Whenua Magazine - Issue 32

SHAREHOLDERS GAIN INSIGHT AT AGM

WEATHERING THE STORMS OF BUSINESS

& A PARTNERSHIP FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

RE-CONNECTING PEOPLE AND PLACE

NGĀ PĀNUI

PKW HALF AGM

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Half AGM is no longer taking place. (full details on page 3)

COVER Cherryl Thompson (left), her sister Robyn McCarthy (right) and the Hine Rose Whānau Trust want to reconnect to their Taranaki whakapapa.

PARININIHI KI WAITOTARA

Postal PO Box 241

New Plymouth 4340

Physical 35 Leach Street

New Plymouth 4310

Tel +64 (6) 769 9373

Fax +64 (6) 757 4206

Email office@pkw.co.nz

www.pkw.co.nz

EDITORIAL

Tēnā koutou katoa

As we cross the threshold of a new decade, I know that the coming months and years are going to bring us opportunities and challenges.

In order to continue on our mission towards a successfully diversified and sustainable Taranaki Māori owned and operated business providing meaningful opportunity for our people, we need to ensure we identify and maximise the opportunities and overcome the challenges that come our way.

It’s not going to be an easy ride. Events taking place on the other side of the globe can hit uncomfortably close to home and our position at the first link of the supply chain for dairy, timber and fishing is not one that gives us the leverage we need to be in charge of our own destiny.

We will need to be courageous, to have faith in our leadership team, as we continue to diversify our business into new directions and look to add value to what we produce.

Alternative revenue streams, pioneering new technology, developing strong strategic partnerships and becoming groundbreakers that others will want to follow are all ways in which we will take Parininihi ki Waitotara into the future.

Success for us does not just lie in the numbers of our annual accounts, but in the social, cultural and environmental achievements we can claim as we carry out our daily mahi and strive to build on the legacy our tūpuna gifted us – a legacy of whenua, vision and courage.

Nā, Warwick Tauwhare-George Chief Executive Officer

iSTUDIOS MULTIMEDIA

Postal PO Box 8383

New Plymouth 4340

Physical 77B Devon Street East New Plymouth 4310

Tel +64 (6) 758 1863

Email info@istudios.co.nz

www.istudios.co.nz

WHENUA MAGAZINE

Editor Warwick Tauwhare-George

Deputy Editor Polly Catlin-Maybury

Creative Direction Sheree Anaru

Photography Quentin Bedwell

Graphic Design Dave Pope, Karere Brown

CONTRIBUTORS

Polly Catlin-Maybury

Moana Ellis

Renee Kiriona-Ritete

“We will need to be courageous, to have faith in our leadership team, as we continue to diversify our business into new directions and look to add value to what we produce.”

HALF-YEARLY MEETING CHANGED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

PKW shareholders are being advised that the half-yearly meeting, due to take place on May 2, will no longer be held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But alternative methods to ensure that shareholders and whānau are kept up-to-date with the business are being explored.

“We want to reassure everyone that it’s business as usual at PKW, but we are just doing things a little differently, in line with the recommendations being made by our Prime Minister.” says Warwick Tauwhare-George, Chief Executive Officer. “Gatherings of more than 100 people are no longer advised, and physical distancing calls for us to keep at least 2 metres away from each other.

“However, we continue to be committed to keeping our shareholders fully informed of PKW’s activities and will be advising them of how that will be done in due course.

“In the meantime, we urge everyone to stay connected via our Facebook page and website for information updates.”

The PKW team is well-prepared for any restrictions on movement that may eventuate with a virtual office day trial confirming that computer systems and tools were able to facilitate remote working.

“Our business continuity plans have been initiated to ensure that we can continue to operate during any period of disruption and remain available to address any shareholder queries or concerns,” says Warwick. “While we are currently in uncertain times, following official guidelines, staying in touch with whānau and caring for each other will see us through.”

“

While we are currently in uncertain times, following official guidelines, staying in touch with whānau and caring for each other will see us through.”

Warwick Tauwhare-George

SHAREHOLDERS GAIN INSIGHT AT AGM

The 2019 Parininihi ki Waitotara Annual General Meeting began with a beautiful karanga of welcome from the whānau of Pariroa Pā and a mihi placing a korowai of protection around the gathering.

“It has been some time since we’ve held an AGM in this rohe and it was a perfect opportunity to answer the tono of our people to hold our AGM at Pariroa Pā. The Pā whānau and Ngāti Ruanui really opened their arms and enveloped us in a warm embrace of manaaki,” says Jacqui King, Head of Corporate Services at PKW. “There were also a number of new faces at the meeting which was wonderful to see.”

The introduction of the Kaupapa Evaluation Tool (KET) as a way to fully measure the Incorporation’s performance across all its core values of Manaakitanga, Kaitiakitanga, Whakapono, Kotahitanga and Whanaungatanga was a key feature of the meeting.

“The KET shows us where our success really lies – in our whenua, in our people and in the way we conduct our business,” says Hinerangi RaumatiTu’ua, chair of the PKW Board.

The tool has enabled PKW to assess and quantify measurable outcomes based on its values to ensure core strategies are being followed and reinforced – it has created an outcomes pathway. Consisting of 25 different metrics, each is given a score between one and 10. Any metric scoring less than five indicates an area that needs to be addressed. <<

" This year’s results have provided us with a benchmark on which to measure our progress towards our vision of He Tangata, He Whenua, He Oranga."

Hinerangi Raumati-Tu’ua

“Using KET is an exciting way of presenting our annual results because it offers shareholders a clear and transparent picture of what has been achieved during the year, and where attention may be needed,” says Hinerangi. “This year’s results have provided us with a benchmark on which to measure our progress towards our vision of He Tangata, He Whenua, He Oranga.”

Shareholders also received an update on the progress of the implementation of the diversification strategy with an overview of the current investment portfolio. Warwick Tauwhare-George, Chief Executive Officer of Parininihi ki Waitotara also presented the annual financial and operational performance of the Incorporation.

PKW Trust Chair Hinerangi Edwards presented the annual report on behalf of the Trust Board – her final task as she is standing down after 13 years of service.

She was pleased to announce new scholarships and internships created in partnership with Nova Energy, Meridian Energy and Marsh Insurance

and spoke about the work the Trust is doing to ensure that opportunities for Taranaki Māori to reach their aspirations are focused and effective.

“It was a bittersweet moment to retire from both the Trust and the Incorporation at this AGM,” she said, ”I leave feeling proud of the quiet things the Trust has achieved and will continue to champion its mission and vision as I move on.”

After the meeting, shareholders had

the opportunity to visit the Waipipi Wind Farm, a new ground-breaking partnership between PKW, private landowners and Tilt Renewables.

The group heard from the project developer and learned about the eight enormous turbines (each one is three times the height of Hāwera water tower) that will be on PKW whenua.

“It was a great opportunity for our whānau to be able to ask questions and gain a real insight into the scale

of the operation,” says Mitchell Ritai, General Manager Shareholder Engagement.

A visit to Farm 21 also took place with General Manager Ahuwhenua Shane Miles on hand to give an overview of the farm’s operations. Soraya Ruakere-Forbes from Te Whenua Tōmuri Trust explained the work being done on the water monitoring project as part of the Kaitiakitanga Strategy and shareholders were able to see the

equipment being used and understand what measurements are being taken and why.

“Our AGM and site visits are a very important part of how we connect with our whānau and we were very pleased that our 2019 meeting was a successful one – He mihi aroha ki te whānau o Pariroa Pā mō tō koutou manaakitanga ki Parininihi ki Waitotara,” says Jacqui.

Top left and below: The AGM was well attended, with many new faces coming to hear the kōrero.

Top right and below: Shareholders visit Waipipi Wind Farm and learn more about the water monitoring project.

WEATHERING THE STORMS OF BUSINESS

While commodities such as milk, kaimoana and timber have long been a solid platform on which Aotearoa has built its economy, being a producer of these raw materials comes with plenty of challenges.

Issues such as political upheaval, changes in legislation, natural disaster, disease pandemic or even something as simple as the weather all combine to affect the price a commodity can get in the marketplace.

“As a commodity player, it is difficult at times to dictate your future,” explains Warwick Tauwhare-George, Chief Executive Officer of Parininihi ki Waitotara. “The strength of your success can at times be determined by outside influences and that is not a comfortable place to be.”

“Essentially, as a commodity player you are a price taker, not a price maker. To overcome this, we need to develop our ability to move ourselves up the value chain, taking what we produce and turning it into something that can set its own price and position in the

marketplace. This takes courage, strong leadership and a willingness to challenge the norm.”

Moving up the value chain requires the understanding that at the end of every value chain is a person, and their purchase decisions shape the direction a business takes. Knowing what the ever-evolving and changing wants and needs of these customers will be is a major challenge for food producers world-wide.

“People want to know where their food has come from, how it has been produced, how those animals have been treated,” adds Warwick. “There is also growing demand for alternative products that can offer enhanced health, taste or lifestyle benefits.”

“We are not only responding to this, but also getting ahead of the game by

predicting where trends will go. The innovation culture we have at PKW means that we can lead the way when it comes to finding new ways of doing business, new products and new technologies, growing our knowledge base and getting ahead of the pack.”

While succeeding in a continually changing and volatile market is a challenge, by continuing to follow its strategic plan of building partnerships, portfolio diversification and pursuing robust investment opportunities while maintaining efforts to optimise the business, PKW is forging ahead towards its goal to become a best in class investor.

“We can be confident in our ability to withstand the challenges and obstacles that stand in our path,” says Warwick.

NEW BOARD MEMBER MAINTAINS WHANAU CONNECTION

Parininihi ki Waitotara (PKW) has welcomed a new member to the Committee of Management.

Māori development consultant Will Edwards (Ngāruahine, Taranaki, Tāngahoe, Pakakohi, and Ngāti Ruanui) replaces his sister Hinerangi Edwards, who has retired after 13 years service to PKW shareholders.

Elected by shareholders, the Committee of Management is responsible for setting the strategic direction of the Incorporation, and for monitoring the performance of the business.

With degrees in horticulture and Māori language, a Masters in Māori and Development Studies and a Public Health PhD on Māori positive ageing, Will has worked extensively across the Māori development sector. He spent three years in post-doctoral study, researching the use of mātauranga Māori alongside Western science.

Being able to bring Taranaki values to the PKW table is important, he says.

“The new Kaitiakitanga Strategy is a good example, focusing on our Taranaki perspectives alongside Western commercial considerations.

That has the potential to define us as a successful Māori organisation that works effectively for the people.”

Born and raised just outside of Hāwera, Will grew up milking cows on the whānau dairy farm where he lives today. He was ‘sent away’ to Hato Pāora College near Feilding, and then to university.

“I always knew I was going. Right from an early age we were told by our people that we needed to go away to gain an education so we could contribute back home to a community recovering from the injustices of the past. I remember my oldest sister and cousins who were about to go to teachers’ college being lined up before us, and our aunties and uncles saying: “… and that’s what

you’re going to do, too,” Will explains.

A horticulture degree broadened his farming experience and provided technical understanding of the primary sector. His second degree was in arts through total immersion te reo Māori.

“I wanted te reo so I could function fully in our world. Rangiātea in New Plymouth, 1993, was a pivotal year in my life – the first year of that degree, it was an amazing experience with Taranaki Māori who were mobilising and becoming critically aware of what was required to rebuild our communities,” says Will.

He then worked in health research under the mentorship of Professor Mason Durie, completing his Masters

“... it was an amazing experience with Taranaki Māori who were mobilising and becoming critically aware of what was required to rebuild our communities.”

<<

in Māori and Development Studies before moving into Māori language research. Returning home in 2007 to help set up a papakāinga on the whānau farm, he finished his PhD and with his wife established a Māori development consultancy.

Governance roles have included Te Reo o Taranaki, Tui Ora health and social services and Taranaki

Futures. As chair of Te Korowai o Ngāruahine from 2014-2017, he led the entity during the final passage of Treaty settlement legislation and immediately post-settlement. He has a clear view on the importance of adapting to the post-settlement environment, further diversification from dairying (particularly in light of COVID-19 coronavirus disease

impacts), and the re-imagining of PKW as a contemporary Māori organisation.

Family is clearly important. “Dad’s 85 this year. He’s a really important sounding board for me. I often check in with Dad for his take on things,” he says.

PKW chair Hinerangi Raumati-Tu’ua paid tribute to the considerable contribution of the outgoing Board member, saying; “Hinerangi Edwards is leaving us after many years of diligent and loyal service. Her leadership as chair of the PKW Trust has seen it grow in scope, enabling more Taranaki Māori to aim for the stars in terms of their educational aspirations, as well as providing opportunities and support to community groups and organisations.”

“ The new Kaitiakitanga Strategy is a good example, focusing on our Taranaki perspectives alongside Western commercial considerations.”

Will Edwards

Below (left to right): Te Rāwhitiora Edwards-Hammond, Raihania Edwards-Hammond, Will Edwards, Pihama Edwards-Hammond, Ray Edwards, Hinerangi Edwards, Kiwa Hammond, Rahiri Makuini Edwards-Hammond and Karoro Edwards-Hammond.

A PARTNERSHIP FOR POSITIVE CHANGE

Te Pou Tiringa (TPT) is the governance body of Te Kōpae Piripono, an awardwinning kaupapa Māori immersion early childhood centre, in New Plymouth.

The organisation is also carrying out a longitudinal research programme, called Te Kura Mai i Tawhiti. The research is a collaboration with the National Centre for Lifecourse Research at the University of Otago, and seeks to help create an evidence base around how kaupapa Māori early years programmes can impact positively on a whole range of life outcomes for tamariki including education, income, health and wellbeing. The study aims to help those working with tamariki and whānau, to maximise their contribution to children’s positive life outcomes, and benefits for Māori communities as a whole.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed in October 2018 to formalise the relationship between TPT

and PKW, although kōrero between the two organisations has been taking place for some time.

“TPT has aspirations of creating a community hub that promotes the use of te reo Māori, ensures a Taranaki Māori tikanga perspective is maintained and supports education across the whole community,” says Joe Hanita, Chief Financial Officer, PKW. “These aspirations closely align with PKW’s own values and social and cultural objectives and so we are working together to find them a home.”

A three-hectare block of PKW land, currently in use for the production of silage, between Waitara and Bell Block has been identified as a possible site, and a proposed 52-year lease document has been drafted. The intention is for TPT to develop the site in phases over a five-year period until the new community facility is complete.

The development of the land embraces the fact that PKW whenua

is not only an economic and cultural taonga, but also an asset which can be used to help fulfill PKW’s vision of He Tangata, He Whenua, He Oranga (Sustaining and Growing Our People Through Prosperity).

“Finding alternative uses for our land is a key strategic driver for the longterm sustainability of the business for our shareholders,” says Joe. “The long lease helps make the partnership a low-risk opportunity, which will continue to deliver a return on investment for years to come.”

“Both TPT and PKW share a vision of a healthy, vibrant and thriving Taranaki Māori community, so we are working on a shared kaupapa towards a common goal,” says Roena Ruakere-Te Uira, Chair of TPT. “We are on an exciting journey that has huge potential to enrich the lives of Taranaki Māori children, their whānau and the community, as a whole, for generations to come.”

A strategic partnership between PKW and Te Pou Tiringa aims to improve cultural, social and economic outcomes for Māori tamariki and their whānau in Taranaki.

Helping Taranaki Branch Out

Taranaki is renowned for its food production. A new programme aims to broaden our region’s food basket through supporting more diverse and complementary utilisation of our land, enterprises and products.

The two-year, $914,000 Branching Out initiative will investigate, explore, package and potentially pilot new commercial opportunities which could add wealth to Taranaki’s economy and help our food and fibre sector become more resilient, innovative and in-demand.

The programme will see Taranaki landowners, farmers, food manufacturers, marketers and investors partner with Venture Taranaki, Massey University, Crown Research Institutes and other experts to identify, explore and progress up to a dozen ventures with high innovation, growth and market potential.

“Branching Out is a collaborative exercise in looking differently at our region’s food and fibre products and potential, and how we can accelerate ideas and thinking that could have real and practical outcomes across the entire value chain,” says Justine Gilliland, Venture Taranaki’s Chief Executive.

“Beyond exploring new crops and innovative processes that complement the region’s existing land use and processing and marketing capabilities, Branching Out seeks to build value through aligning our natural resources, skills, and infrastructure to emerging and growing market opportunities and trends.”

“By working together through the programme we can scale-up the project and get things moving much

faster than we’d otherwise be able to. The support and interest gained from a number of organisations has been pivotal in getting the project off the ground.”

Managed by Venture Taranaki and a steering group of around a dozen stakeholders, the project will involve the region’s landowners, farmers and aspirational and existing food manufacturers, marketers and investors who have an appetite to be first movers. There will also be opportunities to engage tertiary students to work alongside commercial enterprises and landowners and assist with the venture blueprint development process.

Branching out aligns strongly with Taranaki’s regional economic development strategy Tapuae Roa and the Taranaki 2050 long-term vision for a low-emissions economy. It is funded by Taranaki’s three district councils and the Ministry of Primary Industries’ Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund, with significant in-kind support from Venture Taranaki, Massey University, Crown Research Institutes and primary sector and food and fibre industry enterprises.

For more information on Branching Out, head to www.about.taranaki.info or get in touch with the team at Venture Taranaki.

Branching Out launch by Agriculture Minister Hon Damien O’Connor.

YOUNG FARMER TITLE WINNER GEARS UP FOR FINAL

He will now head to Christchurch in July to the Grand Final, where he will battle it out against six other regional winners for the crown of FMG Young Farmer of the Year.

“It was a great feeling when they announced I was the winner,” says James. “I was elated because it’s not an easy competition. They test your knowledge and your skills across five key elements and you really have to put the work into it.”

The five ‘strainers’ of the competition are technology, environment, people, food and innovation. James was awarded the top points in innovation, environment and food, as well as the overall title, and walked away with more than $12,000 in prizes.

James is now focusing on preparing for the Grand Final. Having been a finalist before, in 2017, he knows it’s

going to be tough and competition will be fierce.

“There are various things I have to do beforehand, such as a report on a business innovation and a community footprint presentation but we won’t know what the practical and technical challenges are until we get there on the day, which is a bit scary,” he laughs. “But I am totally up for it and I think my previous experience will stand me in good stead.”

The 30-year-old has been a member of the PKW Farms team for more than seven months, after being selfemployed as a contract milker on the family farm.

“I love active farming,” he says. “But then this opportunity with PKW came up and I thought it would be a good challenge as well as enabling me to remain working in the farming sector.”

“I love the daily interaction I have with our kaimahi and our farming partners, it’s a real team approach to deliver the results for our shareholders. “

“James is a very much valued member of the PKW Farms team and this win shows what talented kaimahi we have within the organisation,” says Shane Miles, General Manager Ahuwhenua for PKW. “We wish him all the best in Christchurch for the final and hope that he brings the title home to Taranaki.”

PKW Farms business manager James Lawn has been announced as the FMG Young Farmer of the Year for the Taranaki Manawatū region.

“ James is a very much valued member of the PKW Farms team and this win shows what talented kaimahi we have within the organisation.”

Shane Miles

Image supplied by Jeanette Bell.

NEW LOOK PKW FARMS BOARD

The change in the board make-up came as the result of a comprehensive review carried out by the Committee of Management (CoM) to ensure that PKW’s governance structures were helping, not hindering, the organisation’s aspirations.

Consisting of two independent directors selected for the skills and experience they bring to the role, and two elected members from the PKW Board, the new structure will provide consistency and focus to the strategic aims of this part of the business.

“The new Board, chaired by Richard Krogh along with independent director Phillip Luscombe and Board members Taaringaroa Nicholas and Claire Nicholson, received a Letter of Expectation from the CoM outlining not only what we as an Incorporation want

them to achieve but also, and perhaps more importantly, how we want them to achieve,” says Hinerangi Raumati-Tu’ua, Chair of the PKW Board.

“So far this new model is working very well and we look forward to watching the progress of this part of our business over the coming months under Richard’s leadership.”

The Board has also been joined by a new member, Mark Bridges (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāi Tahu), as Phillip Luscombe retires after more than 20 years at PKW.

“Phillip has made a significant contribution to the development and success of the PKW Farms operation during his time on the Board and I wish to acknowledge and thank him for being part of our journey,” says Hinerangi.

While he has big shoes to fill, Mark brings extensive experience in providing strategic advice and guidance to a range of farming operations, particularly on sustainable farming methods. A Senior Associate Director for Southern Pastures Ltd, he has also worked for the New Zealand Dairy Board as a farm consultant. He is based in Taranaki and has had his own dairy farming business since 1999, in various models of ownership (50/50 sharemilker, leased dairy farms and equity ownership).

“We welcome Mark to the organisation and look forward to his input as we continue to focus on optimising our farm performance while fulfilling our role as kaitiaki of our whenua and awa,” says Hinerangi.

The PKW Farms LP Board has a new structure as the Incorporation seeks to become Best in Class in the dairy farming sector.

Every year, the members of the Committee of Management and the directors of the PKW Farms LP Board visit at least two of the farms in the PKW estate with the latest being on Tempsky Road, in the Matapu district under the gaze of Maunga Taranaki.

“It is always a pleasure to host our Board members on-farm, and have them and our kaimahi engaging, and being able to kōrero about what has been happening,” says Shane Miles, PKW General Manager Ahuwhenua.

The farm, which is managed by Nigel Bright and a team of two other casual kaimahi, is a specialist state-of-the-art calf unit capable of rearing up to 1200 calves.

Richard Krogh, Chair of the PKW Farms LP Board, said that visits provided the opportunity for the governance team to visibly support PKW’s vision of He Tangata, He Whenua, He Oranga.

“The focus of the kōrero is to understand any concerns that the kaimahi have, to ensure that the teams

on-farm are well supported, and to reinforce our commitment to the health and safety and wellbeing of our people,” says Richard.

“It is extremely important that the Board maintains a strong connection with the activities and challenges on farm. Farming is a dynamic industry and things can change quickly so we need to be well informed to ensure we can navigate the business for longterm success.”

“Visits like this give the Board members a chance to hear directly from the

people doing mahi on the ground ”

The calf-rearing unit allows PKW to make better use of its own livestock resources without relying on purchasing replacement stock for the dairy herds on other farms. Given the importance of maintaining good genetics and the risk of importing diseases like M-Bovis, the calf rearing unit is an important component of the Incorporation’s farming operation.

And it is just about to gear up for another busy season ahead, with autumn calving underway.

Below: Board members kōrero with kaimahi at PKW’s specialist calf-rearing unit

“ It is extremely important that the Board maintains a strong connection with the activities and challenges on farm. Chair PKW Farms LP.”

Richard Krogh

OPTIMISATION PLAN PROVES SIZE MATTERS

Six years ago PKW purchased the 76-hectare farm in Ohāngai, near Hāwera, with the view of eventually acquiring the neighbouring corpus whenua that surrounded it. And that is exactly what happened this year.

“The latest purchase is the fulfilment of our long-term plan to expand our footprint and reclaim ancestral land,” says Shane Miles, PKW General Manager Ahuwhenua.

The additional 100-hectare property has 300 cows and will be purchased

from Janine and Barney Wright, who have many years of farming experience.

“It has been a privilege to work with Janine and Barney throughout this process,” says Shane.

“This all started simply by us picking up the phone and having a conversation with them.”

“We are really looking forward to the Wrights continuing to work the farm on behalf of PKW, with the help of two additional kaimahi.”

The farm has good infrastructure and

a dairy shed, which will help provide a total capacity for a 500-head calving unit.

“We are expecting good financial returns and outcomes for PKW’s shareholders from this latest addition,” says Shane. “And it’s great to know that this whenua is being regained after many years.”

PKW is currently working on the amalgamation plan for the two properties which will be put into action on June 1 when the transaction has been formally completed.

Parininihi ki Waitotara’s Te Kāhu farm is about to increase its whenua footprint, in order to optimise operations which will aid delivery of returns to shareholders.

RE-CONNECTING PEOPLE AND PLACE

A whānau trust is reaching out to shareholders for information to help them re-connect with whenua, whakapapa and whānau. Moana Ellis discovers why they are putting out the call.

Rawinia Panenui was the daughter of Moana Kemara and Hauraranga Panenui. She passed away in 2000, leaving many shares in Parininihi ki Waitotara (PKW) – a legacy that makes her descendants significant shareholders of the inter-generational Taranaki Māori business.

But Rawinia passed on little knowledge of whakapapa, tūpuna, hapū, iwi or marae, leaving her only surviving child –daughter Hinepua Georgina Kingi – and her mokopuna struggling to understand their connection to their land and people.

In 2005, those mokopuna formed the Hine Rose Whānau Trust, named after their mother (who took Rose as her married name). Based in Tauranga and Australia, they started attending PKW shareholder hui and spending time in Taranaki, all the while trying to piece together their identity and history.

For Cherryl Thompson, eldest daughter of Hine Rose, the sense of loss is raw.

“I feel totally disconnected from my whenua,” Cherryl says. “We go back and try to make reconnections. We just want to have a sense of belonging and to know our Taranakitanga.

“We don’t have any place to go back to other than marae, maunga, awa. We go to urupā and walk around – that’s about all we can do at this point.”

Cherryl says her grandmother did not share much with her mother.

“Mum knew we were Ngāti Ruanui, but she only knew where she grew up and she was always looked after by the family of her father, George Kingi.”

With the loss of her mother five years ago, Cherryl is now the family matriarch and feels a sense of responsibility to her seven children and wider whānau.

“I don’t want to hand this on without having moved forward somehow. I have to find out more about who I am and where I’m from for that sense of belonging – for myself and for my children.

“It’s having that knowing. We have our whakapapa, but we want to feel it. We attend every shareholder meeting and Taranaki Tū Mai, but because we weren’t brought up there, we’re just like visitors.

“I need to pave the way for my children to feel part of Taranaki so we can go back there feeling we’re at home, and not on a visit to somebody else’s place.”

The whānau will wānanga at Taiporohenui Marae at the end of September with Te Poihi Campbell

“ We go back and try to make reconnections. We just want to have a sense of belonging and to know our Taranakitanga.”

Cherryl Thompson

and hope people will come to share their stories and knowledge. Talking with those who know the Kemara and Panenui whānau is their best hope of filling the gaps, Cherryl believes.

“We’re keen to learn more about our family, our whakapapa, our history and we’d like to learn it from our whanaunga – spend some time talking with our whānau if they have the time. We’d like to know more stories about our mum and our grandparents, and all the places that are significant to us. I only know those things from a book. You

want to feel it from your heart.”

Mitchell Ritai, PKW General Manager Shareholder Engagement, says the disconnection suffered by the Hine Rose Whānau Trust is an experience shared by many shareholders. The Māori Trustee’s 1963 amalgamation of land blocks set aside in the early 1880s for Taranaki Māori was one of a long sequence of acts that alienated whānau from their ancestral lands. Rather than being an owner in a block of land, a person became a shareholder over the entire estate.

“That disconnected people from their ancestral lands because they became a shareholder in an incorporation rather than remaining directly linked to a particular block of land,” Mitchell says. “We see this quite often. Today some of our shareholders only have a connection to Taranaki through PKW – they don’t know their whakapapa connection, their iwi, hapū or marae.

“The challenge in connecting shareholders to the original land is significant. Stitching back the pieces together to find the original shareholders and their connection to the original block is not an easy task.”

However, PKW was able to introduce

Above: Cherryl and her sister Robyn talk about an old family photograph (below left), featuring their grandmother, Rawinia Panenui, standing third from left.

Hine Rose’s whānau to whanaunga when they came to the 2019 Annual General Meeting.

“As soon as they met Te Poihi, they started making connections. He was able to tell them where they belong on one side of their whakapapa. That important moment underlined the enormous significance to our shareholders of re-connecting back.”

For the whānau of Hine Rose Whānau Trust, there is still more to discover. “We hope that if anyone has any information, they will reach out to the whānau so that their mokopuna will grow up knowing that they are from Taranaki and how.”

Establishing a whānau trust should be a consideration for all whānau shareholders, Mitchell suggests. Holding shares collectively as a whānau stops shareholding fragmentation and makes administration easier - removing the need for lengthy succession processes (as trustees can simply be changed) and providing one central bank account and set of contact details.

The challenge facing Hine Rose Whānau Trust also highlights the issue of missing shareholders. PKW has contact details for only about 55% of its 10,500 shareholders and bank account details for 35%.

“That means 65% of our shareholders aren’t receiving dividends they are entitled to and don’t have the opportunity to realise shareholder benefits such as education and community grants, or work opportunities,” says Mitchell. But a solution may be on the horizon thanks to PKW’s involvement in the National Science Challenge. Under the programme’s Science for Technological Innovation research, PKW is working with Victoria and Auckland universities to develop tools that might help find missing shareholders and re-connect whānau.

“For PKW, an important part of this project is finding ways to strengthen connection to people and place. Re-connecting back to whenua and marae helps to rebuild a sense of belonging and sense of self. That can be an empowering experience, and PKW hopes our involvement will help whānau in that area.

“We expect that shareholder experiences and our input into the design of these high-tech tools will mean they will also be relevant and applicable for other incorporations, iwi, Māori organisations and possibly even mainstream organisations.”

Anyone wishing to connect with Cherryl and the Hine Rose Whānau Trust can send their contact details to reception@pkw.co.nz.

“ Re-connecting back to whenua and marae helps to rebuild a sense of belonging and sense of self. That can be an empowering experience, and PKW hopes our involvement will help whānau in that area.”

Mitchell Ritai

“ I don’t want to hand this on without having moved forward somehow. I have to find out more about who I am and where I’m from for that sense of belonging – for myself and for my children.”

Cherryl Thompson

NEW IWI SCHOLARSHIPS LAUNCHED

Last year PKW Trust rolled out the first joint iwi scholarship with Te Korowai o Ngāruahine Trust. Now it is partnering with Te Kāhui o Taranaki and Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa to offer two additional scholarships, the PKWTaranaki Iwi and the PKW-Te Atiawa Iwi undergraduate scholarships.

Mitchell Ritai, PKW General Manager Shareholder Engagement, said it was important to partner strategically with iwi to broaden our suite of scholarships.

“Building relationships with our iwi will provide more opportunity to support our people who are entering into tertiary education. We hope these investments will continue into the future, and we’d like to have the same conversations with other iwi. There’s always a need for skills to come home.”

Each $2500 scholarship aims to support Bachelor-level study in Environmental Planning or Resource Management studies – a focus that aligns with the immediate and

projected business needs of both PKW and iwi.

Hemi Sundgren, CEO of Te Kotahitanga

o Te Atiawa, says the focus on environmental management reflects the strategic challenges facing iwi.

“We have a generic educational portfolio that supports broader opportunity to access scholarships, but some areas need targeted investment. This is our first focused scholarship.”

“There are a lot of pressures on our environment; this will be magnified as the impacts of growth are felt across our region. Coupled with the impacts of carbon emissions and climate change, it becomes critically important to support our people into planning and natural resource management. There is a real shortage of our people working in this space.”

The PKW-iwi relationship was built on the shared intent to find ways to help Taranaki Māori grow and learn.

“We acknowledge we can’t do these things alone; we rely on partnerships with those who share the same values,” says Hemi.

Wharehoka Wano, CEO of Te Kāhui o Taranaki, said the developing relationship between the three entities was a strategic response to issues held in common.

“Environment and resource management is just one example, but a priority as we push back against the progressive nature of our changing environment, land use intensification, development, mining, oil and gas, climate issues.”

“As kaitiaki we’re concerned with the impacts on our land and waters. We have to monitor and manage these activities. We need good people on the ground who value our mātauranga and can mix it with these companies, councils, government and others.”

“It just makes sense to collaborate in growing our people across these areas.”

Two new tertiary scholarships have been established as part of a growing partnership between Parininihi ki Waitotara (PKW) and iwi.

Dion Tuuta with Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa Chair Liana Poutu and Te Kāhui o Taranaki Chair Leanne Horo.

NEW FACES JOIN KAITIAKITANGA TEAM

Former grant recipients bring their skills home to help continue driving the Incorporation’s kaitiakitanga strategic focus forward.

Dion Luke (Ngāruahine) has taken on the role of Kaitiakitanga Project Coordinator and Oriana Van Nistlerooy (Ngāti Ruanui) is the Kaitiakitanga Strategy Intern.

The Kaitiakitanga Strategy is an operational framework that aims to reconnect Taranaki Māori people with the land and the resources it holds while ensuring PKW is an environmentally sustainable business with Māori tikanga at its heart.

“It’s great to have the experience, qualifications and skills Dion and Oriana bring with them on the team as we continue to implement the projects laid down in the strategy,” says Mitchell Ritai, General Manager Shareholder Engagement at PKW. “These roles have been created as a result of the commitment PKW has to its role as kaitiaki of our whenua for future generations.”

Dion was the 2018 Mate ki Tawhiti Carr Scholar and has just completed five years of university study gaining a BSc in Environment and Society and a Masters in Planning from Lincoln University.

One of his first priorities is progressing the work being done to provide access to wāhi tapu situated on PKW whenua and investigating ways of enabling mahinga kai, or cultural harvesting.

He is also investigating the work local environmental groups are involved in, with a view to creating mutually beneficial partnerships.

“There is a lot of expectation and challenge associated with this role,” says Dion. “So it has been exciting to join this very committed team and get to work. The Kaitiakitanga Strategy encompasses so many important elements that making sure we maintain a balanced and coherent approach is going to be key.

“There are so many factors at play when it comes to caring for our whenua, the promised new legislation from the Government around the management of fresh water being a good example, so I am going to be very busy!”

Oriana, also a former PKW grant recipient, has been focusing on the mātauranga Māori elements of the water monitoring project, which will complement the Stream Health Monitoring and Assessment Kit (SHMAK) science-based investigations which have already begun. She joined PKW for the 10-week summer internship after completing her

Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental Science.

“Cultural research like this is a new approach for me as my degree was very much from the Western science side of things,” she said. “It has been an amazing experience hearing the kōrero from iwi explaining what a healthy environment looks like to them. It has also been important to understand what animals and plants are regarded as taonga and held in high value by Taranaki Māori.”

The response to Oriana’s work has been over-whelmingly positive, with many people wanting to get involved.

“Dion and Oriana have already had a positive impact on the mahi being done in this area in the short time they have been with us,” says Mitchell. “It is particularly gratifying that these two former grant recipients have come home to give us the benefit of the skills they have learned. We are looking forward to seeing the progress they make going forward.”

“ Dion and Oriana have already had a positive impact on the mahi being done in this area in the short time they have been with us.”

Mitchell Ritai

FESTIVAL BUILDS MĀORI PRIDE

A biennial gathering of Taranaki iwi is going from strength to strength, with thousands of members of the eight tribes now joining the celebration of collective identity.

Taranaki Tū Mai, which is sponsored by PKW, has grown from humble beginnings 10 years ago to involving more than 2,200 people in 2019. Now firmly embedded as a major event on the Taranaki iwi calendar, the festival of sport, talent, skill and learning is achieving its aim of bringing whānau back to their marae and iwi, says Taranaki Tū Mai Trust chair, Wharehoka Wano.

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“The main purpose from day one has been whanaungatanga, kotahitanga and Taranakitanga. Bringing all eight Taranaki iwi together under those values to celebrate ourselves as Taranaki maunga means we can engage whānau back into their iwitanga and strengthen cultural confidence.

“An example of this is the mōteatea chosen by the host iwi and learnt by all kapa haka. Not only does that give the host whānau the opportunity to tell their history, but we now have a collection of mōteatea to use when we travel as the maunga. That is powerful and empowering.”

Mitchell Ritai, General Manager

Shareholder Engagement for PKW, said the gathering every two years is important in building iwi pride.

“When people feel more connected to who they are and have a real sense of belonging, they become more

involved and engaged at home. That grows capacity and capability as people come back and contribute. It’s something PKW is pleased, proud and happy to have supported financially since 2011.”

“It is also an opportunity for us to connect and reconnect with many of our shareholders, which is an important part of our Kaupapa.”

Wharehoka says such backing supports Taranaki Tū Mai to reach more whānau. “In 2015, we had 800 participants. In 2017, that doubled and in 2019 we had 2,200 whānau.”

The 6th biennial event was ‘outstandingly hosted’ in November last year by Ngāti Maru at the remote Te Upoko o Te Whenua Marae in Tarata, and in Inglewood. Organiser for the host iwi Tamzyn Pue said the desire was to enable a truly authentic connection with Ngāti

Above and right: Whānau from around the maunga came together in a celebration of what it is to be Taranaki Māori

Maru. “Above all, we wanted people to feel happy, sheltered and protected under whakamarumaru, under our Marutanga,” she says.

“Taranaki Tū Mai empowers all uri of Koro Taranaki. We carry the mauri around the maunga and speak of our tūpuna and the lands that united us. Those conversations go into our kapa haka compositions to strengthen our bonds. It’s about being as one, playing some sports, having some fun and taking part just to bring our family together.”