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.

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.

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.

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.

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 rere ana ngā roimata, e matapōrehu ana te ngākau ki ngā mate huhua o te wā. 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. Mauri ora ki a tātou. E aku nui, e te iwi whānui, nāia te mihi kau atu ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Noho ora mai i ngā manaakitanga o te wāhi ngaro. Tēnā tātou katoa.

I’m sure that many will join me in congratulating Ngāti Waewae on the very successful opening of their new whare tipuna, Tūhuru. Ngāti Waewae, Ngāi Tahu whānui and iwi representatives ascended onto Arahura Marae on 21 November for the dawn ceremony. Even though it rained and at times poured, it didn’t stop whānau enjoying the moment and celebrating this special occasion. Later in the morning Ngāti Waewae welcomed whānau, the community and friends on to Arahura Marae. [Read more…]

E tangi mōteatea ana te ngākau ki ngā mate huhua huri noa i te motu. Kua karangahia koutou e Tahu Kumea, e Tahu Whakairo, ā, hanatu rā koutou ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi, ki ngā mātua tīpuna. Waiho atu mātou ki konei hei hopo, hei matapōrehu mō koutou. Okioki mai rā. Rātou te hunga mate ki a rātou.

Tātou te hunga ora ki a tātou. E te iwi whānui nāia te whakamiha, nāia te owha ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Tēnā rā koutou.

Ngāti Waewae Rūnanga hosted the last of the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Road Shows in early September. There was a good turn out of whānau at each hui, especially in Te Ika a Māui. Road Shows are always a good time to catch up with whānau and rekindle those relationships.

We received positive feedback on the presentation and the direction the tribe is taking and also had some challenges put to us about where to go from here.

At the September Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu board meeting I was re-elected as kaiwhakahaere and Lisa Tumahai was re-elected as kaiwhakahaere tuarua (deputy kaiwhakahaere) for another three year term. Both Lisa and I are humbled by the support from Papatipu Rūnanga and iwi members and we thank you all – ka nui te aroha ki a koutou katoa.

My re-election brought back memories of those first few dramatic days I spent as kaiwhakahaere. On Saturday 26 September 1998, I was elected kaiwhakahaere. Two days later, on Monday 28 September Tā Tipene O’Regan and I were in the lawyer’s office in Wellington signing documents for the Ngāi Tahu Settlement.

Whānau from all around the motu traveled to Wellington for the passing of the bill and we all stayed at Pipitea Marae. The next day, Tuesday 29 September, the iwi descended onto Parliament for the passing of the bill. It will always be a memorable day of tears, laughter and a sense of pride at how much we have achieved and the mahi our tīpuna did to get us to that point. This was my introduction to the kaiwhakahaere role and what an introduction it was.

To be totally honest I wasn’t sure if I could do the job. However, when you have kaumātua pushing and encouraging you to get on with the job, there is no turning back.

The first three years were our developmental years. As an organisation we had so much to learn and develop. It was basically building from the ground up. We had to create accountability processes, create policies, learn how to deal with the expectations of the people and develop a distribution plan. In 2001, following several consultation hui across the country, we developed Ngāi Tahu 2025, the iwi strategy that outlines the tribe’s aspirations and direction.

Our most recent annual report shows we are well on the way to rebuilding the economic base for the iwi, but there is more to do to ensure the benefits of the settlement flow through to our regions and to our whānau. One of my goals is to see our tribal economies strategy come to fruition. Under this strategy it is our intention to develop and promote a range of growth and investment opportunities for whānau and Papatipu Rūnanga, enabling them to reach their own aspirations.

Finally, I look forward to seeing everyone in November at Arahura Marae for the opening of their new whare tipuna as well as the Hui-ā-Tau 2014. If you are unable to attend the Hui-ā-Tau you have the opportunity to log in online for the live-stream.

For more information about the live-stream option please read the Hui-ā-Tau update pānui in ‘The Office’ section of this edition.

Mark.

Nāia te tangi kau o te iwi e matapōrehu ana ki ngā mate huhua o te wā. Ngau kino nei te iwi whānui i te korenga, i te wehenga atu o tērā rangatira o tātou, o te Upoko Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri, a Henare Rakiihia Tau. Kei taku ihorei, kei te mātanga manaaki tangata, waiho atu mātou ki konei hei hopo mōhou. Ka noho koe i te pū mahara, ā, e kore rawa e wareware i a mātou āu mahi katoa mō te whenua, mō taonga tuku iho, ā, mō te iwi whānui hei hāpai i ngā uri whakatipuranga. Nāhau te ara i para kia eke ai tō iwi ki te keokeonga o tō tātou ariki a Aoraki. Nō reira e ngā tini aituā, hanatū rā ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi, ki a Ihoa o Ngā Mano. Okioki mai rā. Tātou ki a tātou e hora nei, e tautau nei te ahi i te kāinga, mauri ora ki a tātou.

Matariki celebrations were held across the country recognising the Māori New Year. Matariki is also a time for us to reflect and remember those who have passed away during the year.

This year as we entered into a new Māori New Year, we also celebrated the life of Henare Rakiihia Tau NZM, Upoko Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri who passed away on 30 June.
The multitudes ascended onto Tuahiwi Marae to pay their respects to Rik. There was a lot of crying and laughter as people reflected on their times with Rik and the work they did with him.

Rik was one of the many kaumātua who set us on the path to regaining our tribal footprint on this land, enabling us to build our resources and breathe life into our vision and aspirations for our people. In 1986, Rik filed a claim to the Waitangi Tribunal on behalf of the Ngāi Tahu Māori Trust Board and Ngāi Tahu Whānui. He was a lead negotiator with the Crown for the 1998 Ngāi Tahu Settlement, and played a key role in the establishment of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. He reminded us of our on-going responsibility to defend and protect our statutory rights, as Ngāi Tahu, for future generations. Rik was regularly in and out of the office assisting and advising staff on projects, particularly with the Ngāi Tahu Fund, of which he was a board member. We will be forever grateful for his guidance and the wisdom he provided over the years. Our aroha is with the Tau whānau and Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga.

It was a pleasure to support Minister Gerry Brownlee and Christchurch Mayor, Lianne Dalziel with the public announcement of the Canterbury Earthquake memorial site. The memorial will acknowledge the trauma shared by the people of Canterbury and provide somewhere to reflect on the damage and loss of life. The memorial will also recognise those brave people who participated in the rescue and recovery. The site is on a stretch of the Ōtākaro (Avon River) in the city between the Montreal Street Bridge and Rhododendron Island.

Last month Tā Tipene O’Regan and I travelled to Tokyo to present a tokotoko to Masashi Yamada and his lieutenant, Yoshikazu Narimoto. Mr Yamada, a Japanese philanthropist and businessman, extended a lifeline to Ngāi Tahu in the early 1990s while the tribe waited for the result of its Waitangi Tribunal hearing. The lifeline came in the form of a series of multi-million dollar loans that enabled the tribe to continue with Te Kerēme. The deal was sealed by a handshake with Tā Tipene.

In 2001 Mr Yamada gifted a substantial amount to the tribe, which was used to set up the Ngāi Tahu Mātauranga Trust to fund the Yamada-O’Regan scholarships. With us on our trip was Dr Graham Kitson, who has whakapapa connections to Awarua through his father. It was Graham who first introduced Mr Yamada to the tribe, although he didn’t realise at the time how important that introduction would be. I also met Mr Yamada’s son, Shinji, who is keen to continue the family’s relationship with Ngāi Tahu.

Another significant relationship we celebrated earlier this month was the Whanganui River Settlement. We travelled to Ranana Marae on the banks of the Whanganui River for this auspicious occasion. I absolutely enjoyed my day with the Whanganui people, celebrating their achievements and remembering those who are no longer with us – those who put so much of their life into the claim. Congratulations to the Whanganui people. We look forward to seeing this new phase advancing.

The Ngāi Tahu roadshows are in full swing with hui held already in Auckland, Tauranga, Hastings and Taranaki. Next on the August schedule are Wellington, Arowhenua and Christchurch; with Kaitaia, Dunedin, Bluff and Te Tai Poutini scheduled in September. If you happen to be in any of these places we would love to see you there. Bring your whānau for a catch-up and be updated on what the office has been up to in the last 12 months.

It’s that time again, where New Zealanders will determine who will run the country. It’s great to see a few Ngāi Tahu whānau campaigning to be elected into parliament this year and we wish them all the best for their respective campaigns.

I’m encouraging all our whānau, especially our rangatahi, to get out there and vote. The power to determine our destiny lies with us, and our vote. Please take the time to look at the different candidates and their party’s policies, and make sure you vote on Saturday 20 September. For information about this year’s elections go to, www.elections.org.nz

Ko te māriri e rere atu ana ki ngā mate huhua huri noa i te motu whānui. Nei ko te iwi e matapōrehu ana, e tangi mōteatea ana mō koutou.

Nā koutou mātou i whakarangatira ai i roto i ngā mahi hei hāpai, hei ārahi i a mātou i tēnei ao kōmiro.

Nō reira e ngā tini aituā o te wā, whakawhiti atu rā i te pae o maumahara kia noho mai nā i ngā manaakitanga o te wāhi ngaro, ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi. Okioki mai rā.

Kāti, rātou ki a rātou, tātou te urupā kanohi o rātou mā ki a tātou e tau nei. Tēnā tātou.

Tēnā tātou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Kua tau mai te makariri ki runga i a tātou, ā, ko te tūmanako ia e whitawhita ana te ahi i te kāinga kia mahana ai te ngākau me te wairua o te tangata. Kia kaha tātou ki te tiaki i tātou anō. Ka nui te whakamiha ki a koutou. Mauri ora e te iwi.

Earlier this month I was invited to speak to the joint Iwi-Council liaison committee in Murihiku – Te Rōpū Taiao. I shared information about the Iwi Chairs Forum, the structure of the organisation, how it works and the importance of collaboration, not only among iwi, but also with central and local government. This led in to a discussion on our perspective on water, particularly in terms of our dealings with central government.

I shared our commitment to protecting and enhancing the natural resources within our takiwā and the work that still needs to be done to ensure iwi are given appropriate voice and influence at all levels of water management.

I also acknowledged the relationship Papatipu Rūnanga have with local government and the wider community and their commitment to advance engagement and collaboration.

The following week I delivered a similar message at an international Parks Forum Co-Governance and Co-Management hui at Te Papa Tongarewa. The objective of this hui was to foster collaboration, build respect and facilitate the sharing of knowledge in relation to National Parks in New Zealand, Australia, the UK, Canada and the United States.

I strongly advocated for indigenous rights in our national parks and the continuation of our living relationship with the natural environment.

Across the world indigenous peoples have been excluded in the management and decision-making of these special places. The strategy to conserve biodiversity through national parks and marine reserves continues to diminish or subvert the ability of indigenous people to access and connect with their cultural assets and traditional resources.

By being engaged with the environment we sustain ourselves and our identity.

Excitement filled the wharenui at Rehua Marae in early June as Te Matatini qualifiers waited anxiously to find out the performance order for the upcoming national kapa haka competition.

We have eight months to go until the motu arrives on our doorstep for Te Matatini 2015. The draw placed the 45 groups in order. For our local groups, both Te Pao a Tahu and Te Ahikōmau a Hamoterangi were drawn to perform on day one in the Te Ihu pool and Ngā Manu a Tāne will perform on day three in the Te Kei section.

The draw was live-streamed on the Te Matatini website and broadcasted on Tahu FM. Congratulations to all 45 groups and we look forward to seeing you all take the stage in March next year.

Kei ngā mate huhua o te wā huri noa i te motu, haere atu rā, okioki mai rā koutou. Rātou ki a rātou. Tātou ki a tātou. E te iwi mauri ora ki a tātou.

E te iwi, e aku rangatira e nohonoho ana i te motu whānui, i te ao whānui, ka nui te whakamiha ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Tēnā tātou katoa.

Towards the end of April, I was invited by the Ministry of Justice to sit on a panel at the Justice Symposium 2014. The focus of the panel discussion was to look forward 10 years and consider global and domestic trends of relevance to New Zealand’s domestic justice sector.

A recent preliminary report from the United Nations Working Party on Arbitrary Detention noted that Māori are over-represented in our prisons where Māori make up 50% of the prison’s population. This is something we are very familiar with. The report also noted indications of bias at all levels of the criminal justice process in New Zealand from the investigative stage right through to the parole process stage.

Our responsibility as a people, and as a nation, is to work collaboratively to ensure that this bias is addressed and has no place in our society in 10 years’ time.
In my presentation I discussed three areas of focus for the next 10 years. First we need to empower whānau to make choices that best suit their needs and aspirations and we have to lead the way in our own whānau to keep our whānau out of the justice system. Whānau Ora is an excellent initiative that will assist us to achieve this. Second we need to promote and encourage an elimination of the bias in the justice system. We can only achieve this if we work collaboratively.

I acknowledge the relationships that Papatipu Rūnanga have formed with police in their respective regions. This is a good start and developments look very promising. And lastly we need to look at second-chance success. If we work together with those in the prison system we may be able to help them make better choices and encourage them to come back home to be contributors.

Creating positive and good leaders is very important with something like this. Good leadership at all levels is integral for positive change for our society.

This is the same message I took to the New Zealand Police Area Commanders conference, coincidently after the Justice Symposium. Again working collaboratively with the wider community will have benefits for all.

At this conference I challenged police leaders to think about how they can better engage effectively with whānau, hapū and iwi and how we might work better together to advance our regions and to advance the future of our families and community.

As I have mentioned above we have seen progress and developments made regionally where relationships have been built with a focus on whānau and community. The important point here is that we inspire each other to do better.

Over the years I have talked about the many people, especially kaumātua, who have inspired and mentored me. These people show outstanding leadership qualities that have encouraged me in my role as Kaiwhakahaere.

One of those kaumātua was Maria Moimoi Johnson of Taumutu, commonly known as Aunty Ake. Sadly at the beginning of this month Aunty Ake passed away at the age of 90. For me she was an inspirational leader of our tribe.

I recall the many discussions we had and valued the advice she would give me. I remember her politeness, and how big-hearted and humble she was. E te tāua, e te Whatukura o Takaroa, kia au tō moe. Noho mai rā i ngā manaakitanga o ngā mātua tīpuna i te kāinga wairua i te rangi. Okioki mai rā.

Mark.

Ka tangihia ngā mate huhua huri taiāwhio i te motu. E māpuna tonutia ana tērā rangatira o Ngāi Tūāhuriri, ki a koe Johnno. Mōu i whakatangetange riaka mō tō iwi, hei aha? Hei oranga mō tātou, kia eke panuku, kia eke tangaroa i tēnei ao kōmiro. Ki ngā mate huhua, nawaki atu rā ki te kāinga wairua, ki ngā mātua tīpuna, haere, haere, e oki atu rā.

Tēnā tātou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Nāia hoki te whakamiha o te Tau Hou ki a koutou katoa. Ko te tūmanako ia, e ora ana koutou i te whakatā me te nohotahi ki te whānau. Mauri ora ki a tātou.

Happy New Year to you all. I hope you all had a relaxing and enjoyable holiday with whānau and friends and feel rejuvenated for 2014.

First, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and congratulate Michael Skerrett, Upoko Rūnaka and Waihōpai Te Rūnanga representative, on receiving the Queen’s Service Medal for services to Māori and the community. Over the years, Michael has worked tirelessly for his rūnanga and has greatly contributed to the development of the wider Southland area. Ka nui te mihi ki a koe e te rangatira.

Recently the government announced the first seven groups selected for the expansion of the Māori and Pasifika Trades Training initiative. Te Tapuae o Rehua has been selected for the He Toki ki te Rika (Māori trade training) and Whenua Kura (Agriculture) initiatives. It is great to see the continued support from government for these style of programmes. With more resources and support from the government we can support more Māori to contribute to the rebuild of Christchurch and with the Whenua Kura initiative this funding will provide opportunities for Māori which focuses on practicing sustainable agriculture and applying mātauranga Māori to land use and management. I look forward to the development of these two initiatives.

Over the past few months both Te Rūnanga and Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation (NTHC) have been in discussions with Ngāti Kahungunu and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council where NTHC is actively exploring an investment opportunity in the Ruataniwha Dam.

The Ruataniwha Dam proposal currently sits with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) Board of Inquiry. Ngāti Kahungunu made a submission expressing concern about the lack of consultation they have received on the project. They have also expressed the desire for special consideration to be given to their sacred sites and have outlined their views on water quality matters.

In early January I travelled to the Hawke’s Bay and attended the last week of the hearings, to show our support to our Ngāti Kahungunu whanaunga and to gain an understanding on how these hearings and the process works.

I have reassured Ngāti Kahungunu of our continuous support for their kaupapa throughout the proceedings.

Te Apārangi (Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu committee) met with Ngāti Kahungunu in October last year to discuss the Ruataniwha Dam proposal. Tā Mark Solomon subsequently attended some of the hearings on the dam.

Te Apārangi (Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu committee) met with Ngāti Kahungunu in October last year to discuss the Ruataniwha Dam proposal. Tā Mark Solomon subsequently attended some of the hearings on the dam.

Ngāhiwi Tomoana, Chair of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, during his visit to Ōtautahi to discuss the Ruataniwha Dam proposal with Ngāi Tahu.

Ngāhiwi Tomoana, Chair of Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, during his visit to Ōtautahi to discuss the Ruataniwha Dam proposal with Ngāi Tahu.

This year’s Ngāi Tahu Treaty Festival was hosted by Ōtākou Rūnaka. The spirit of whakawhanaungatanga was paramount throughout the day and it was awesome to see whānau and friends enjoying the festivities and activities on the marae. This year we were joined again by Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull. We both participated in a friendly forum and discussed the concept of Treaty Partnership and the idea that when we build on the partnership created by the Treaty, great things can be achieved for communities.

Our Treaty is the foundation on which we build a future together and I am impressed with the relationship that Ōtākou Rūnaka has developed with the Dunedin City Council. Congratulations to the whānau of Ōtākou for organising a very successful Waitangi Day Treaty Festival.

Kia tau te rangimārie ki runga i a koutou katoa.

Mark Featured Image

Mark Solomon.

Last month, I travelled with 36 Māori leaders to the United States, for a Māori Leaders “boot camp”, a week long course at Stanford University, San Francisco. The course was called ‘Aspiration: To Unlock the Power of Māori Primary Sector’.

I thoroughly enjoyed all aspects of the course, which turned out to be a journey of discovery, learning, inspiration and facilitated discussion to explore the potential of our businesses for New Zealand. We analysed case studies of successful businesses and gained insights from globally recognised thought-leaders.

The Lectures included brain-based thinking and innovation; harnessing collective intelligence, understanding the Chinese markets and opportunities; creating value; and strategic thinking. These lectures reinforced for us all that Māori values bring a uniqueness to business that is truly appreciated – especially our whānau values and the importance of treating all people with respect.

We also had the opportunity to visit Google in the Silicon Valley and saw some amazing new technology still to be tested and released. The Google visit was an overwhelming and mind-blowing experience and gave me a much better understanding of how the new technology coming out of the Silicon Valley is shaping the world our tamariki and mokopuna will be living in and leading. It also showed me that there is so much possibility in terms of convenience and shared information. If managed correctly, emerging technologies will bring great benefits for our people.

The trip also included a visit to the quay to meet and network with the New Zealand businesses, which are there for the America’s Cup. We got to see where Team New Zealand is based for the competition.

On my return home, I was also greeted with good news about our annual results. In this edition you will find a summary of our annual report for the past financial year. It shows that we have had another excellent year right across the Board, with successful programme initiatives launched and milestones reached. I take a particular interest in those programs which build on and support the capability of our people.

The Manawa Hou programme, which provides the opportunity for our rangatahi to learn more about our Ngāi Tahu stories and history through wānanga and activities at the Papatipu Rūnanga, our Associate Governor Programme, Manawa Nui, which provides the opportunity for aspiring Ngāi Tahu governors to sit on our commercial subsidiary boards and the ongoing success of He Toki, a pathway to lifetime employment via trades training.

Ngā mihi,
Mark.

The year has finished on a high note with Hui-ā-Iwi in November and the opening of the rebuilt wharenui at Tuahiwi the following weekend.

Hui-ā-Iwi was held across the weekend of 23, 24 and 25 November. Our estimate is that more than 2000 people participated, which is a lot more than we were expecting. Te Taumutu and Te Rūnanga are excited to see the very positive feedback coming in from everyone but in particular our tamariki and rangatahi. We certainly had more of our young people participating in a tribal hui than I have seen for some time – so hopefully that will mean the word will get out and even more young people will participate at our next Hui-ā-Iwi. I enjoyed the fact that there were so many options for our people over the weekend. I know the High Tea was a highlight for our kaumātua and just for the record auntie – I was wearing an apron, not a pinnie!

We’ve been going through the feedback forms and I think that there is a real appetite for this type of format to become a regular feature – maybe every second year. A typical favourite in the programme was Te Atakura with comments such as, “kapa haka was awesome to watch and our kids loved it.” Another young whānau member commented on the great vibe and the chance to see the whānau, as being the aspects he liked best.

The following weekend was the opening of Maahunui II at Tuahiwi. It was great to see a good representation of our Papatipu marae there. Tuahiwi did an awesome job. Their manaaki was amazing. It is a beautiful whare and also the new wharekai is both practical and so modern. Everyone just really enjoyed themselves, enjoyed the day and the entertainment during hākari. A lot of whānau also came back home for this special event, including whānau returning from overseas. The estimate was over 1500 people attended – a huge gathering.

The past four weeks has also been busy in terms of practical decision making. We held both a Te Rūnanga meeting and the annual general meeting just before Hui-ā-Iwi. I hope by now you have received notice of our decision on the relativity mechanism. While Te Rūnanga has decided to uplift the $68.5 million, which the Crown has acknowledged is owing to us under the relativity clause in our original Settlement, we have also decided to enter into a process with the Crown to resolve our issue over what we believe to be some aspects of the calculation that have not been included. As I said in my last pānui, I am not overly concerned with entering a disputes process as I believe it is entirely possible for the matter to be resolved efficiently by an independent third party. If you are interested, there is more information about this matter on the Ngāi Tahu website.

And finally, I wish to again thank all those who have contributed to our vision of Mō Tātou throughout the year. And also, please remember this is often a time of year whānau are under stress, so I urge you all to take care of one another and to support each other.

Meri Kirihimete ki a koe me te whānau.

Ngā mihi,
Mark.

E te iwi, naia te mihi kau atu ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Mauri ora ki a tātou.

In the past 12 months whānau members living outside our takiwā, have set up new taurahere groups in Te Ika a Māui and in Queensland, Australia.

A taurahere group is an opportunity for Ngāi Tahu whānau who live outside our takiwā, to get together and learn more about their Ngāi Tahutanga (Ngāi Tahu culture), promote whakawhanaungatanga and engage in Ngāi Tahu matters. Currently we have 12 established taurahere groups from as far north as Te Taitokerau to the top of the South Island in Wairau.

Over the last three months we have been able to set up three new groups in Whakatāne, Gisborne and Piripane (Brisbane, Australia).

In early July, a hui was held with whānau living in the wider Whakatāne area. More than 50 whānau members attended and many, especially those who have strong whakapapa connections to the Mataatua tribes, were keen to learn more about their Ngāi Tahu side and engage more in Ngāi Tahu activities.

At the end of July we had the opportunity to engage and meet with whānau living in Queensland. Information about our iwi initiatives and projects were presented as well as the road show information that has been delivered around the motu. The hui was held at the Beenleigh Events Centre, 200 whānau members attended. It was awesome to see relatives who I haven’t seen for many years and meeting new people who have longed to be involved in Ngāi Tahu matters and activities. The hui was well received and a working group was formed to organise future hui and wānanga for the Ngāi Tahu ki Piripane taurahere group.

Closer to home we have continued to run the road shows, with one held in Gisborne. There was a great turn out, with up to 50 whānau members wanting to know what Ngāi Tahu has been up to in the past 12 months. The road show doubled as an opportunity to set up another taurahere group. On the night a small committee was established to organise hui and wānanga for our whānau living in Gisborne.

Whakapapa and Ngāi Tahutanga wānanga has been the main focus for our taurahere groups. With the support of the Ngāi Tahu Fund and also from the office, taurahere hui and wānanga have been successful in engaging our whānau, living outside the takiwā, in Ngāi Tahu activities and initiatives.

I would like take this opportunity to encourage all our whānau living outside the takiwā to participate in taurahere hui and wānanga. You will be surprised by how many relatives you have that live in the same town or area as you and how much you will learn about your Ngāi Tahutanga.

Noho ora mai rā i ngā manaakitanga.