Congratulations

Laura Smith, member of Kāti Huirapa and a descendant of Tane Parata who recently graduated from the Invercargill Campus of the College of Education, with a Bachelor of Teaching endorsed in Primary Bilingual Education (the Pōkai mātauranga o te ao rua). This is a wonderful achievement and we wish Laura all the best in her future teaching career. [Read more…]

Kaiārahi Ngāi Tahutanga project

The mahi Matapura Ellison has been doing with the Kaiārahi Ngāi Tahutanga Project progressed with a Memorandum of Partnership Agreement signing with the East Otago primary schools of Warrington, Karitāne, Palmerston and Pūrākaunui, as well as East Otago High School. The guest speaker was Upoko David Ellison, and Marewa Preddy signed the MoPs on behalf of the rūnaka. We also listened to Henare Manawatu, Kaiwhiri Mātauraka, explain the philosophy behind the project. The intention of the MoPs is to acknowledge Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka as the recognised Treaty partner of each school and to strengthen the relationship between them. [Read more…]

Review of Rules of Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki Inc. Society.

This is early notice of two opportunities to discuss possible changes to the Rules of the Rūnaka Incorporated Society on Thursday 5 June, 7–9pm  at Puketeraki Marae, and at Wigram, Christchurch Thursday 12 June, 5–7pm. More information about the meetings and the changes will be circulated after Easter. You are welcome to register your interest in this kaupapa with the rūnaka office. [Read more…]

Waka Haunui in Te Waipounamu

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Haunui has been delayed on its voyage to Te Waipounamu. We are now expecting the waka in Ōtepoti at Anzac Weekend. Please get in touch with Brendan Flack on 027 440 9998 for any queries about the Haunui itinerary, or if you would like to be part of the crew on one of the legs, as it makes its way down to Bluff, back up and across the Marlborough Sounds, to its home in the north.

Adam Keane featured in the last Te Pānui Rūnaka – he is a descendant of William Harpur and Pakinui Titope, and a new member of our rūnaka. We are very excited that he is embarking on his chosen vocation, nursing. We are looking forward to getting to know Adam as he follows his dreams. Nō reira, whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tuohu koe me he maunga teitei. [Read more…]

New director elected

We are pleased to announce the election of Dr.Graham Strong as Independent Director to Pūketeraki Ltd, the rūnaka investment company.  Graham’s whakapapa links him to Murihiku though he lives near Roxburgh and works at Otago University, as a manager with Otago Innovation Ltd. We enjoyed meeting Graham at the election meeting and we think he brings some excellent skills and whakaaro to the board of Puketeraki Ltd.

We were unable to fill the second vacancy on the board so will be re-advertising for a rūnaka member to join the board of Puketeraki Ltd in the near future. [Read more…]

Rūnaka general meetings

Our 2014 rūnaka general meetings will be held as follows: Sunday 9 March; Sunday 25 May; Sunday 24 August; and Sunday 2 November will be a combined meeting and annual general meeting

Website and merchandise

Our website is now live and we hope you get lots of useful information from it. If you have any photos you would like added to the gallery, please email them to: [email protected]. If you click on Shop you can view some of the merchandise we have had printed with our new logo. [Read more…]

Rūnaka annual general meetings

The rūnaka met for the annual general meetings of the incorporated society and associated bodies on 3 November. This is an important date in the rūnaka calendar, where members get a chance to formally examine the progress of the rūnaka, as demonstrated in the audited accounts.

Thanks to a number of factors, but in particular, the increases in Te Pūtea Whakamahi (the operational grant from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Charitable Trust), the rūnaka is operating in a sound financial environment. This provides the rūnaka with the opportunity to implement the strategic plan much more effectively than in the past though we haven’t given away our generally conservative and some would say frugal approach.

If you would like to receive a copy of the annual report, contact the rūnaka office, or go the member’s section of the rūnaka website where members can download the document. Next year’s annual general meetings will again be held on the first Sunday in November.

Rūnaka Christmas party

This year Te Rūnaka o Ōtākou will be hosting the combined annual Ōtākou Puketeraki Rūnaka Christmas party. The plan is to have the children’s component in the morning and then a game of golf in the afternoon for adults, at the Ōtākou Golf Club. We have been informed there will be care available for tamariki while the adults are on the golf course. Please let Glenys at Ōtākou Marae know if you want to play golf – [email protected] and also please let me know at the rūnaka office, if you have tamariki attending as we like to let Hana Kōkō know in advance.

Rūnaka website launch

By the time you read this we will have launched our new website. Go to the same address – www.puketeraki.co.nz for our new look. Also have a look there for the opportunity to purchase a number of merchandise items, including t-shirts, jackets, polo shirts and aprons. We are loving our new branding. Thank you so much Tai Kerikeri. [Read more…]

Rā whānau

Tāua Mahana Walsh has celebrated her 90th birthday.

Mahana says a big thank you to all the whānau whānui and friends, who helped to make her celebration so special and so enjoyable – kā mihi mahana ki a koutou katoa. [Read more…]

Ngā mate

Andrew (Andy) George Vincent – 11 March 1914 – 27 July 2012
07531; Merchant Seaman, Merchant Navy. Andy was born at Mabel Bush, Southland. When he was three months old, the whānau shifted to Ruatapu on the West Coast. Four years later the whānau moved to Greymouth, where Andy was educated.

After leaving school he worked as a bushman; and in 1936, he married Velma Armstrong in Greymouth. They had one child, their daughter Helen. This marriage lasted two years. [Read more…]

Whakapapa o te Whare wānaka

The first of a series of whakapapa wānaka was held at Puketeraki Marae on 7-8 June. The theme was to foster understanding of relationships between whānau within the kāika – that is, to link whānau across whakapapa rather than just the direct lines of descent. We were joined by Terry Ryan from Whakapapa Ngāi Tahu and whānau came from as far as Christchurch for the hui. [Read more…]

Pāua re-seeding

By the time you read this the taiapure have been re-seeded with hundreds of thousands of pāua gifted from Bluff. Thanks to a huge whānau and community effort. We will bring you some photos and a full account of this kaupapa in the next edition of Te Pānui Rūnaka. [Read more…]

A wedding at Puketeraki

Our rūnaka chair, Matapura Ellison, married Maria Coombs at Hui te Rangiora Church, on Saturday 23 January, with around 80 guests present. The happy couple hosted a sumptuous breakfast in the wharekai at Puketeraki Marae, which was followed by a dance at Karitāne Hall. Congratulations Matapura and Maria. [Read more…]

Kāi Tahu Migration Haereka part 2

The story of Kāi Tahu migration was picked up in a two day wānaka in January, where we explored the movements and interactions in this area of Taoka and Te Wera, Moki II and other whanauka.

The first stop on the haereka was Huriawa, where Matapura Ellison recounted the exploits of our tīpuna that unfolded at Huriawa and across at Mapoutahi and also at Pukekura. [Read more…]

Motoitoi Reunion 2014

Planning is underway for a reunion of the descendants of Motoitoi, for Easter 2014. Please pass this on to any whānau you think may be interested. We welcome any ideas for the time together, based at Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki. Email Nicola Taylor [email protected] [Read more…]

He pēpi

Nau mai ki te pēpi hou a Rachel Ruckstuhl-Mann (Kāti Huirapa/Kaikōura) rāua ko Kerry Castell-Spence. He kōtiro e 6.2 pāuna. Ko ia te mokopuna tuatahi a Katharina Ruckstuhl. [Read more…]

Congratulations

To Waiariki Parata-Taiapa who received the 2012 Kā Pūtea Scholarship. We are delighted to announce that Waiariki Parata-Taiapa is the recipient of the Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki Papatipu Rūnaka Scholarship for 2012. Waiariki is studying for a Bachelor of Arts at the University of Otago, studying Māori, Film and Media. He is a very active member of the rūnaka, and is a wonderful mentor for rakatahi here in Ōtepoti. [Read more…]

Tāne Mahuta unveiling at the Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary

On Saturday 1 September, Tāne Mahuta (god of the forest) was unveiled at the Ōrokonui Ecosanctuary. The work was carved from the trunk of a macrocarpa tree and it took more than a year and hundreds of hours of work for kaiwhakairo, Alex Whitaker to complete. [Read more…]

Khyla Russell – inaugural professorial address

On Monday 6 August, Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka was extremely privileged to host the inaugural professorial address of our own Professor Khyla Russell. Khyla (Kāti Māmoe, Kāi Tahu, Waitaha, Rapuwai), was appointed full professor at Otago Polytechnic in January this year, recognising her international reputation in indigenous research and leadership. [Read more…]