freshwater Iwi Leaders Group will hold a further round of regional hui in August to talk about iwi rights and interests in freshwater.

At the beginning of May I attended the opening of the Greenpark school site alongside Te Taumutu Rūnanga and the Te Waihora Management Board. Through the Greenpark initiative, the school buildings will be re-used for education and community activities. It will serve as a home and collaborative hub for a range of exciting Te Waihora activities.

Mayor Kelvin Coe (Selwyn District Council) and ECan Commissioner David Caygill were also there. It was a great day with good company, kai and an opportunity to kōrero with a wide range of people from the community. Fonterra is funding operational costs at Greenpark and their generosity is appreciated.

I’m also very pleased that, through the new Selwyn Catchment Variation 1 plan, livestock will now be fenced from most of Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere. This trailblazing plan is a first for local government and it gives Ngāi Tahu more power to protect our taonga waterway.

Farmers in specified areas near the lake will now have to consult with Ngāi Tahu when applying for resource consents. This is another exciting step forward in the restoration of a lake that has had a special place in Ngai Tahutanga for centuries.

During May the Te Waka a Māui Iwi Chairs forum was held in Te Papa Wellington. I’m enjoying the progress we are making as a forum and collective. We have identified four priority areas which are Freshwater, Climate Change, Oranga (Social wellbeing), and Political engagement.

Also the Iwi Chairs Forum was hosted by Ngāti Apa in Whangaehu. We had another productive hui. A key priority that came out of this hui is how we improve our influence in achieving gains for whānau, hapū and iwi.

A workplan has been put in place and the work load has been shared with iwi to ensure that the priorities are achieved. The next Iwi Chairs Hui will be hosted by Waikato-Tainui in August.

Finally I had the privilege of being at Government House in Auckland to celebrate Kukupa Tirikatene receiving the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and Education.

I regard Uncle Ku as my rangatira, mentor and a very dear friend. Throughout the years, he has supported me in my role as Kaiwhakahaere and when I meet and engage with iwi.

E taku rangatira, ka nui te māriri ki a koe. E kore te puna o mihi e māhiti.

Tā Mark Solomon.

Tā Mark Solomon.

E hopo tonu ana i ngā mate huhua o te wā. Ka tangihia, ka mihia rātou kua karangahia e Tahu Kumea, e Tahu Whakairo. Okioki mai rā. Rātou ki a rātou. Tātou ngā waihotanga mai o rātou ki a tātou. Mauri ora ki a tātou.

Kei aku rangatira, kei aku manu mātārae, nāia te miha ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Tēnā rā koutou katoa.

At the end of March Ngāti Waewae hosted the Crown apology to a South Taranaki tribe, Ngāruahine. This is the first time in our country’s history that an iwi has had its Crown apology given in another iwi takiwā. The significance of Hokitika to Ngaruahine’s history is related to its people, sent there as prisoners during the 1870s following the Taranaki land confiscations.

While groups were sent to various parts of the South Island, the largest number were settled in Hokitika. It was indeed an honour for Ngāti Waewae to host this significant event in their takiwā and to welcome both Ngāruahine and the Crown to Arahura Marae.

The day after the Ngāruahine apology, Ōtākou Rūnanga hosted the Charter Hui at Ōtākou Marae. The charter was drafted as a set of rules or statement of intent before we settled with the Crown. It has been amended slightly since then. This is the first time the iwi has held a hui to discuss the charter in its entirety. A further hui is scheduled for August at Arowhenua.

The Freshwater Iwi Leaders Group is facilitating a further series of regional engagement hui across the motu starting in April, with the first in Ōtautahi. The group has been tasked by the Iwi Chairs Forum to engage with the Crown as it develops a new framework for freshwater management in Aotearoa. These hui will serve as an opportunity for the Iwi Leaders Group to provide an update on the work that has been achieved to date and to get feedback on your aspirations in relation to the management, use and allocation of freshwater.

We have also celebrated the launch of He Toki ki te Mahi and a number of new farm qualifications as part of the Whenua Kura programme. He Toki ki te Mahi was officially launched by the Prime Minister, John Key, at Rehua Marae in Christchurch on April 16.

He Toki ki te Mahi is an iwi-led initiative, which follows on from He Toki ki te Rika. The purpose of He Toki ki te Mahi is to support He Toki apprentices and students in the work force and link them with potential trade companies. He Toki ki te Mahi mentors Māori apprentices through the apprenticeship journey.

The Whenua Kura event was in the following week when scholarships were handed out to the first intake of students studying at a higher leadership level within the programme. Whenua Kura is an iwi-led agricultural training partnership between Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Te Tapuae o Rehua, Ngāi Tahu Farming and Lincoln University.

This unique initiative began last year as a one-year Certificate in Agriculture, offering both classroom learning and on-farm experience at the Ngāi Tahu farms. This year, the programme has expanded in order to offer additional qualifications including a Diploma in Agriculture, a Level 4 certificate in Agriculture and a Diploma in Agricultural Business.

Ka tangihia ngā tini aituā, ngā mate huhua o te motu. He paiao kaniawhea ki runga i Te Tairāwhiti, ā, heke iho ki Te Matau a Māui. Ko tātou anō tērā e matapōrehu ana i ngā hau tipua, i ngā taniwha hikuroa mō kōrua e Api, e Tama.

Kua karangahia kōrua e Tahu Kumea, e Tahu Whakairo kia hau atu ki te tatau pounamu kia rau tāwhirihia e ngā mātua tīpuna. Noho mai rā i te korōriatanga o te wāhi ngaro. Waiho atu te tewe muri ki konei hei hopo, hei haku mō kōrua. Okioki mai rā. [Read more…]

E māpuna atu ana i ngā mate huhua o te wā. Ka tangihia, ka poroporoakitia rātou mā kua karangahia e Tahu Kumea, e Tahu Whakairo. Waiho atu mātou ki konei hei hopo, hei matapōrehu mō koutou. Nawaki atu rā ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi. Okioki mai rā. Te pito mate ki te pito mate. Te pito ora ki te pito ora. Tēnā rā tātou katoa.

Hoki mai rā koutou i tō koutou hararei, i tō koutou nohotahi ki te whānau. Ko te tūmanako ia e ora ana koutou i te whakatā, ā, kua whai oranga koutou mō ngā āhuatanga katoa kei mua i te aroaro i tēnei tau.
Nāia te whakamiha o te wā. Tēnā rā tātou katoa.

The summer holidays treated us with stunning weather. I hope you had a good relaxing break with whānau and friends, and that you’ve had a chance to re-energise yourself for the year ahead.

Early this year, I travelled with a small New Zealand delegation to the United States, where we met with organisations and schools to investigate ‘inquiry learning’ (problem solving) and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education methods. We were there to find out about what STEM offers and to see whether it might work for us here in Te Waipounamu. What we saw and learnt was amazing in terms of student achievement and confidence and the ability to create solutions that apply to current issues for children.

Our first big event for the year was the Ngāi Tahu Treaty Festival at Awarua Marae on Waitangi Day to celebrate the 175th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty. It was a wonderful day with the Awarua whānau putting on a wonderful event as always.

For me, it was great to catch up with so many people and to soak up the manaakitanga – and of course the kai was spectacular. The theme of the day – the demographics of Aotearoa – got us thinking about where the Treaty might take us and what it might offer in future years.

Another focus was the importance of collaboration and partnership with other iwi, the Crown and the local community.

Next month the motu will descend on Christchurch for the world’s biggest Māori event, Te Matatini. He Ngākau Aroha is the theme for this year’s Te Matatini and it’s an opportunity for us to reciprocate the manaakitanga given to us during the earthquakes. I am counting the days until we welcome the motu to Ōtautahi and I encourage the iwi, Cantabrians and Te Waipounamu whānui to come along and experience this awesome spectacle – the finest of Māori performing arts, arts and crafts and of course beautiful kai.

It’s not too late to buy your tickets so go to www.tematatini.co.nz for more information. I hope to see you all there.

Ngā mihi,

Mark.