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.

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 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.

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…]

Ka tangihia ngā mate huhua o te wā. Hanatu atu rā koutou ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi, ki ngā mātua tīpuna. Waiho atu mātou ki konei hei tangi mōteatea mō koutou. Okioki mai rā. Rātou ki a rātou, ā, tātou ki a tātou. Hei aku nui, hei aku rahi, hei te iwi whānui, nāia te whakamiha ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Mauri ora ki a tātou.

Since the signing of the claim, Ngāi Tahu 2025 has been the main focus of the iwi and collectively we have developed many positive and successful initiatives for our people, which have enabled whānau to achieve their own aspirations. As we approach 2015 we need to start thinking about our future and ask ourselves what it will mean to be Ngāi Tahu in 2050? Recently we held the first of three planned wānanga where the focus was vision: where we as a tribe are headed beyond Ngāi Tahu 2025; and how do we want to get there. I am very excited about the next two wānanga sessions and we will keep you informed on progress and developments.

In the past few weeks, the Freshwater Iwi Leaders Group hosted regional freshwater discussions across the motu to receive feedback about our engagement with the Crown and to seek further direction on aspirations in relation to management, use and allocation of freshwater.

I led five hui here in Te Waipounamu. The in-depth kōrero from whānau and hapū to date has been good, with considerable support expressed for the Iwi Leaders Group. More importantly, whānau unanimously support continued engagement with the Crown on addressing allocating fresh water to iwi.

There is still a lot of work to be carried out in this space and we have technical teams working hard to ensure iwi interests are at the forefront.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the new and returning MPs who were successful on election day. It is great to see our own whānau in Parliament and I wish them all the best for the next three years. I look forward to seeing Papatipu Rūnanga and the office form relationships with the new MPs within our takiwā and to reinvigorate working relationships with returning MPs.

By the time you receive this edition, we will have enjoyed the opening of the new whare tipuna of Ngāti Waewae and also participated in Hui-ā-Tau. For whānau who were unable attend both of these hui, we will have photos and feedback for you in the December issue.

E ngā tini aituā o te wā, hanatū rā ki te kāinga wairua i te rangi, ā, okioki mai rā. Rātou ki a rātou. Tātou ki a tātou. Mauri ora ki a tātou. Kei aku rangatira huri noa i te motu, ka nui te mihi, ka nui te māriri ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Tēnā rā tātou katoa.

Last month marked a significant event for the nine iwi of Te Waipounamu with the signing of Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu, the Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency contract with Te Puni Kōkiri. Minister Tariana Turia is very excited and thrilled with the expertise and experience of the organisation to assist and help build whānau capacity in Te Waipounamu and empower whānau to create their own pathways.

Kaiwhakahaere tuarua Lisa Tumahai has been elected as interim chair of Te Taumata, the governance group mandated to make decisions on behalf of the iwi shareholders of Te Pūtahitanga.

Te Taumata are currently recruiting directors for Te Pūtahitanga. Once this recruitment process is finished, the process to fulfill further positions will commence.

The Te Pūtahitanga team are out and about with their road show providing information on what the structure will look like and more importantly asking the hauora organisations and whānau members for feedback and advice.

In other recent developments around Te Waipounamu, Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura hosted the Prime Minister and officials for the announcement by the Conservation Minister Nick Smith of the Kaikōura Marine Management Bill. The Bill, once passed by Parliament, will provide for a new marine reserve, a whale and fur seal sanctuary, five customary fishing areas and new recreational fishing regulations.

Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura has worked closely with Te Korowai o Te Tai o Marokura with this project from its inception, working alongside Kaikōura communities to drive the kaupapa.

We are all immensely proud of the outcome. The philosophy underpinning Te Korowai was adapted from the Fiordland Guardians, where, in 1995, a group of commercial and recreational fishers, Ngāi Tahu, tourism operators, environmentalists, marine scientists and community representatives came together to address the escalating pressures on the marine environment.

The implementation of the strategy will assist us in better managing the future of the Kaikōura marine environment and the richness of resources that supports the economic, social and cultural future of the Kaikōura community.

On Saturday 12 April, the Waitaha Cultural Council Trust hosted the Waitaha Senior Kapa Haka Regional competition. Ten groups competed this year to represent Waitaha at the national senior kapa haka competition, Te Matatini 2015, including, eight from Canterbury, Te Iti o Tahuna from Queenstown, and Ngā Tumu ki Otago from Dunedin. Three groups qualified to represent Waitaha at Te Matatini 2015.

I would like to acknowledge the Waitaha Council for organising an awesome event, which was enjoyed by all who attended. Also I extend a mihi to all the participating groups who have worked hard with composing and practicing their programme for the competition over the past several months.

Congratulations to Ngā Manu a Tāne, Te Ahikōmau a Hamoterangi and Te Pao a Tahu, who will be representing Waitaha at Te Matatini, and on behalf of Ngāi Tahu whānui we wish you all the best at Te Matatini.

Ka tangihia, ka matapōrehutia ngā mate huhua o te wā. Whakawhiti atu rā i te pae o mahara, ā, e oki atu rā. Rātou ki a rātou, tātou ki a tātou. Mauri ora ki a tātou.

E te hākerekere, e ōku rangatira huri taiāwhio i Aotearoa, nāia te mihi kau atu ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Tēnā rā tātou katoa.

The storms and flooding we experienced earlier this month caused huge problems for whānau across Te Waipounamu, particularly here in Ōtautahi. The comfort of being around whānau often gets people through trying times like these. If there are any whānau needing support or advice, please ring the team at He Oranga Pounamu on 0800 KAI TAHU. [Read more…]

Nāia te whakamiha, te uruhau ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā. Mauri ora ki a tātou.

I would like to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Ngāti Tama and Ngāti Rārua on the recent signing of their respective Deeds of Settlement.

The signing between the Crown and Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu on April 20 marked the the final deed of settlement for historical claims in the South Island. I see this as a huge milestone and in every respect the moment in which the iwi of Te Waipounamu, can begin rebuilding side-by-side for the benefit of our future generations. [Read more…]

E mihi ana ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā.

When I think about the true meaning of leadership, I always think about our kaumātua. Many of our kaumātua are our role models, who provide advice and guide us in shaping our future. They act as the support person and strong backbone we need to ensure we achieve our goals and most importantly in setting the foundations for future generations. [Read more…]

Nāia te uruhau, nāia te mihi kau atu ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā.

I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the three Christchurch-based kapa haka rōpū, Te Ahikōmau a Hamoterangi, Ngā Manu a Tāne and Te Kotahitanga, who represented Waitaha and performed at the national kapa haka competition, Te Matatini, held in Rotorua on 21-24 February. After many months of practice, commitment and hard work, the three groups gave it all they had on the stage. Each performer should be very proud of the way they represented their community, whānau, hapū, and iwi. [Read more…]

Kei te hākerekere, kei aku rangatira, e te iwi whānui, nāia te uruhau, nāia hoki te mihi o te tau hou Pākehā ki a koutou i runga i ngā tini āhuatanga o te wā.

I hope everyone had a well-deserved break over the summer period, relaxing and enjoying the time with whānau and friends and that you are re-energised for what 2013 will bring. [Read more…]

Tēnā koutou i runga anō i ō koutou āhuatanga maha. Ko whakarauika mai ā-iwi tātou katoa, ko whatua tonutia ngā aho tīpuna o te whare kia kaha. Tama tū, tama ora ko mau te toki ki te rika, he kai kei ō tātou ringaringa mō tātou, ā, mō ka uri ā muri ake nei.

By the time you read this, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will have met some of our He Toki ki te Rika graduates and current students.

The graduates and students were among a number of people the royal couple met during their tour of Ōtautahi.

The He Toki programme is proving a great success. He Toki is the Māori trade training programme at CPIT, which was launched last year to connect Māori to the recovery of Ōtautahi. The course is supported by Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, Te Tapuae o Rehua, CPIT, Hawkins Construction and Te Puni Kōkiri.

It’s no secret that I am a supporter of the programme, particularly its aim to make leaders of our people. I am impressed that so far over 200 students have been through the course. The students start off with pre-trade training qualifications and a work readiness passport and our expectation is that they go on to become qualified tradespeople and eventually progress to project leaders and business owners.

We know this path isn’t easy, so to help, the He Toki students are taught in a supportive cultural environment, learning tikanga and te reo. Also, Hawkins Construction have created a programme to get students ready for work. The programme Hawkins developed is the work readiness passport, which gives the students a set of practical skills, such as having a CV ready and having site safe tickets that they can show to employers to prove they are ready for work.

We are really grateful for their input and commitment to helping our people succeed. Indeed, we are grateful to all the partners who continue to commit funding and time to the project.

If we look at the statistics for this year’s student intake, I’m reasonably pleased with the result. Of the 116 who began the course, 90 completed. Of those 90, 40 are now in full time employment and 39 have gone into further study. I understand the others are contemplating further study or seeking work, so I hope that they all reach the short-term goals they have set themselves and then go on to do much more.

The programme will continue next year and now is the perfect time to get ready to be part of the recovery of Ōtautahi. With the $30 billion dollar investment into the region, there is going to be lots of jobs and lots of chances to up skill. We are anticipating that there will be 200 fully funded He Toki places next year. So if you know someone who might benefit, or you are reading this and think you might be interested in the course then call CPIT’s Centre of Māori and Pacifika Achievement on 0800 24 24 76.

And finally a short reminder whānau, if you would like to provide us with some feedback on Hui-ā-Iwi, please do so during the hui, or you can do so after the event via the Ngāi Tahu website.

E ngā mana, e aku rangatira, e te iwi whānui, naia anō te mihi kau atu ki a koutou, kei te mihi.

With Koanga (Spring) we see new growth and all around us signs of new life. There are also signs of a new chapter here at Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu with two wahine into important roles.

Congratulations to Ann Wakefield, the new Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu representative for Ōraka-Aparima. I wish her well in this role and I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Stewart Bull for all his hard work in the past 19 years as the representative for Ōraka-Aparima at Te Rūnanganui o Tahu and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu – ka nui te mihi ki a koe.

We have other rūnanga starting their election process now. I encourage you all to participate in your rūnanga elections and have your say.

Congratulations also to our new Chief Executive Officer, Arihia Bennett of Ngāi Tūāhuriri. While it will be sad to see Mike Sang go, Arihia is someone who Te Rūnanga knows will keep the waka moving forward. The next few months is a transitional period, where Mike and Arihia will work closely together to ensure a good transition of knowledge and kaupapa. We feel extremely fortunate to be welcoming Arihia who brings a vast knowledge and understanding of our rūnanga, hapū and organisational structures, not to mention her wealth of experience in management and the delivery of social services. She is currently the Chief Executive Officer of He Oranga Pounamu (HOP) and prior to that she was the Regional Manager, Te Waipounamu, for Barnardos NZ. Arihia has also held a number of advisory positions to government, including Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Commissioner following the September 2010 earthquake. Many of you will remember Arihia when she was a director on the Ngāi Tahu Development Corporation board from 1999 to 2002 and then chair until 2005.

Not many organisations get the benefit of having a transition period between their top managers and we are extremely grateful to Mike for all his efforts during the past 18 months, particularly his wisdom and pragmatic approach to all the decisions that had to be made post-earthquakes. Please join me in sincerely thanking Mike, and welcoming and congratulating Arihia into Te Rūnanga, our first wahine in the role of CEO – e te wahine nui puku, naia te owha ki a koe.

In this edition you will find the latest annual results for the recent financial year. They show we have had another prosperous year, with successful programme initiatives and milestones reached. This is something for us to be proud of. The past year has not been easy, for staff in particular, with the earthquake zoning processes and the continuous delays with insurances claims. However, their ability to progress business-as-usual programmes, implement new programmes aligned to rūnanga aspirations and handle the extra work brought about by the earthquake recovery is extraordinary. I acknowledge and thank the staff from both Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation and Te Rūnanga for their hard work, efforts and commitment to their jobs and to the tribe – e kore e mutu te mihi ki a koutou.

Enjoy the warm weather of Koanga.

Noho ora mai
Mark.