2 minute read
Rotoiti 15 Trust
In order to honour the aspirations of our tūpuna, it is essential that everything the Trust does is focused on contributing to the aspirations of our owners, hapū and iwi.
Kia hihiri te ōhanga, te oranga me te pukumahi i runga i te ngākau ngātahi. - Working together to protect and grow the well-being of our people, environment and culture. Rotoiti 15 Trust is one of Aotearoa’s largest Ahu Whenua Trusts. Trust Mātārae (Trustees) care for over 8400ha on behalf of over 16,200 whānau who whakapapa to the whenua.
The whenua is currently in both plantation pine and indigenous ngahere (forest) and home to many historically important sites, including Makatiti, Haroharo and Haumingi and Okataina. Each block/maunga is rich in kōrero, whakapapa, history and sites of significance.
While the history of Rotoiti 15 Trust spans the past 60 years, the whenua (lands) have been occupied by our tupuna (ancestors) for generations. Our pūrakau (traditional stories) give insight into the undisturbed paradise that our tūpuna lived in, inhabited only by the children of Tāne, and the whispers of patupaiarehe.
A whenua rich in kākā, kererū, kokako, riddled with Tōtara and Rātā, the waters were stunning, the ngahere was so thick and dense, it was likened to a palisade. In contemporary times it is the Māori Land Court which captures the history ofour lands within the pakehā land tenure system, which began as an amalgamation of several land blocks derived from Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Rongomai and Ngāti Tarāwhai hapū lands, along with land received from an exchange with the Crown. This exchange demonstrates our forbearer’s commitment to environmental sustainability and maintaining land ownership for economic growth.
In order to honour the aspirations of our tūpuna, it is essential that everything the Trust does is focused on contributing to the aspirations of our owners, hapū and iwi.
Find out more about the threat of myrtle rust and what we are doing to work to protect our native flora on page 24 of our magazine linked at the base of this article.
Stay informed and be part of the movement and follow Rotoiti 15 Trust’s progress and initiatives by visiting our website and social media channels.
