Huaki

“To bring to Light”

Edition 32

Friday, May 29, 2026

Ngāpuhi launches iwi following agreement O

After years of advocacy for iwi led solutions, Ngāpuhi has oﬃcially launched its Enabling Communities prototype following the signing of an agreement with Oranga Tamariki.

Led by Te Rōopu Whaiti, the kaupapa marks a signiﬁcant step toward Ngāpuhi taking greater responsibility in shaping care, protection and whānau support responses for its own people

The launch, held on Friday 22 May, brought together iwi leadership, providers, community representatives and partner organisations to acknowledge the signiﬁcance of the kaupapa and the work that now moves into implementation

The prototype focuses on strengthening pathways that keep mokopuna connected to their whānau, hapū, iwi and identity, while building local approaches grounded in whakapapa, tikanga and community leadership

Te Runanga a Iwi o Ngāpuhi Chair Mane Tahere says “This kaupapa is about Ngāpuhi stepping further into solutions for our own people For too long our whānau have felt the impacts of systems designed away from our communities. This prototype creates space for approaches shaped by whakapapa, tikanga and the realities our whāna

For many whānau across Te impacts of care and protect justice systems are not new than 700 Ngāpuhi mokopun and protection systems, wh entries into youth justice we ﬁrst six months of 2025 alon not account for repeat entri

Ngāpuhi leaders reinforced the ne closer to the com

The prototype aims to strengthen early intervention, improve whānau support and reduce pathways into state systems by creating

best

“The launch is signiﬁcant, though the real mportance will be seen in how this kaupapa s carried into practice for our whānau and mokopuna. The people closest to these ealities often already know what support is eeded This prototype creates an opportunity o build approaches that are more connected o our communities and more reﬂective of who we are as Ngāpuhi ”

Ngāpuhi were the second iwi in Aotearoa to ign a Strategic Partnership Agreement with he Crown Despite this early leadership, wi representatives say progress toward meaningful investment and iwi led delivery as taken years of sustained advocacy from Ngāpuhi leaders, providers and communities

he Enabling Communities prototype now ays foundations for Ngāpuhi to begin emonstrating what iwi led approaches an look like in practice, with providers and ommunity groups working alongside iwi eadership to support implementation on the round

e Roopu Whaiti member Alva Pomare mphasises that “This launch is not the ﬁnish ne The work now moves into making sure ese approaches genuinely support our hānau and create stronger futures for our okopuna That accountability sits with all of involved in carrying this kaupapa forward ”

hile Fridays launch marked a major lestone, leaders involved in the kaupapa knowledged that the real work now begins rough delivery and accountability to whānau d mokopuna

e next phase of the prototype will focus on tting these approaches into practice and suring they create meaningful, long term tcomes for Ngāpuhi communities

Whole Festival

Monday 15 June - Friday 17 July

• Puanga Matariki 2026 –Colouring Competition

• Whakamānawa

• Puanga on a Plate Whiro Monday 15 June

• Puanga Matariki Festival Opening Ceremony

• Matariki Trilogy III: From the Museum to the People

• Matariki o Te Ra Hinghinga

Tirea Tuesday 16 June

• Matariki Celebration Evening –Art Exhibition

• Green Drinks at the Hobbit Cobbin

• Māori Ringa Tohu Reo

Hoata Wednesday 17 June

• Matariki Reﬂection –Lunchtime Concert

Ōuenuku Thursday 18 June

• Thinking Outside the Creative Box – Puanga Matariki Art Workshop Series

Okoro Friday 19 June

• Whakamaumaharatanga ki Poutama Tangihanga

• Whangārei – Night Biodiversity Walks

Tamatea-āio Saturday 20 June

• Discover the Celestial Story of Matariki

• Matariki Night Ride

• Kotahitanga – Puanga Exhibition

Tamatea-ngana Sunday 21 June

• Navigating Slowly. Film Screening

• Whangaruru Community Hāngī

Tamatea-kai-ariki Tuesday 23 June

• Māori Ringa Tohu Reo

Tamatea-tūhāhā Wednesday 24 June

• Matariki Wānanga with Rereata Makiha

• Matariki Trilogy III: From the Museum to the People

Ariroa Thursday 25 June

• Thinking Outside the Creative Box – Puanga Matariki Art Workshop Series

• Library of Cultures

• Constellation Banner Workshops

• Mana Wāhine Talks

Huna Friday 26 June

• Whangārei – Night Biodiversity Walks

Māwharu Saturday 27 June

• Discover the Celestial Story of Matariki

Māwharu-ōhua

Saturday 27 June - Sunday 28 June

• Raranga with Chrissy Anderson Ōhua Sunday 28 June

• Puanga Matariki 2026 Market

Rākanui Tuesday 30 June

• Māori Ringa Tohu Reo

• Raranga Tonu Weavers Exhibition

Takirau Thursday 2 July

• Constellation Banner Workshops

• Mana Wāhine Talks

• Community Art & Culture Wananga –Fun Activities for Whānau

Oike Friday 3 July

• Kōrero Kōtuitui

Korekore-tuatahi Saturday 4 July

• Discover the Celestial Story of Matariki

• Pūrakau and Taakaro with Wiremu Sarich

• Puke Kopipi Winter Planting for Matariki

Korekore-te-rawea Sunday 5 July

• Matariki Trilogy III: From the Museum to the People

Korekore-piri-ki-tangaroa Monday 6 July

• Celebrate Matariki with Us –Free Native Seedling Giveaway

Tangaroa-ā-mua Tuesday 7 July

• Māori Ringa Tohu Reo

Tangaroa-ā-roto Wednesday 8 July

• Echoes & Embers

Tangroa-whakapau Thursday 9 July

• Community Art & Culture Wananga –Fun Activities for Whānau

• Te Puangarua –Matariki Dawn Ceremony

Tangaroa-whāriki-kiokio

Friday 10 July

• Constellation Banner Workshops

• Light Up Hikurangi –Matariki Festival

• Wairau Māori Art Gallery Open Day

• Matariki Trilogy III: From the Museum to the People

• Blues v Chiefs Manawa

Ōtāne Saturday 11 July

• Constellation Banner Workshops

• Making Manu (Kite-making)

Whiro Tuesday 14 July

• Māori Ringa Tohu Reo

Tirea Wednesday 15 July

• Quarry Arts Festival of Light

Hoata Thursday 16 July

• Quarry Arts Festival of Light

• Matariki & Education – Planting a Seed for a Better Future

Ōuenuku Friday 17 July

• Quarry Arts Festival of Light

Te Pāti Māori announces candidate to stand for Te Tai Tokerau

Te Pāti Māori has announced that Aperahama Edwards will run as its candidate for Te Tai Tokerau in the upcoming election.

Edwards’ background includes contributing across kaupapa Māori advocacy, te reo revitalisation, ocean conservation, regional development, and the protection of Te Tiriti o Waitangi Edwards said he is standing to provide a voice that “won’t bend when Te Tiriti is under attack”

“Our whānau deserve leadership that is steady, disciplined and focused on the kaupapa that matter to Te Tai Tokerau: our whenua, our moana, our reo, our rangatahi, our kaumātua, our homes, our kai, and the future we

leave behind for our mokopuna,” he said

On Waitangi Day last year, Edwards twice removed Act leader David Seymour’s microphone during a speech which argued his Te Tiriti policies would beneﬁt everyone, including Māori

Members of the welcoming party stood to turn their backs on him asothers attempted to sing over his words

Co-leader Debbie Ngarewa-Packer said Edwards’ candidacy marked a signiﬁcant moment for both the movement and the people of Te Tai Tokerau

“He is a rangatira in his own right He has stood at the front of the ﬁght for Te Tiriti, for He Whakaputanga, for te iwi Māori, and for the future our mokopuna deserve

“He is not new to this mahi,” she said “He has carried the kaupapa in our communities, on our whenua,

across our moana, and in the spaces where Māori rights and futures are being decided.”

It comes as former MP Mariameno Kapa-Kingi went oﬀ on her own to contest the seat after a year of turmoil within the party

Hone Harawira initially considered standing for the seat but opted not to and instead put his support behind Edwards

AperahamaEdwardsNgatiwaiannouncedhiscandidacylastweek.Photo/NZME

Kauri ora takes centre stage at regional hui

Protecting the mauri of kauri brough together voices from across the roh recently, as iwi, hapū, kaitiaki, resea and agencies gathered at Te Puna o Te Mātauranga Marae for the Tai Tokerau K Ora Hui

With kauri dieback continuing to pose a serious threat to this taonga, the hui oﬀered an opportunity to reﬂect on progress, share knowledge, strengthen a coordinated regional response, and hear national updates from Tiakina Kauri (Biosecurity New Zealand)

ToheAshbywasoneofmanyspeakerstoshare theirinsightsattherecentTaiTokerauKauri OraHui.(Photocredit:SebastianKalkoff)

Speakers shared insights grounded in both mātauranga Māori and western science, reinforcing the importance of weaving these approaches together

Presentations from Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Wai, Te Rarawa, Te Hikutu and others highlighted iwi-led initiatives underway, from ngaherebased monitoring and restoration to whakaaro rooted in whakapapa and connection to whenua

The hui also created space for whakawhiti kōrero, where participants shared experiences, explored solutions and strengthened relationships

Northland Regional Council councillor Jack Craw, who chairs the council’s Biosecurity and Biodiversity Working Party, says kauri ora can only be achieved collectively

“This hui showed the strength we have when mātauranga Māori, science, and community action work side by side. The wellbeing of kauri is inseparable from that of the people and the whenua, and the path forward will be shaped together

“Our challenge now is to carry that momentum forward and keep kauri protection a priority in this political climate ”

Event organiser and Biodiversity and Biosecurity Working Party member, Jaycee Tipene-Thomas, says the hui was a success

“It gave agencies insight into the many groups working in kauri protection across Te Tai Tokerau

“As Te Tira Taiao o Te Tai Tokerau alongside key agencies, it was also a chance to celebrate kauri ora together ”

BAKEDKUMARA

Ingredients: 4 medium kumara, washed and cut in half (do not peel) remove any ugly bits Season with salt and pepper 1 red onion (garlic optional)

Method: Place in oven bag with one tablespoon of butter and bake until tender Serve with sour cream or not, with your roast meal or whatever you’re having It’s simple and really delicious Enjoy!

BakedkumaraisanautumnalfavouriteforHanuiLawrence.

KMR teams up A commitment

Asigniﬁcant environmental eﬀort in the upper reaches of Mangakahia Valley will pay dividends for Kaipara Moana in years to come

In just ﬁve months, 25 hectares of waterways on Ngāti Māhia Farm Investments 1500-ha sheep and beef farm at Awarua has been fenced oﬀ (15km in total) across three dedicated projects

And under the guidance of Kaipara Moana Remediations’s Field Advisers, a substantial planting plan has been drawn up, with whānau involved in the Ngāti Māhia project taking the lead on making that happen

Mahi is ﬁrmly underway to plant tens of thousands of trees on Ngāti Māhia to protect waterways and wetlands, to reduce sedimentation ﬂowing into the Awarua River (and other local tributaries), down to Mangakahia River, Wairua River and on to Kaipara Moana Plantation areas are in addition to the established 600-hectare native block on the property

For KMR this project is part of a signiﬁcant programme to try to arrest sedimentation at the very top of the Kaipara catchment just above the renowned Mangakahia Twin Bridges where the Awarua Awa conﬂuences with the Mangakahia Awa

The planting model encompasses ten-metre setbacks with the eight-metre strip leading to waterways planted in natives and the other two metres near fencelines planted in exotics (poplars and eucalypts)

Awarua A25 Ahuwhenua Trustees is led by Wiremu Gardiner - Chair, in conjunction with Dr Te Tuhi Robust as Chair of Ngāti Māhia Farm Investments, the operational arm of the Trust

g g p j the initial outcome has been fantastic We wanted to get locals into the mahi and with the support of contractors we have achieved that,” says Te Tuhi

“All of the areas required signiﬁcant activity with KMR input helping us to protect water quality, arrest erosion in parts and control stock access and movement throughout the regular farming operational activity for reasons of eﬃciency and practicality ” says Farm Manager Gavin Brown

This farming operation is running around 5 8 stock units per hectare - carrying 300 beef and 500 sheep - with an aim to grow to 8 2 SU/ha,

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winter 2026

“Kaipara Moana Remediation is a project that must be considered as an exemplar for future generations of Ngāti Māhia and others The process and results are evidence of good planning and commitment of funds and likeminded synergies,” says Te Tuhi

“The connection with the mahi we are doing and the Kaipara Moana is cloaked in a spiritual connection between the people, land and water. Such are essential elements of whakapapa that are included in the histories of all iwi connections to the Kaipara. Overall, it is very humbling to be part of the bigger

start considering diversiﬁcation, says Te Tuhi “Kia mataara! Be aware that the KMR funding also requires a commitment from the whānau in kind – contracting, fencing and planting –and planning together is the key

“The overall goal for us is to seek remediation of lands that required this type of intervention Integral to this is the need to restore waterways to foster the growth and more importantly rejuvenation of ﬂora and fauna along with water quality therefore noting a better nurturing environment for watercress, kōura/ kēwai and tuna Such elements can be seen as ‘real’ measures of success for the KMR project by Ngāti Māhia ” Are you in the catchment?

Let’s work together! KMR can fund and support sediment reduction projects in the Kaipara catchment area

Weoffer

• Freeadvice-wewalkthelandwith youtod scussyouraspirationsand pro ectoptions

• Funding–KMRtyp callypaysupto 50%ofthecostofe igiblesediment reductionprojects

• Supportwithgroupengagementand pro ectmanagementcostsifyouare orotherco lective

• Planningandsupport–ourField Advisorsprepareaplantoaccess KMRfundingandprovidesupport throughtheproject

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• Fenc ngtoprotectwaterways andregenerat onofnativeforest

• Nativep antingnearwaterwaysand thecoastalmargin

• Projectsthattreaterodibleh llcountry: Continuouscanopyandpermanent forestcoverusingnativespeciesor non-weedy,non-pineexoticspecies(e g eucalyptsorredwoods)

Pink Ribbon Breakf Highlights the Importance Within the Māori Econom

There was a strong sense of warmth, connection, and manaakitanga felt throughout the room as wāhine, whānau, health providers, and community leaders gathered recently at Hihiaua Cultural Centre for a Pink Ribbon Breakfast hosted in partnership with Whāriki Te Tai Tokerau.

More than simply a breakfast event, the kaupapa created space for meaningful kōrero around hauora, prevention, wellbeing, and the importance of supporting wāhine across all stages of life It was also an opportunity to acknowledge the often unseen realities many whānau quietly carry when it comes to breast cancer and wider health challenges aﬀecting our communities

The morning brought together local health agencies, wellbeing providers, pakihi leaders, and members of the community through whakawhanaungatanga and shared learning, reinforcing the importance of accessible and mana-enhancing spaces for Māori to engage with health information and support services

A highlight of the event was hearing fr local surgeon and respected wahine le Dr Maxine Ronald, whose whakaaro a lived experience brought both insight compassion to the kaupapa Her kōre reminded attendees of the importanc awareness, regular health checks, and wāhine feel supported not only clinica

these conversations are not abstract statistics for many Māori communities but realities experienced intergenerationally within our homes and whānau.

Importantly, the kaupapa was supported by a range of organisations and providers who helped create direct pathways for wāhine to access information, resources, and practical support on the day

The Mauri Ora breast screening team were present taking bookings and supporting wāhine to engage with breast screening services, while the Māori Women’s Welfare League shared holistic information and guidance around breast health awareness and wellbeing practices for wāhine

thanks to Kai Toi Cafe, Ngatihine Health Trust, Kai Ora Honey, and the wonderful team from Papakarahi Nursery for their generous he wāhine goodie packs ions helped strengthen d to the collective eﬀort er cause

erau, the kaupapa that a thriving Māori separately from the e whānau are well When ommunities, workplaces, hened

wāhine continue to within Māori enterprise, education, and ent

towards the Pink Ribbon kaupapa, contributing toward ongoing breast cancer support, education, and research eﬀorts throughout Aotearoa

Whāriki Te Tai Tokerau extends sincere thanks to the Hihiaua whānau for hosting the kaupapa, to all health and wellbeing providers who contributed their time and expertise, and most importantly to every wāhine who attended and shared their stories, strength, laughter, and presence throughout the morning

Kaupapa like these serve as an important reminder that building strong Māori economies is ultimately about people ﬁrst, creating communities where our wāhine feel valued, supported, informed, and celebrated in all aspects of wellbeing and life

TŪKOTAHI in Action:

Reﬂections from the 2026 Regional Māori Health and Safety Conference

TŪKOTAHI: Standing Together brought people together in a space that holds deep signiﬁcance for Aotearoa, and it was powerful to see this kaupapa grounded in Te Tai Tokerau.

We were proud to tautoko the Te Rōpū Marutau o Aotearoa 2026 Regional Māori Health and Safety Conference held at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds, within Te Whare Rūnanga

It was not just a conference It was a space to come together reﬂect and reframe what health and safety actually means in practice

What came through strongly is that this is not only about systems or compliance. It is about people, culture, and how harm shows up in all its forms not just physical, but emotional,

relational, and organisational as well

We were reminded that health and safety is not a separate function It is part of how we lead, how we behave, and how we look after each other in business and in life

There was also space for connection and a bit of lightness across the day, with kanikani and ice breakers that gave people time to reset and engage in a diﬀerent way This was well supported and facilitated by the Tainui whānau, adding warmth and energy throughout the programme.

We acknowledge all those who contributed to the kōrero across the day, and the wider rōpū who made the event possible Even where speakers joined remotely or were unable to attend in person, the intent and presence of the kaupapa remained strong

For us, the value sits in how this translates back into our pakihi Māori How we support our businesses to think diﬀerently about wellbeing, responsibility, and sustainability not as a tick box, but as part of culture

We look forward to continuing to tautoko our pakihi in this space and exploring how we can strengthen both capability and awareness across health and safety in ways that are relevant and real for our people

Ngā mihi nui to everyone who stood in that space at Waitangi

TŪKOTAHI: standing together, in practice as well as in principle