Tama manawa nui,
Tama manawa roa
He manawa hotunuku,
He manawa hoturangi
He manawa ū
He manawa piri
he manawa toka
Tēnei tō manawa ka poutāikitia ā, ka noho tō manawa
He manawa ora, he ora!
WĀNANGA Ā-WHĀNAU KI MOHUA
FRIDAY 6th - SUNDAY 8th DECEMBER 2024
FRIDAY 6th
12.30pm - bus departs from Picton
5pm - Pōwhiri at Onetahua Marae
Followed by kai and whakawhanaungatanga
SATURDAY 7th
Significant site tour
Departing in the morning
Lunch
Snorkel and swim
Evening hākari
Pōhara Hall
SUNDAY 8th
10am - Hui-ā-Tau (AGM)
Tākaka Primary School
1pm - bus departs from Tākaka
TRAVEL SUBSIDY AVAILABLE
Please enquire with the tari
He Kupu Whakataki CHAIRS AND CEO REPORT
Anthony (Butch) Little CHAIR OF NTWT
Ko Tokomaru te waka
Kerensa Johnston
CHAIR OF NTCT
Ko Rākeiora te tangata o runga
Tōna atua ko Maru-ariki-kaitangata
Tōna hoe ko Raparapa-iri-mana
Tōna hoa i haere mai ai i Hawaiki ko Poutama Ariki
Te ingoa o tōna toki ko Poutamawhiria
Ko Maraerotuhia te whare wānanga
Huihuia mai hō tātou manukura, ngā kākā wahanui, ngā manu tītaka, ngā manu taupua, ngā manu tīoriori me ngā raukura o te iwi kua riro i te tau kua paremo ake nei. E kore hoki e mutu ngā mihi ki a rātou kua whakangaro atu rā ki te papa o Tangaroa ki te Tatau o te pō, ki whenuku pouri, ki whenuka pōuri.
E piki koutou i te ara o Rupe, kia rere ki te uru, ki te tonga, ki te taketake roa i Hawaiki. Mā atu koutou i te ara ka rere kore ki muri.
Hoki mai rā ki a tātou ngā uri e takatū tonu nei i te mata o te whenua. Nau mai rā te awatea kia kātea te hinengaro me te ngākau kia whitirere te māramatanga ki a tātou, ki ngā mahi hoki o te tau kua huri tatū iho ki ngā mahi kei mua tonu i te aroaro. Kei ngā uri o Rākeiora, o Poutama ariki. Huia mai kia rangirangi tahi tatou i te ahi i tiritiria e ō tatou kuia whaene, mātua tauheke i kii mai ai, kia kotahi tonu rā tatou e te iwi!
Hēmi Sundgren CHIEF EXECUTIVE OF NTWT
It has become customary for us to firstly acknowledge those of our loved ones who have passed—moe mai rā koutou e au ai te moe, ko te ao mārama tēnei ka tau.
We extend our gratitude to our trustees, directors, kōmiti members, and kaimahi for their guidance and support in serving our whānau. We also acknowledge our marae, ahi kā, and whānau, for whom we are here.
We are pleased to present the annual report for Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust (‘the Trust’), Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu Charitable Trust (‘Charitable Trust’) and the Tama Asset Holding Company (‘TAHC’) for the financial year ending 30 June 2024.
This annual report allows us to reflect on the programmes and activities carried out across our five strategic pou, as outlined in our five-year strategic plan. These initiatives are designed to provide opportunities for our whānau, fostering cultural development rooted in Ngāti Tama identity, improving education and wellbeing, ensuring access to housing and financial security, and protecting and enhancing our whenua.
Our strategic plan, created in 2020, is due for review and renewal in 2025. Over the next six months, we will engage with whānau to develop a new outcomes-focused strategic plan that reflects the aspirations of our iwi.
As the post-settlement governance entity for Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu, Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust operates within a complex landscape of iwi trusts, local and central government agencies, and community and philanthropic organisations. Our continued engagement within this ecosystem ensures the voice of Ngāti Tama ki te Tauihu is heard in multiple forums, with the goal of improving outcomes for our whānau and whenua.
The Trust’s responsibilities include managing, growing, and mobilising iwi assets and pūtea for the benefit of current and future generations. Our strategy focuses on sustainable growth—allowing us to fund programmes and activities annually while reinvesting for the future.
For the 12 months ending 30 June 2024 (FY24), our collective equity base increased from ~$77.3m to ~$80.8m. Total comprehensive revenue and expenses for the year amounted to $3.5m, which is relative to prior year results, accounting for the shorter nine-month period last year. This represents a strong commercial performance, despite challenging economic conditions for iwi and businesses across Aotearoa and beyond. The net surplus (before tax) is primarily composed of $2.38m operating profit and $1.6m non-cash revaluations.
The Board of Tama Asset Holding Company continues to follow a long-term, high-quality investment strategy guided by a balanced portfolio approach. The Trust received a $1.9m dividend from the investment returns generated by the Tama Asset Holding Company. These funds, provided in line with the Group’s dividend policy, support governance, operating costs, and charitable donations to the Charitable Trust, which in turn fund various grants, marae distributions, and cultural programmes.
Since September 2023, significant government policy changes have dismantled many hard-won gains for Māori, causing frustration within our whānau and communities. However, we remain stronger together, and our collective response has been to unite against these changes. We have actively participated in the Te Tauihu Iwi Chairs Forum and the National Iwi Chairs Forum, submitting joint submissions and attending regular hui. In a powerful display of kotahitanga, trustees attended the Hui ā Motu at Tūrangawaewae in January 2024, where around 10,000 people stood in solidarity.
On a local level, positive progress has been made between iwi and local Councils. In December 2023, ngā iwi o Te Tauihu and the three Councils signed a partnership agreement establishing principles for collaboration.
Within our own Board, Phil Sparks and Nikita Day were re-elected as general trustees at the last AGM, and we welcomed new associate trustees Dan Solomon and Hoani Tākao. Our operations team is now fully staffed, following the appointment of Suz Tawaka as Pou TariOffice Administration and Co-ordination in July. While we are a small team compared to other Iwi Trusts in Te Tauihu, this structure allows us to remain agile and sustainable. Despite ongoing demands from Councils, government agencies, and other groups, our primary focus remains our whānau. Every decision is made with the outcomes for our whānau and whenua in mind.
Our four directors and investment managers, Koau, continue to manage our investment portfolio with a risk-based approach that ensures steady returns despite fluctuations in the external economy. Many of the same challenges facing households also affect businesses across Aotearoa and globally, including high interest rates. Nevertheless, our portfolio has performed well, meeting both investment return and dividend targets.
Key highlights from the year include:
• The opening and placement of whānau into Moroki, in Tāmaki Makaurau, and the build and development of Te Piringa mai ki Te Aro (Wellington) and Kaweka (Auckland)
• Continued investment in collective iwi investment entities – Hāpai, Pūainuku, Te Pūia Tāpapa and Te Pūai Tangaroa
• 11.8% returns from managed funds
• 5.6% total return on equity for FY24
The Charitable Trust oversees our charitable initiatives, including cultural programmes and grants to support whānau. We provide a range of grants for education, sports, wellbeing, culture, travel, energy, heating, tangi, and kaumatua.
We are proud to have issued 681 grants totalling $237,384, including 317 education grants worth $86,761. Our wānanga and events programme was also well received, with whānau participating in waiata wānanga, online te reo Māori sessions, Puanga wānanga, Te Ipukarea iwi sports festival and celebrations marking the enactment of the Waikoropupū Springs and the Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer Water Conservation Order. A highlight was the opportunity to attend Taranaki Tūmai events in Waitara, Taranaki, where we reconnected with our Taranaki roots and re-established whakapapa ties with our whanaunga in Ngāti Tama homelands.
Ka Uruora
We have proudly watched Ka Uruora as they have become well established here in Te Tauihu and have seen the benefits whānau gain from engaging in their financial literacy programmes.
Ka Uruora, in conjunction with Hāpai Housing, has successfully opened their first kāinga project, Moroki, in Tāmaki Makaurau. Following a priority access expression of interest process, we saw three registered Ngāti Tama members move into these new homes. Ka Uruora and Hāpai Housing have continued their momentum in the development of homes for whānau by further developments, Te Piringa mai ki Te Aro in Wellington, and Kaweka in Auckland.
Considerable progress has also been made in the development of the WhānauSaver programme and
we are expecting to launch this in late 2025. This will be a great opportunity for whānau, and we encourage everyone to consider joining WhānauSaver to further their long-term financial independence.
The coming year promises to be busy as we continue to deliver on our strategic plan. Our team is developing new wānanga opportunities, with the paepae wānanga series set to begin later this year. We’re also launching a podcast series to make engaging and informative content more accessible.
In addition, we are excited to host Te Ipukarea in April 2025, with preparations well underway. We look forward to seeing many of our whānau participate in this event.
This report highlights some of the key achievements of the past year, though much more takes place behind the scenes. We hope these summaries provide a glimpse into the mahi carried out by all involved in the operation of our Trust and those who contribute their time and knowledge.
Our greatest joy each year is seeing our whānau come together as Ngāti Tama, and we look forward to connecting with everyone at our Hui-ā-tau and wānanga-ā-whānau in Mohua | Golden Bay this year.
On behalf of the Boards and our operations team, we thank our iwi members for their continued support. We remain committed to delivering positive outcomes for whānau in the coming year.
Nā reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa
Butch Little | Chair of NTWT
Kerensa Johnston | Chair of NTCT
Hēmi Sundgren | Chief Executive of NTWT
Tama tū ki te Tauihu.Tama ora ki te ao.
Anthony (Butch) Little
CHAIR NTWT
Butch is a Rohe Trustee and the Chairperson for Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust, holding the role consecutively since 2017. He is also a director of Tama Asset Holding Company and a trustee for the Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu Charitable Trust.
Butch has consistently served Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu since joining the Ngāti Tama Manawhenua ki Te Tauihu Trust as an Associate Trustee in 2005, later becoming a trustee in 2008.
Following settlement, Butch was an establishment trustee of the Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust.
He is also the Chair of Te Kōmiti Pou Tāngata.
Phil Sparks
DEPUTY CHAIR NTWT
Phil is a General Trustee and the Deputy Chairperson for Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust. He is also a trustee for the Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu Charitable Trust.
Phil has served Ngāti Tama as a trustee consistently since 2018. Prior to that Phil also served four terms as a trustee on the Ngāti Tama Manawhenua ki Te Tauihu Trust.
Phil is the Chair of Te Kōmiti Arotake Tūraru and a member of Te Kōmiti Pou Tāngata.
Kerensa Johnston
CHAIR NTCT
Kerensa is a General Trustee on Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust and the current Chairperson for Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu Charitable Trust.
Kerensa has served Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu since joining the Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu Charitable Trust in 2019.
Following this she was appointed as a trustee of Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust in 2022.
Margie Little TRUSTEE NTWT
Margie is a Rohe Trustee and has served Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu for almost 20 years, initially as an associate trustee on Ngāti Tama Manawhenua Ki Te Tauihu Trust, before becoming a trustee in 2008. She was also previously the Chair of the Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu Cultural Trust, now known as the Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu Charitable Trust.
Following settlement, Margie was one of the establishment trustees of the Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust, a role she has held consistently since then.
Margie is a Co-Chair of Te Kōmiti Whakapapa and the Chair of Te Kōmiti Tautuku.
She is also the Chair and our representative on Manawhenua ki Mohua.
Ānaru Stephens TRUSTEE NTWT
Ānaru is a Rohe Trustee and has served Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu for many years, initially as a trustee on Ngāti Tama Manawhenua Ki Te Tauihu Charitable Trust. Following settlement, Ānaru was one of the establishment trustees of the Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust, a role he has held consistently since then.
Ānaru is a Co-Chair of Te Kōmiti Whakapapa. He also represents Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu on the Te Tauihu Fisheries Forum, Whakatū Marae Kōmiti, Tiakina Te Taiao Ltd and Māori Rugby Board Te Tauihu.
Nikita-Marie Day TRUSTEE NTWT
Nikita is a General Trustee for Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust. She has served Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu consecutively since being first appointed in 2018.
Nikita is a member of Te Kōmiti Tautuku, Te Kōmiti Pou Tāngata and Te Kōmiti Tūraru.
Fred Te Miha TRUSTEE NTWT
Fred is a Rohe Trustee and has served Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu for over 20 years since the inception of the Ngāti Tama Manawhenua ki Te Tau Ihu Trust in 1993. He was the final Chairperson of the Ngāti Tama Manawhenua ki Te Tau Ihu Trust, and the inaugural Chairperson of the Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust.
Fred was the principal negotiator for Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu, a process he was engaged in for over eight years.
Fred supports Tama Asset Holding Company Limited as a kaumatua and represents us on Te Tauihu Fisheries Forum.
Luke Mitchell
Associate Director TAHC
Hoani Tākao
Associate Trustee NTWT
Dan Solomon
Associate Trustee NTWT
Senae Mitchell
Associate Trustee NTCT
Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust is the representative organisation for Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu. The purpose of the Trust is to receive, hold and manage and administer the trust fund on behalf of and for the benefit of the present and future members of Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu. The Trust has three wholly-owned entities; one company, one custodian trustee, and a charitable trust.
Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu Charitable Trust is the charitable arm of the Group and provides benefits such as education grants, tangi koha, and cultural wānanga to iwi members. The purpose of the trust is to receive, hold, manage and administer the trust fund for every charitable purpose benefiting Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu.
Tama Asset Holding Company Limited is the Asset Holding Company for Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu in line with the requirements of the Māori Fisheries Act and holds the fisheries and aquaculture assets. It also holds other commercial property such as our forestry lands and schools. All assets held by this company are held, managed and administered by the company as trustee for the benefit of the Trust or Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu. Directors of this company are responsible for following the strategic and commercial direction set by Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trustees.
Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu Custodian Trustee Limited was developed during FY2024 and incorporated in July 2024. Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust is a private trust which means that the trustees collectively hold and manage the trust assets on behalf of the iwi, this includes cultural properties. Each trustee is recorded as an owner on public records such as property titles, if a trustee vacates their role, or each time there are trustee rotations, the ownership records need to be updated. This can result in increased administrative costs and inefficiencies.
The establishment of the custodian trustee allows the property titles to be transferred from the individual names of trustees to the new custodian trustee entity. This adds more continuity and stability to the Group’s structure. Unlike individual trustees who might be subject to life events, custodian trustee entities are perpetual entities, ensuring the seamless transfer of responsibilities and assets to future generations. Cultural properties will be transferred to this new entity.
KōmitI
The Group is supported by four committees. Membership of the committees is shown below.
Te Kōmiti Pou Tāngata
The objective of the Kōmiti is to assist the Board in the setting and review of remuneration and performance objectives for the Pou Whakahaere | CEO, and to provide support when requested for employment matters.
Butch Little (Chair)
Nikita Day
Phil Sparks
Te Kōmiti Whakapapa
The objective of the Kōmiti is to assist the Board in discharging its responsibilities relative to kaitiakitanga of Ngāti Tama ki Te Tauihu whakapapa and whānau membership with the Trust.
Ānaru Stephens (Co-Chair)
Margie Little (Co-Chair)
Jane du Feu
Rob McKewen
Mark Galvin
Mairangi Reiher
Johannah Kātene-Burge
Louise Studd
Kelvin Tapuke
Te Kōmiti Tautuku
The objective of the Kōmiti is to assist the Board in its endeavours to assist and support whānau through the provision of a range of charitable grants.
Margie Little (Chair)
Nikita Day
Bev Purdie
Jozef Benge
Te Kōmiti Arotake Tūraru
The objective of the Kōmiti is to assist the Board in discharging its responsibilities relative to financial reporting, risk management and regulatory compliance.
Phil Sparks (Chair)
Nikita Day
Waari Ward-Holmes
Luke Mitchell
Casey Webster
Poua ki runga
Poua ki raro
Poua ki tāmoremore nui nō Rangi
ki tāmoreomore nui nō Papa
E Rongo he āio tēnā tawhito pou ka tū
E tū nei te pou!
EMBED THE CELESTIAL AND TERRESTRIAL FOUNDATIONS OF IDENTITY DEEPLY WITHIN OURSELVES.
A LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIP THAT CANNOT BE WEAKENED. DRAW UPON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF CONVICTION AND RESILIENCE THAT PROVIDE THE BASIS OF WELLBEING AND PROSPERITY.
Our small and dedicated management team is led by our Pou Whakahaere, Chief Executive, Hēmi Sundgren. Throughout the year we identified the need to grow our team so that we can be better placed to deliver on our strategic plan. We began recruitment in April for a Pou Tari, Office Co-ordinator. In July we welcomed Suz Tawaka to our team.
Dayveen Stephens Te Pou Taiao (Environmental Manager)
Robert Hovenden Te Pou Tahua (Group Accountant)
Hēmi Sundgren Te Pou Whakahaere (Chief Executive Officer)
Jenna Neame Te Pou Amotake (GM Business and Operations)
Jacinta Beullens Te Pou Whakarākei (Graphic Designer)
Jasmine La’auli Te Pou Whakakori (Programme Co-Ordinator Events and Engagement)
Suz Tawaka Te Pou Tari (Office Co-Ordinator)
Te Ahu Rei Te Pou Hāpai Tikanga (Cultural Manager)
WITH YOUR BASKET AND MY BASKET THE PEOPLE WILL THRIVE
OUR MEMBERSHIP
REGISTERED MEMBERS
THE OLDEST WAKA IN AOTEAROA
Chris Hill
The Anaweka waka was found by the Nicholls family in 2011. They had noticed a timber structure protruding from a sand dune near the Anaweka Estuary on the West Coast of Golden Bay. The family and their friends spent the day unearthing the structure with growing appreciation of the significance of their find, realising it was a part of a waka. The waka was found shortly after a significant storm event which had partially unearthed it, making a section of it visible.
The 6.2m section was likely part of a double hulled oceangoing waka of between 16m and 20m in total length. The waka has been described as being a sophisticated design, with carved interior ribs, with clear evidence of repair and reuse, and of being a powerful craft.
It is made from NZ Mataī and features a honu (sea turtle) carved in raised relief. Radiocarbon dating was undertaken on the wood of the hull and of some caulking material found in lashing holes. The caulking consisted of pounded folded wads of bark identified as tōtara. AD 1400 has been estimated as the last time the waka was caulked. The earliest date from the three wood samples was between 1226 and 1280 at the latest. This places the waka within a few generations of the Wairau Bar people. Carbon dating estimates construction could have been during the 1300’s, however construction before 1300 is possible.
After the waka was unearthed, it was re-submerged in water as soon as possible to maintain its integrity. A purpose-built bath was constructed by Tony Nicholls and generous shed owners were found to accommodate the waka.
Dilys Johns, a specialist wet wood conservator, was involved in the conservation process over the first years of treatment of the waka and describes the process here:
“When wood is in the ground it slowly degrades. The cellulose degrades, and water floods into the cells. When it’s taken out of the ground and the water evaporates, the cells collapse. The first step is to stabilise the artefact in polyethylene glycol (PEG). Time is an important element in the work –it can take years for the PEG to slowly infiltrate into a large artefact and, through the simple process of exchange, replace all the water”.
During the early weeks and months the Mohua whānau were involved in very hands-on ways in the cleaning of the waka. Every two or three weeks whānau helped empty the bath and clean away the mud that would emerge from the wood, a process that took all day and was repeated often throughout the first year. Over the
past 12 years the waka has been submerged in the PEG solution. At the start of 2024 it reached a new milestone, where the waka entered the drying process, supported by conservators from the Auckland War Memorial Museum. It has been their role to design and set up the controlled drying environment. The environment surrounding the waka is recorded minute-by-minute and the information is monitored in Auckland where the team can make adjustments to temperature and humidity remotely. The conservation team estimate that the drying phase will be complete in November 2025.
There are a number of highly significant aspects to the waka. There has been no earlier artefact found in Aotearoa and there are only five items currently known of this age. The construction involving ribs and stringers is identical to the only other voyaging canoe in existence. This was from Huahine in the Society Islands which was excavated from a swamp about 30 years ago. The carving of the turtle is identical to similar historic depictions found in ancient Huahine carvings, and some parts of Te Tauihu / Top of the South Island share the same place names like Motueka and Tākaka. Radiocarbon dates from that site
indicate occupation in the period AD 1050–1450 in the same time range as the Anaweka waka.
Another small broken piece of a canoe found in 1997 at Doughboy Bay, Stewart Island, now in the Southland Museum and Art Gallery, represents a close parallel. Although unlike anything else known at the time it can now be seen to share similar features. Preliminary radiocarbon results for this taonga indicate an age in keeping with the Anaweka waka.
Few such vessels have lasted as wood decays quickly. However, the swampy, oxygen-poor ground allowed the Anaweka waka to survive over the centuries.
The investigations revealed no associated arteacts or archaeological features where the waka was found although there is evidence of occupation around the estuary and on the West Coast generally.
While it is not known how it arrived on the coast, our intention is that it will remain in Mohua and be made available for all to see. A proposal for its housing and display in a purpose-built environment-controlled facility is underway and partnerships are developing with those that have a responsibility to assist in caring for this national treasure.
PARAPARA INLET IS ONE OF THE MANY SIGNIFICANT ESTUARIES WITHIN NGĀTI TAMA’S ROHE. ESTUARIES LIKE THIS ARE INTRICATE ECOSYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF NUMEROUS FOOD SOURCES AND NATURAL MATERIALS THAT HAVE SUSTAINED COMMUNITIES OVER TIME.
Parapara became a key Ngāti Tama settlement during the early periods of the Tainui/Taranaki migration and settlement in Te Tauihu. Its strategic location on the headland at the mouth of the estuary made it an ideal site, featuring a large pā (fortified village) and a fishing station. The sheltered estuary behind the pā provided protection for waka during harsh weather.
Parapara’s importance grew under the leadership of figures like Te Pūoho. It was here that Te Pūoho devised his bold campaign against Ngāi Tahu, a plan to strike from the southwest, attacking settlements from south to north in a manner he likened to scaling a fish. This campaign was also motivated by a desire to control the thriving trade between Māori and Pākehā that had developed in the 1830s, particularly in Te Ara-a-Kewa (Foveaux Strait).
In 1836, Te Pūoho led an expedition of 50 men, including his nephew Paremata Te Wahapiro (whom he adopted), down the West Coast. They passed through Māwhera (Greymouth), where they were warned against continuing their journey. Nevertheless, some men joined the expedition, and they continued through Haast Pass and down into Central Otago. Along the way, they took over Ngāi Tahu eeling camps and occupied various sites for food. Eventually, they reached the Waimea Plains, where they found further natural resources and continued to the lamprey fishing settlement of Tūtūrau. However, word had reached Ngāi Tahu leader Tūhawaiki, who raised a war party and attacked. Te Pūoho was killed in the initial moments of the attack, stating “E Kio, he tauā, apitia!” while the rest of his party was captured.
Parapara is also known for the legendary taniwha Kaiwhakaruaki, who terrorised travelers in the region until he was ultimately killed by Pōtoru and Kōheta. Additionally, Parapara was renowned for its significant deposits of kōkōwai (iron ore), which were used for trade. The ore, rich in haematite and silicates, was dried, ground, and mixed with fish or whale oil to create high-quality ochre for decorating and protecting waka and carvings.
Through the Treaty Settlement in 2013, the land at the headland of Parapara Inlet was returned to Ngāti Tama. Parapara had been reserved in 1856 as part of the Nelson Tenths Occupation Reserves, totalling 350 acres, with its early occupation under the leadership of Wī Kātene Te Pūoho, Hēnare Te Ranga and other Ngāti Tama tūpuna. It was a strategic location and a valuable resource area. Historical records from the mid-1800s indicate that Parapara was a small settlement, but by 1847, it had been largely abandoned. Archaeological evidence supports this, with reports of the pā during a visit by Charles Heaphy in 1847.
Parapara holds cultural significance for Ngāti Tama, and its history is deeply intertwined with notable events and figures in the region. It remains an important symbol of the tribe’s legacy, where tradition sates that Te Pūoho drove his taiaha into the ground before embarking on the ill-fated expedition south, alongside other remnants of the past, such as the sacred Hinau tree in the corner of the block, it’s said to have been connected to Ngāti Tama’s occupation of the site in days gone by.
The Legend of Kōkōwai
Kōkōwai, the sacred red stone, is found at the source of Parapara Maunga (Parapara Peak) in Mohua. According to our traditions, when Tāne and his brothers separated their parents, Ranginui and Papatūānuku, he used the sacred adze Te Āwhiorangi to severe their connection. Ranginui’s arms and wrists were severed in the process. His blood dripped down onto Papatūānuku, forming an iron haematite clay, kōkōwai. Tāne then used this sacred material to create the first human being, Tiki who became the first mother of the land.
Kōkōwai is a highly valued mineral. When ground, heated and mixed with oil, it takes on a deep red pigment used to for buildings, clothing, and personal adornment. Tohunga (spiritual experts) and toa (warriors) also prized its sacred red color, often using it in ritual and ceremony. Te Kaiwhakaruaki, was the guardian of kōkōwai deposits in the Parapara inlet and maunga.
Depending on its mineral composition, kōkōwai could produce a range of colours, including deep reds, oranges, yellows, and browns, used in many parts of community life.
The first European settlers arrived in Parapara in 1858, initially gold miners attracted by the nearby Lightband Gully gold discovery in 1856. These miners worked on Richmond Hill and later Sarah’s Saddle, but most left for gold rushes in Otago and Hokitika by the early 1860s. Some miners stayed, focusing on areas like Glen Gyle Creek and the Parapara flats.
Parapara is rich in various minerals. In 1886, district surveyor Charles Lewis collected a half-tonne of minerals—including marble, silver ore, coal, hematite, graphite, and sand for glassmaking—for the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London. Our people had long used the kōkōwai from Parapara for pigment and Europeans followed suit. In the 1870s, kōkōwai from Parapara was sent to Nelson for paint production, and by the late 1870s, paint manufacture had begun in Parapara itself, powered by a waterwheel with water sourced from a 5-kilometre water race. A tramway was also built to transport the kōkōwai to the plant and the bagged paint to the beach.
The pigment was widely used, particularly by the New Zealand Railways Department for its goods sheds and railway wagons, as well as in shipyards and on farms. However, production ceased by 1922. The manner of gold mining shifted in the 1890s when mining companies introduced hydraulic sluicing. To secure water for this process, three dams were built: Druggans Dam, Parapara Dam, and Boulder Lake.
A gold dredge brought from Dunedin attempted to operate in the Parapara Inlet but sank after only a week or two, resulting in a total loss.
Mythology is often seen as a relic of the past – a collection of stories, fables, and legends passed down through generations, preserved by ancient cultures to explain the world around us.
Yet, mythology is far more than just a historical curiosity. It influences our contemporary values, ethics, and behaviour, particularly when it comes to our relationship with the environment. From the powerful deities of Greek lore to the rich spiritual traditions of our own culture, mythological stories help shape how we perceive nature and our responsibility toward it.
Many of our myths are deeply embedded in the natural world, portraying it as alive, sacred, and worthy of reverence. These stories often depict gods and spirits as closely intertwined with nature – native forests, rivers, mountains, animals, and celestial bodies are not just background scenery but central characters with their own agency and significance. For instance, our own mythology speaks of Rongo-mā-Tāne and Haumia-tiketike, deities of agriculture, closely connected to the cycles of planting and harvest, symbolising the delicate balance between human beings and the land. Similarly, many indigenous myths often portray animals as sacred, super-natural beings, embodying wisdom and moral lessons that guide human behaviour.
According to our accounts, humans and supernatural beings have always co-existed in Aotearoa. They play an important spiritual and kaitiaki role, guiding and at times warning us about how to interact with our environment.
There are numerous accounts of taniwha roaming freely throughout the land, including here in Te Tauihu. Two examples of local significance are Te Wheke o Muturangi and Tūtaeporoporo.
However, the trio to which this article refers, Ngā Kaitiaki o Mohua, are Huriawa, Te Kaiwhakaruaki and Ngārara Huarau.
WHAT DO THESE ACCOUNTS TELL US ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ENVIRONMENT TODAY?
They blend our values, spirituality, environmental management and ecological awareness about the special places in our rohe. Our taniwha guide us towards a deeper understanding of our connection with our landscape and the balance between humanity, our environment and the spiritual realm. They remain important now in modern times, as touchpoints and indicators, helping us to make decisions about how we interact with and care for our environment.
Nō reira, ko koutou tokotoru o Te Kāhui Tupua, e rarau, e rarau, e rarau.
Huriawa, the female deity, is the kaitiaki of Te Waikoropupū springs in Tākaka. However, her realm extends far beyond just the chasms of Mohua and Golden Bay area. It follows the ancient waterway meandering down through the network of caves from Piki ki-runga to the Riuwaka River. Whereupon lie, according to oral accounts, the healing waters of our whānau and hapū, including those early explorers such as Hui Te Rangiora who utilised the waterways for their physical and spiritual sustenance. Hence the special relationship between Huriawa and the iwi of Motueka, Tākaka and other parts of Te Tauihu.
Last, but not least, is Ngārara Huarau, who resided in a cave near the Wainui Falls. He is said to have the head of a human and the body of a taniwha and had a liking for human flesh. One day, he decided to keep one of his female captives, Ruru, as a pet. Upon realising that one of his victims was her brother, Ruru hatched a plan to enact revenge on the unsuspecting taniwha. She poured affection upon Ngārara Huarau and over time endeared herself to him. He became smitten with her and suggested that they marry. She insisted that he meet her whānau first and he agreed that she would go on ahead and prepare the marae for his arrival at Whakatū.
Upon his arrival he was lavished with hospitality by his hosts. After indulging him, Ngārara Huarau was escorted to the wharenui. While he was sound asleep, Ruru and her whānau secured the doors and windows and set the wharenui alight. Having realised he had been deceived, Ngārara Huarau managed to escape the inferno and although seriously injured, he attempted to make his way back to Wainui. Upon reaching the summit at Piki ki-runga (Tākaka Hill), he began to shed his burning scales. Burrowing deep into the mountain he formed the network of caves as he fled towards the coast, never to be heard of again.
The ‘scale-like’ rock formation on Piki ki-runga today are a stark reminder of the plight of Ngārara Huarau. They can still clearly be seen today, by those who travel over Tākaka Hill. It is said the small red stones found amongst the golden sands at Wainui Bay are reminiscent of the blood droplets of Ngārara Huarau.
Te Kaiwhakaruaki, on the other hand was less amiable and didn’t care much for human company. Despite this, Huriawa bestowed upon him the guardianship of the precious taonga, kōkōwai. In fact, Te Kaiwhakaruaki was less tolerant and very aggressive. While hidden in the Parapara River near the Te Tai Tapu coastline, he often sought retribution on unsuspecting travellers for minor indiscretions. Concerned by the number of fatalities, the local chiefs including Pōtoru met to decide on a plan of action. It was decided that the legion of warriors would fashion their weapons from a sacred pōhutukawa tree. Shortly before dawn, on the chosen day, the warriors surrounded the shallow inlet at Parapara River near the lair of Te Kaiwhakaruaki and waited. Pōtoru was the first to appear, after placing kōkōwai in the water to entice the taniwha from his abode. With anger in his eyes, Te Kaiwhakaruaki immediately thrust from his den and lashed out at the lone warrior. Pōtoru acted instinctively and struck Te Kaiwhakaruaki several times, rendering him hapless. Pōtoru became immortalised in local history and peace was again restored to the community of Parapara.
Artwork: Robin Slow
He uri hoki ahau o ngā hekenga mai i te maunga tītōhea ki Te Tauihu o Te Waka a Māui i raro i te maru Te Pūoho ki te Rangi o Ngāti Tama, me Te Manutoheroa o Te Ātiawa.
Ka moe a Wakakauri (Ngāti Tama) a Tangotango (Kaitangata/Te Ātiawa) ka puta a Whakaewa.
How did your learning journey begin?
I was born in Mohua and lived there until I was 18. During that time I had limited exposure to my extended whānau and Māori culture. In travelling for holidays to Taranaki I became interested in seeking my whakapapa as my mother had very limited knowledge of her whānau.
I had the privilege of staying with Mum’s oldest sister Waimārama (Aunty Bell), and her husband Wiremu (Uncle Bill Mitchell) in Taranaki who were both fluent in te reo. This sparked my thirst for finding my whakapapa and learning te reo me ōna tikanga.
In my last year attending University (1972) in Ōtautahi I was introduced to the Māori Womens Welfare League and Ngāi Tahu kaumātua which consolidated my motivation to pursue learning te reo.
Who has contributed most to your reo journey?
It has not been any one person but many and it is hard to isolate who is the most important, because all of those I have interacted with have been important in feeding my thirst to learn.
When I moved back to Nelson in 1972 I continued my involvement the Māori Womens Welfare League, which allowed me to travel the country and meet many fluent speakers.
I played Māori Netball in Te Waipounamu, kapa haka and became a part of the Whakatū Marae Committee, all of which expanded my exposure to te reo. The majority of my interaction came from mātāwaka living in Te Tauihu and the networking that took place.
Iwi did not become a force to push the kaupapa of te reo until after the establishment of Iwi Trusts whose focus was Waitangi Tribunal claims until after 2000. During this time linking to kaumātua in Taranaki became vital to advance our understanding of te reo me ōna tikanga to ensure the hearings were conducted appropriately. Again an amazing opportunity through wānanga to learn from Te Rū Wharehoka, Whero Bailey, and other Taranaki kaumātua enhanced this process.
What have been the most significant challenges in your learning journey?
Lack of fluent speakers of te reo in Te Tauihu and the limited opportunities to learn te reo. Having to travel to courses outside the rohe was a financial challenge.
This motivated our Taranaki Whānui, Taura Here in Whakatū (Taranaki whānui members: John Mitchell, Janice Manson, Harvey Ruru, Peggy Whitton, Charlie and Wanda Laison, Kere Graham, Jane du Feu, plus others) to bring Te Tohu Mōhiotanga programme from Taranaki to Te Tauihu (mid 1990s) to fill that gap.
Having the support to take a step into the unknown knowing there will be knockbacks as during my time the learning environment for Māori to make change and openly pursue te reo me ōna tikanga was fraught with racism and prejudice.
Why is reo so important to you?
Whakapapa and te reo me ōna tikanga is the essence of who I am as Māori, and I have taken opportunities when they arose to improve my knowledge and understanding.
In order for te reo me ōna tikanga to survive we have to be proactive and minimise barriers to learning in whatever way possible as well as creating opportunities for our whānau to learn and thrive.
What type of tupuna do you want to be?
I hope that I have served my whānau, my Iwi and my community in a way that everyone has benefitted in some way and will leave a legacy behind that my mokopuna will be proud of.
My reo journey began i raro i te korowai o Ngāti Tūwharetoa in Taupō, where I was raised by my Nan. In my early years, I attended kōhanga reo and spoke te reo at home. However, when my mother moved away, I stayed with my Nan, who does not kōrero Māori, and began attending kura auraki (mainstream school). Despite this shift, I sought out reo Māori spaces, immersing myself in kapa haka from kōhanga, to kura auraki, and now, university. I continue my study of te reo Māori at university alongside my LLB and currently tutor some of the reo Māori papers at Te Herenga Waka.
Ōku Kaitautoko Reo Māori
It’s difficult to pinpoint a single person who has contributed the most to my reo journey. My whānau has always supported and encouraged my efforts to learn te reo, even though few of my immediate whānau members are proficient speakers themselves. My hunger for knowledge has been a significant driver, but the privilege of growing up in a whānau that uplifts and recognises my efforts has been invaluable. I am fortunate to have a whānau that is so encouraging and supportive, and I hope all whānau strive to make each other feel this way too.
Ngā Werowero
The most significant challenges in my whānau’s reo journey stem from a lack of proficient speakers, generational language trauma and a disconnect from hapū and iwi. I am one of the first in my whānau to break this cycle, striving to reclaim our reo for both the generations to come and those who are still with us. I believe that understanding whakapapa and reconnecting with te ao Māori through this knowledge, along with returning to our marae, are crucial parts of any reo journey. Generational language trauma is deeply felt, but breaking it down through learning and returning to our whenua does more for our reo than any night classes could. These are the places where we discover who we are, build support systems and strengthen our connection to our tīpuna.
He uri tēnei nō Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāi Tahu
Uenuku-Kōpako, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti me
Rongowhakaata hoki.
Ko Paremata Te Wahapiro tōku tipuna nō Ngāti Tama.
Ko Stacia Anahera Pono Haitana tōku ingoa.
Te reo Māori is the language of our tīpuna, te reo rangatira. It holds immense importance because it connects us to our tīpuna and empowers us to stand strong as Māori. Learning and sharing te reo is a process of healing, allowing us to connect with our whakapapa in ways that te reo Pākehā cannot fully facilitate. It is a language that belongs to us and grounds us in our identity as Māori. Kōrerotia te reo!
Tama Tū ki te Tauihu, Tama ora ki te ao
“Tama Tu ki te Tauihu, Tama ora ki te ao” embodies the strength of standing firm as current uri of Ngāti Tama, ensuring that those who come after us can do the same. For my whānau and me, it means standing strong as Māori and being confident in our identity, both as members of Ngāi Māori and uri of Ngāti Tama. “Tama ora ki te ao” is about staying connected to ourselves, our tīpuna and fulfilling our roles for future generations.
Ka Tū ahau hei Momo Tipuna…
I aspire to be a tipuna who embodies the leadership and resilience of my tīpuna - one who fights for what is right and stands strong for our people. I want to ensure the values and teachings of our tīpuna continue to thrive in future generations.
Whakamutunga
I see te reo Māori as a way to bridge the gaps that have grown in our understandings of ourselves as Māori. Once you start putting the pieces together, you find that learning your reo connects you to your tīpuna, or learning your whakapapa connects you to reo, or visiting your whenua maybe connects you to all three. Each step we take brings us closer to understanding who we are, connecting us to the past, present and future.
Inā kei te mōhio koe ko wai koe, i anga mai koe i hea,kei te mōhio koe, kei te anga atu koe ki hea.
IF YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND WHERE YOU ARE FROM, THEN YOU WILL KNOW,WHERE YOU ARE GOING.
Each year we set goals in our Annual Plan that relate to our Strategic Priorities. In the following sections, we report on our progress against our goals for the 2023/24 financial year and the key initiatives that our team has been working on.
Our Vision
TAMA TŪ KI TE TAUIHU, TAMA ORA KI TE AO
Our place, our people, our destiny
Our Mission
MĀ NGĀRAHU, KA MURA TE AHIKĀROA
Success will depend on each of our contributions
TŪ RANGATIRA - Courage, determination, growth
ĀKONA KIA TUPU - Learn, teach, evolve
MANA TIAKI - Restore, protect, sustain AROTAHI AI TĀTOU - Collective, unified, inclusive
AHUREA
STIMULATE LEARNERS OF TE REO, TIKANGA AND WHAKAPAPA
AHUWHENUA ENHANCE OUR SIGNIFICANT LANDS AND WATERWAYS
AHUORA
EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR WHĀNAU WELLBEING AND INDEPENDENCE
AHUMAHI DEVELOP OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE AND WORK IN TE TAUIHU
AHUWHĀITI FIT FOR PURPOSE SYSTEMS AND OPERATIONS
EXPLORE OPTIONS FOR WHĀNAU WELLBEING AND INDEPENDENCE
SUBSIDISED HEALTHCARE AND INSURANCE SCHEMES Not started TRAVEL SUBSIDY SCHEME FOR WHĀNAU Ongoing
The Trust has continued to work collectively with Ka Uruora to provide initiatives that help support the wellbeing and independence for our whānau. A key focus for the past year has been the exploration and development of a WhānauSaver programme which we are hoping to see launched in 2025. By working together, we can create scale across ngā iwi that enables us to undertake initiatives like this that we would otherwise struggle to implement on our own.
Alongside Ka Uruora, we have maintained a watching brief on potential healthcare and insurance schemes for whānau. At this stage we haven’t identified a suitable option for further investigation.
Our Trust has an extensive range of grants, ranging from pre-school grants, pāhake grants, to energy grants. This year we changed up our back-to-school packs in response to whānau feedback. We supplied Ngāti Tama branded Moana Rd backpacks, that are of a higher quality and should last longer.
We continue to contribute to three marae in our rohe; Whakatū, Te Āwhina and Onetahua, and we provided financial support to Manawhenua Ki Mohua and Tiakina Te Taiao to support the mahi these organisations do.
Overall, the Ngāti Tama Group made 681 grants worth a total of $237,384. We have spent $2,988 on material for our Pēpi packs. Once our wahakura are made, our packs will be ready for our new pēpi when they arrive. Te Kōmiti Tautuku continue to provide sound advice to our team, through oversight and support for the distribution of grants to our whānau.
On behalf of the Board, we thank committee members Margie Little, Jozef Benge, Nikita-Marie Day and Bev Purdie for their mahi.
PRE-SCHOOL
MAHINARANGI BLACK
TAMAHAE BLACK
MAIA COLLINS
JACOB HARVEY
KORA HAWE-MOE
HAIGH HUXFORD
RYDER HUXFORD
KEHLANI KING
MANEA LOFTUS
KOPERE MAKO
AVA MAPUNA
TE AIO MAUSII
AUMARIRE MAUSII
HARPER MILLAN
KYLAN MILLAN
MACEY MILLAN
BELLA-ROSE PEMBERTON
MARAEA REI
NATHAN REI
KHEMISTRY REWETI
EASTYN ROBERTS
WIKITORIA ROBERTS
TE KAEWA ROPATA
FINN ROSS
RANGIRUHIA ROTA
MIA SCHWASS
MACI SCHWASS
KOA SOLOMON
RAIATEA TAKAO
NGAMIANGA TAKAO
ETERNITY TAKAO-VAIOMO’UNGA
MIHIPEKA TE HAARA
MARIUS TEISSONNIERES-SMEATON
TAMA-ARIKI THOMPSON
MANAIA WAIHAPE
TAIKA WAIHAPE
HOANI-REIGN WALLACE
KAUT WESTON
MILA WHAREWERA-BALLARD
PRIMARY
EZINDII BRUNING
EVIE BRUNING
LEVI COLLINS
ZAYN COLLINS
ARIA COLLINS
CALEB HARVEY
ELI LA’AULI
KAHU LYNCH
MANA LYNCH
HAPAI MAKO
DURY MANUEL
HARRIET MASON
OTIS MASON
DAYTON MCMINN
CARTER MILLAN
EDEN MILLER
SCARLETT MITCHELL
KYLO NEWPORT
RAAURU NGAIA-PUGH
EWARANGI NGAIA-PUGH
OLIVER PEMBERTON
KAHLIA PUGH
KAEDYN PUGH
KAURI PUGH
KASSIUS RAMEKA
DALLIS RAMEKA
JAYLA RAMEKA
CLASSIC REWETI
SECRETS REWETI
ACHAIUS ROBERTS
SHARDAE RONGONUI
TANGAROA ROPATA
ZACHARIAH SIMPSON
HAWAIKI SMITH
INDIE SOLOMON
HOHEPA SOLOMON
DENIRO STRICKLAND
JOHAN STUDD
JAVIER STUDD
MILA TAIT
EZEKIEL TAKAO-VAIOMO’UNGA
CHANTELLE TE HAARA
MALONE THOMPSON
KATENE THOMPSON
AMAIA THWAITES
ARIA THWAITES
BODICA-LE RAY TUWAIRUA
AIYA-ROSE TUWAIRUA
AMAIYIA TUWAIRUA
RIRI WESTON
PARATINI WESTON
PATIKI WESTON
KOBI WHAREWERA-BALLARD
REMI WHAREWERA-BALLARD
ELODIE WILKINSON
ZARA WILKINSON
RONGOMAI WOODS
CAZNA WOODS
RAUHUIA WOODS
INTERMEDIATE
TUAKURA FORD
ONETEA FORD
ATAWHAI FORD
PIRIHERA GRAHAM
EVE HARVEY
CHARDAY KARAURIA WOODS
IYLA LA’AULI
STEVEN LOFTUS
DWAYNE MARTIN-GANOTAN
RUBY MILLAN
MALAKAI MILLAN
ISLA MILLAN
KADE MILLER
NGAIO MURRAY
WHAIORA NGAPERA
HARIATA NGAPERA
KAEL PARAI
STATYNE RAMEKA
INNOCENCE REWETI
HAWEA SMITH
SERENA STRICKLAND
WARREN TE HAARA
JESSE TEISSONIERES-SMEATON
TE KOU O REHUA WATSON
KAITIAKI WESTON
SECONDARY
ATAITUHA ANDERSON
EKIN ASHFORD
SIERRA BURGE
TAJ MEIHANA-CROOKSTON
JAMES HARVEY
KHIANA-JADE HENRY
RIMU HURIRIU-HARPER
TOARANGATIRA KARAURIA
JAHLEAH KURURANGI
KOTAHI KURURANGI
THEO LA’AULI
KIRIANA LITTLE
MERI LITTLE
KAYMARNI MARTIN
TAKOHA MARTIN
OKAPA MARTIN
DELRIO MARTIN
WAIMIERE MARTIN
CJAY MCMINN
FRANCILLA MCMINN
ISRAEL MILLAN
ANIKAH MILLAN
JACOB MILLAN
TIA ROSE MILLAN
CULLEN PARAI
WAKATIWAI PARAI
LYRICC RAMEKA
AMARLEA RAMEKA
ZAYAH RAMEKA
TAJAE RAMEKA
ONYX RAMEKA
DENIRO RAMEKA
ANAHERA REI
CASSIE REI
JOHNATHAN REI
HAYLEY REI
RILEY REI
JURNEE REI
TE KOOMURI AROHA
PAIGE REMEKA
KAEA REMEKA
HONESTY REWETI
PROMISE REWETI
STRATEGIC REWETI
WARENA RONGONUI
WIREMU RONGONUI JR
TYDE RUKUWAI
TIA ROSE SCHWASS
HUNTER SCHWASS
MANAIA SEMMENS
TAINUI SEMMENS
LUCY SERGENT
STACEY SINCLAIR
KIAMAIA SNOW
STELLA TAKAO
ROMAN TAKAO
RYAH TAKAO/ASI
MATTIX TAOHO
ARIELLE WATSON
MARIA WESTON
MEZIAH WESTON
MALAHKAE WOODS
TERTIARY
OAMES ABIGAIL
MITCHELL ANGUS
FORD CODY
REWETI DARLENE
SCHWASS DEAHNA
PEMBERTON EMMA
AHERN HOLLY
KELLY JOSEPH
WHAREWERA-BALLARD MAIA WOODS MOANA
TUOHY MOLLIE
MIHAERE OTAKI
ASHFORD SHAKAIA
MAIKA SHORTLAND
WHITE SOPHIA
TUOHY SOPHIE
ROPATA-TAWHIRI TRINI
REI UNAIKI (MIRIAMA)
PARAI WAKATIWAI
APPRENTICESHIPS
NGATIWAI PUGH
JOSIE TENITENI-SMEATON PARAI
WAKATIWAI SCHAYLEN
SCHOLARSHIPS
KELSEA ELKINGTON
MAHARA PARAI
FIT FOR PURPOSE SYSTEMS AND OPERATIONS
Over the past year we have started the groundwork for improvements that will help us work smarter not harder. Our key focus areas include improvements to records management, utilising GIS technology, and improved functionality for our whakapapa database.
Records management | Our records management improvements will involve cataloguing our archives and office records to make them more accessible. This will take place over at least a year and will include our hard copy records and SharePoint filling system.
GIS technology | We have secured funding that will assist us to bring to life our GIS aspirations. Used well, GIS can be a powerful spatial storytelling tool. Our initial focus will be collecting and recording data against our Ngāti Tama sites and points of interest (e.g. our customary and commercial lands) to support management of those sites. Our other objectives are to upskill and enable field information capture that will support cultural health monitoring, and to use Story Maps functionality to record cultural narratives in a place-based way. We expect that this will be an ongoing and evolving project that will take place over at least two years. Initially we will build our internal management capability and datasets, before turning to spatial storytelling with whānau access.
Whakapapa database | We have purchased the genealogy software, Legacy. Legacy provides us with additional functionality over our existing registration database, Tikios. Legacy gives us ability to more clearly capture whakapapa lines and demonstrate relationships between individuals. We have started to populate whakapapa data into Legacy, and it will be run alongside Tikios, as the software solutions have complementary functionality.
As of 30 June 2024, our Ngāti Tama database included 854 active and non-active adult registered members. Non-active members are those who we don’t have current contact details for. That may be because they have moved and not updated their addresses or have not provided these when registering.
The majority of our registered whānau members reside in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (28.8%), followed by Te Tauihu (15.1%). Registered whānau members living overseas make up 9.2% of our total membership. Throughout the year, we updated our Member Registration Policy and made improvements to our application form. Now, when our registered rangatahi turn 18 years old, they will automatically become verified adult members. Previously they were required to complete an application and re-register as an adult.
Our appreciation goes to our Te Kōmiti Whakapapa members who review and validate all membership applications, ngā mihi maioha ki a koutou –Ānaru Stephens, Jane du Feu, Johannah KāteneBurge, Kelvin Tāpuke, Louise Studd, Mairangi Reiher, Margie Little, Mark Galvin and Rob McKewen.
The Board maintains oversight of the Group’s mahi through regular planning and reporting cycles. This includes:
Annual plans | The NTWT and NTCT Boards approved a combined annual plan for FY2025 in June 2024. The annual plan lists out the strategic initiatives the Boards have tasked the management team with delivering for whānau throughout the year. Our management team provide regular six-weekly progress reports to trustees through Board reporting.
TAHC | The NTWT Board approves TAHC’s investment strategy which is typically reviewed on a three yearly basis. Each year, TAHC develops an Annual Plan which is consistent with its Investment Strategy, and it is reviewed and ratified by the NTWT Board. Throughout the year TAHC provide quarterly progress reporting to the NTWT Board. This ensures that key commercial risks are highlighted early and addressed and provides opportunities for the NTWT Board to provide strategic input as appropriate.
Group policies | Regular reviews of internal policy documents are carried out by Te Kōmiti Arotake Tūraru and are then recommend to the Board for approval.
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW IMPLEMENTATION In progress
MEMBER REGISTRATION DATABASE SYSTEM In progress
PRIORITY WORK MONITORING AND REPORTING In progress
IMPLEMENT AN ACTIVE, VIBRANT COMMUNICATION STRATEGY In progress
We use several communication channels to share news and insights with whānau. They include:
Te Puna | Our quarterly magazine which we release three times a year, on the fourth quarter, we send out our Annual Report which is prepared in the style of our Te Puna publications.
Whānau app | Our Whānau app is a space exclusively for registered whānau. You can find recordings of our Hui-ā-Tau, waiata and reo resources such as recordings of our online hui.
Mailchimp | Is an email tool we use to communicate directly with whānau to share news, events and notices.
SurveyMonkey | Is a survey tool we use to collect information and feedback from whānau to inform our cultural programmes and strategic initiatives.
Ngāti Tama website | We use our website to communicate with whānau and others who want to know about us or connect with us. Whānau can use the website to access previous editions of Te Puna and to find more about our grants and apply for them. During 2025, we intend to launch a new website which will be more user friendly. Our main communication channels with whānau are our Whānau app and social media for promoting our events.
We have begun work on redeveloping our website to make it more relevant and user friendly. We are aiming to launch it in 2025.
Each year we host or facilitate whānau participation in a broad range of cultural initiatives. This helps whānau collectively practice in their Ngāti Tamatanga, learn and enhance their reo Māori and tikanga, and get to know each other better through whakawhanaungatanga. In this section we report on some of the highlights from the past year.
Following a re-configuration of He Ranga Kōrero, our sessions have been shifted to a monthly spot on the first Wednesday evening of the month between 6.30pm to 8pm. Attendees are encouraged to play a full part in the lesson with revision exercises beforehand and follow up activities afterward. He Ranga Kōrero is intended to be an ‘add on’ to what you’re currently learning. We encourage you to cast your net wide in terms of the other learning platforms that are available online or face to face.
In addition to He Ranga Kōrero, we are exploring ways that we can incorporate the ‘Te Ataarangi’ method of learning te reo Māori. Another welcome addition to our suite of reo and tikanga activities, will be the inclusion of podcasts highlighting the journeys our people have been on or are currently in the process of doing.
In keeping with our initial commitment in 2019 to support the biennial Taranaki Tū Mai festival, a group of thirty whānau members headed to North Taranaki to be hosted by our northern relatives Ngāti Tama ki Pukearuhe. The formalities began with the traditional pōwhiri at Pukearuhe Pā near Urenui. From there, the majority of the sporting activities and events were hosted at the new Clifton Park Sports & Recreation Centre in Whaitara and other facilities nearby. Whānau members travelled from as far afield as Australia and all over Aotearoa to attend the three-day intertribal sporting and cultural event across the eight iwi that whakapapa to Taranaki mounga.
Our whānau members participated across a range of activities which included golf, netball, rugby, basketball, waka ama, tug o-war, touch, rugby league, pool, darts, softball, bowls, kubb, volleyball, kī o-rahi, marching and the pahake games. Provision in the form of a Tamariki Zone, was made available to provide a safe playing area for young children. Taukaikai (debates) and kapa haka provided the cultural entertainment on the final day with Ngā Rauru and Ngāti Maru taking out the respective sections. Āmai Thompson from Te Ātiawa (Picton) and Hēmi Sundgren represented Tokomaru waka on the judges debating panel. Ngāti Tama ki Pukearuhe were declared the overall winners of the tournament. Taranaki Iwi will host the next festival in 2025 at Parihaka Pā and the Opunake Events Centre.
The Ngāti Tama whānau supported our Te Ātiawa relatives, at the pōwhiri for the fifth Te Ipukarea festival held at Waikawa marae in Waitohi (Picton) earlier this year. The festival got off to a great start with great weather, yummy kai and friendly banter.
After the pōwhiri, the day kicked off with the inaugural ‘mussel shucking’ event where the iwi kuku guns strutted their stuff. This activity along with e-games and tug-owar were a great addition to the festival this year.
Our whānau stayed at the Holiday Park in Waitohi where the tamariki were well entertained as the facilities included a pool and playground.
This year Ngāti Tama won the euchre and the tug-o-war and came second in the netball. Next year will see the inclusion of new activities so WATCH THIS SPACE!!
At the conclusion of the two days, Te Ātiawa handed over the mauri to us and we look forward to hosting Te Ipukarea 2025 in Whakatū.
We are constantly looking to boost our numbers to have a bigger representation at each festival. So come along one and all. Bring your tamariki, mokopuna, and your pahake as there’s something for everyone. The more the merrier! Keep an eye out for the upcoming comms.
Tama Tū ki Te Tauihu! Tama Ora ki te Ao! Te Ipukarea 2025 ki Whakatū!
The Ngāti Tama Hui-ā-Tau (AGM) and whānau wānanga was held at Whakatū marae from Friday 16th – Sunday 18th February. We received, for the first time, over a hundred RSVPs to attend the weekend which was great to see. For those travelling by ferry, a bus was again provided this year for whānau from Waitohi (Picton) to Whakatū (Nelson). The pōwhiri began typically at 5pm, followed by kai. The evening session began with karakia and whakawhanaungatanga to encourage everyone to mix and mingle and get to know each other.
On Saturday morning, we started early with karakia and prepared for our significant site visits. The trustees from the Whakapuaka 1B block, welcomed everyone at Wakapuaka before we all set off for the Haua urupā at the opposite end of the beach. The appropriate acknowledgements were accorded for Ngārongoā (Hūria) and Hēmi Mātenga and the other significant Ngāti Tama tūpuna.
We then travelled to Rotokura (Cable Bay) where the whānau were treated to snorkelling lesson hosted by Tasman Bay Guardians. While enjoying the beautiful surroundings, great weather and exceptional company, everyone partook of the sumptuous BBQ lunch that was on offer. Ka mutu pea! After a long, fun-packed day, we returned to the marae for another kai and a session with Ka Uruora.
Sunday was the ‘big day’ as we prepared for our AGM. Whānau were up bright and early to get the marae ready. More whānau began to arrive and the tamariki activities were set up. The bouncy castle and outdoor games kept the kids occupied for hours!! T-shirts and caps were handed out to whānau after they registered and everyone wore their gear with pride, as the AGM kicked off without a hitch!
Whānau got an overview of how the Trust performed and what our goals are for the future. Phil Sparks and Nikita Day were voted in for another three year term on the Trust and Dan Solomon and Hoani Tākao were named as our new associate trustees. We congratulate everyone on their success and look forward to working with you all over the next three years.
We’d like to acknowledge our previous associates Raewyn Klenner and Kate Reddock, for their contribution to the Trust over the last three years. Raewyn Klenner was presented with a beautiful taonga for her time, and Kate will be receiving her taonga when we see her next in Te Tauihu.
At the completion of yet another successful AGM, the local Tama whānau entertained everyone as they entered the wharekai ‘Mauriora’ for the traditional hākari including hāngī and other hot kai, mātaitai (seafood), a range of salads and of course delicious desserts.
With a full puku, great memories and looking forward to next year, the whānau boarded their pahi again for Waitohi and were off!! Thank you everyone for a great time and we’ll see you all at Onetahua Marae in Mohua, December 2024!!
“Connection, inclusiveness, knowledge, love and an appreciation of the mahi that Ngāti Tama do for our whānau.
Ngā mihi nui”
DEBI SCHWASS
my great great grandmother walked and lived. Learning from Ānaru where Ngārongoā’s garden was and standing there was amazing knowledge and made me feel rapt. This knowledge no matter how small will serve my wider whānau in knowing our tūrangawaewae. As a Ngāti Tama collective who live outside, reconnections to each other during this weekend weren’t strained. We thrived in learning about each other”
KELVIN TAPUKE
“I loved my experience and my children’s experience, their first time staying on a marae. Very well organised to the time we got on the bus to the time we left the marae. I love a good agenda; you can tell that a lot of planning went into this. Thank you very much. I felt the love toward “Thank you so much to the Ngāti Tama staff and trustees who went above and beyond to host us. We (I) certainly appreciate it. The pre-AGM visits and activities enabled me to feel connected to place and each other. Sites of significance to where
Ka Uruora – Te Tauihu
OPPORTUNITIES TO LIVE AND WORK IN TE TAUIHU
Ngāti Tama proudly continues to engage with and support Ka Uruora Te Tauihu as our key initiative to help whānau access warm, dry, healthy homes. As a collective iwi entity, Ka Uruora shows the benefits and collective strength of iwi working together for whānau.
Following a successful launch in May 2023, Ka Uruora has continued to build momentum and provide support to whānau. Ka Uruora iwi membership has expanded from the four founding iwi members; Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Rārua, Te Ātiawa and Rangitāne, to also include Ngāti Kuia.
Ka Uruora offers three core pou:
Te Uru Ahupūtea – Financial Education
This initiative equips our whānau with the tools and knowledge necessary to secure their financial futures, covering budgeting to informed investment decisions. The financial education programme serves as the foundational platform to access kāinga opportunities. We are pleased to share that 50 registered Ngāti Tama members participated in the financial literacy course throughout the last financial year.
Te Uru Tahua – WhānauSaver COMING SOON
WhānauSaver will be a powerful new tool which will help our whānau to grow their financial futures and create lasting legacies for generations to come. It is an innovative savings programme that was first developed by Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa, Te Kāhui o Taranaki, and SuperLife, and now we are preparing to release it to our Ka Uruora Te Tauihu whānau. WhānauSaver is more than just a savings account, it will be an investment in your future and the future of your tamariki. It is made unique through the ability to set up accounts from birth, with contributions possible from parents, grandparents, wider whānau, and your iwi.
We are excited to share that this kaupapa will be launching during FY25. We believe it will be a game changer for our whānau, providing a simple yet powerful way to build financial independence and security. We will share more information with you when WhānauSaver goes live.
Te Urunga Kāinga - Housing Solutions
It has been exciting to watch the progress and housing outcomes that have been achieved through the Ka Uruora and Hāpai Housing kāinga collaboration over the past year. In September 2023, we celebrated the opening of the first kāinga project, Moroki in Tāmaki Makaurau, and saw three of our Ngāti Tama whānau move into these new homes. Moroki contains 50 units of which 20 are affordable rental units with rebates of up to 30% below market rates.
We have also witnessed the encouraging development of further new kāinga projects; Te Piringa mai ki Te Aro –a new development offering a range of long-term rental opportunities in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), and Kaweka – a new housing development situated on New North Road, Ōwairaka, Tāmaki Makaurau. If you think one of these kāinga opportunities may right for you and your whānau we encourage you to reach out to Ka Uruora and express your interest. Registrations are open now for both Te Piringa mai ki Te Aro and Kaweka.
https://www.hapai-property.co.nz/tepiringa https://www.hapai-property.co.nz/-kaweka
Closer to home here in Te Tauihu, we are pleased to let whānau know that we have seen progress on the Wairau kāinga project which has received consent. The site is 4.5 hectares and could potentially support about 90-100 homes.
Our team has continually looked for opportunities to access land in Nelson/Tasman for collective development opportunities that are within our Ngāti Tama rohe, however they have continued to be sparse. Our focus remains on opportunities that are outside of market driven processes to avoid inflated land values. While it is somewhat disappointing that we have not made the progress we would have hoped for, we still remain committed to finding collective housing solutions with our Ngāti Tama rohe.
We take pride in sharing the experiences of our whānau who have embarked on their journey with Ka Uruora, and it is rewarding to share reflections from Tim Ward-Holmes and Slade Placid about living in Moroki.
We encourage all our whānau to check out Ka Uruora and engage in the services they have to offer.
To find out more check out their website https://kauruora.nz/ka-uruora-te-tauihu/ or contact one of our Pou Tūhono: debra-lee@kauruora.co.nz or quilla@kauruora.co.nz.
INTERNSHIPS IN THE NTWT GROUP
In development
WORK PLACEMENTS IN TAMA INVESTED ENTITIES In development
TAMA-INVESTED HOUSING OPTIONS FOR WHĀNAU Ongoing
The vision behind Moroki Kāinga extended beyond merely constructing houses; it was about building a cohesive community where residents could foster connections and support each other. This approach distinguishes Moroki Kāinga from typical housing developments.
“I think not just building a house but building a community is key. It’s more of a community than a development. Bringing people together in a shared space and providing opportunities to build not just your whānau in one place, but to have connections with those around you as well,” said Hēmi Sundgren.
Ngāti Tama and Te Ātiawa resident Tim WardHolmes, who had returned from living in Paris to take up the opportunity to reside at Moroki, acknowledged the collaborative efforts to create an affordable, comfortable, and visually appealing residence. “The collaboration between the different iwi is something I hadn’t thought much about before, but seeing it come together in this project is amazing. It shows how much can be achieved when we work together.”
Tim expressed his hopes for future projects: “Housing is a key area, especially for our generation trying to find affordable places to live. I’m grateful that our iwi are looking into this.”
Slade Placid (Ngāti Tama; Te Ātiawa) commented, “I really admire and am very grateful for the support from our iwi. It’s an awesome opportunity for my sister Tiana and I to be part of this.”
In addition to providing quality housing, the project, in partnership with Ka Uruora, required iwi members to participate in financial planning as a prerequisite to accessing the iwi rental subsidy of up to 30%.
Slade also shared his appreciation for the financial education provided by Ka Uruora. “The financial course I participated in helped me refocus our finances into things we want to look forward to. For example, I’ve been able to save for my upcoming wedding, which is very exciting.”
Present Work:
Kōrero with Tim Ward-Holmes
TRIBAL AFFILIATIONS:
• NGĀTI TAMA KI TE WAIPOUNAMU
• TE ĀTIAWA O TE WAKA-A-MĀUI
Tim is involved in the hospitality and tourism industry, and presently works at the Park Hyatt hotel in Auckland CBD. He has previously worked in the tech industry in Auckland, where he focuses on innovative solutions and project management.
Involvement with Iwi/Hapū:
Tim’s participation in the Moroki Kāinga project has enhanced his awareness of iwi collaborations and the direct benefits they provide. He supports the ongoing efforts to create affordable housing for iwi members.
Insights:
Tim is optimistic about the future of iwi-led housing projects and the potential for further collaborations. “The collaboration between the different iwi is something I hadn’t thought much about before, but seeing it come together in this project is amazing.” He also reflected on the importance of such initiatives, “Projects like Moroki Kāinga not only provide housing but also strengthen our cultural connections and support networks.”
Present Work:
Kōrero with Slade Placid
TRIBAL AFFILIATIONS:
• TE ĀTIAWA O TE WAKA-A-MĀUI
• NGĀTI TAMA KI TE WAIPOUNAMU
Slade works in water treatment equipment at a company called Liquipro in Auckland. His work is conveniently located near his new home in Moroki Kāinga.
Involvement with Iwi/Hapū:
Slade, along with his sister Tiana, has strengthened his connection to his iwi through the Moroki Kāinga project. He participated in the financial education provided by Ka Uruora, which has helped him plan for his future, including his upcoming wedding.
Insights:
Slade appreciates the financial support and the sense of community that comes with living in Moroki Kāinga. “I really admire and am very grateful for the support from our iwi. It’s an awesome opportunity for my sister and me to be part of this.” He also noted the project’s impact on his personal life, “It’s been very freeing to have a space just for my sister and me, without the challenges of flatting with different people from various bakgrounds”
As kaitiaki, a key tool we can use to help protect and enhance our taiao is the resource management framework. If activity is taking place in an area of interest within our rohe we review the application and provide feedback on conditions or measures that should be included in the consent or concession. Our Pou Taiao, reviewed a total a 901 consents and concessions throughout this past year, highlighting that it is a considerable part of our day-to-day mahi.
We recognise that kotahitanga is key to achieving outcomes for the taiao. We are a small team and we cannot achieve impactful change on our own. Our strategy is to partner with other Iwi, government, local government and philanthropic groups to add to our own workstreams. Below are some of our key collaborations.
Kotahitanga mō te Taiao | Co-chaired by Department of Conservation and Ngāti Tama. It is a unique collaborative model of Iwi, Councils and Government (17 partners in total) based in Te Tauihu. It aims to restore and enhance nature across 3.4 million hectares of land and sea through landscape-scale conservation projects that also have environmental, social, economic, and cultural benefits.
Manawhenua ki Mohua (MkM) | MkM is an umbrella entity for the three manawhenua iwi living in Mohua; Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Rārua, and Te Ātiawa. MKM is made up of whānau who whakapapa to Mohua, and a representative from each of the three Iwi Trusts. MKM seeks to uphold the cultural, spiritual, and environmental integrity of the rohe for past, present and future generations.
Motueka Catchment Collective (MCC) Steering Group |
The MCC is a collective of local community members who aim to facilitate community action to enhance freshwater wellbeing across the Motueka catchment. We are represented on the steering group which leads the collective.
Māpua Master Plan | Led by Tasman District Council. The goal of the Māpua Waterfront Area Masterplan is to for public and community spaces that promote people’s health, happiness, and well-being.
Te Mana o Te Wai | A collective work programme for ngā iwi of Te Tauihu and the three local Councils to develop a policy framework that implements Te Mana o Te Wai in the Councils’ freshwater planning tools.
Wakapuaka Taiāpure | Collective initiative supported by Department of Conversation, NIWA, Nelson City Council and Ngāti Tama. Ground truthing of the benthic environment to determine if the environment would support mussel restoration.
After 24 years, ngā iwi o Te Tauihu signed a Kawenata (covenant) to commit to the adoption of the South Island Customary Fishing Regulations. To help whānau understand more about the Regulations we have asked Hēmi Sundgren, our Pou Whakahaere, to tell us more about them.
The South Island Customary Fishing Regulations recognise and provide for our traditional and customary fishing practices, as enshrined under Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The regulations were technically adopted by the Government in 1999 (under the Fisheries Act 1996) to enable all iwi of the South Island (including Te Tauihu) and Stewart Island to responsibly manage customary kai gathering areas in line with our tikanga, practices and values. Although it has taken sometime for Te Tauihu iwi to formally adopt them, they mark a point in time where our the special relationships we have with places of importance for customary kai gathering (including tauranga ika and mahinga mātaitai) are recognised.
In light of this, the South Island Customary Fishing Regulations primarily form the framework for sustainable customary fisheries management for future generations.
Some of the key aspects of the regulations include;
1. Customary Authorisations (or Customary permits)
Authorisation of a kaitiaki (guardian) appointed by the iwi. Kaitiaki have the authority and responsibility to issue permits for customary fishing within our own respective rohe moana (traditional fishing area), not anyone else’s.
2. Kaitiaki Responsibilities
Kaitiaki are responsible for ensuring that fishing practices are sustainable and in line with our customary values. They are required to report on the quantity and types of fish and shellfish harvested under their authorisation to maintain transparency and sustainable fishery practices.
3. Sustainable Harvesting
The regulations emphasise sustainability. Customary permits do not allow for the commercial sale of the fish or shellfish harvested. The purpose of the catch is for traditional uses i.e significant hui (tangi, and iwi hui), celebrating significant events, or upholding cultural traditions.
4. Areas Covered
The regulations apply to the whole of the Te Waipounamu and the surrounding waters, including various customary fishing areas designated by our people. These areas may have specific rules or restrictions based on the local tikanga and ecological conditions such is the case on some of the islands in the Marlborough Sounds.
5. Enforcement and Compliance
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) oversees the enforcement of these regulations, working closely with iwi. Breaches of the regulations can result in penalties, as customary fishing is a carefully managed resource to prevent overfishing and protect marine biodiversity.
Why are these regulations so important to us?
They play a vital role in:
• Cultural Preservation: Ensuring that we maintain our connections with Tangaroa and the traditional fishing grounds and practices
• Environmental Sustainability: Balancing customary fishing rights with the protection of marine ecosystems
• Legal Recognition: Affirming the legal and Te Tiriti rights in managing customary fishing areas
How does moving to the new regulations support our role as kaitiaki?
The decision by Te Tauihu iwi to adopt these regulations marks a significant step toward formalising ongoing relationships that will enable the creation of a tikangaled kaitiaki framework for establishing Tangata Kaitiaki. This gives us greater autonomy in managing local customary fisheries under these regulations, allowing us to develop rules that align with our values and sustainable practices. It represents a departure from the broader, one-size-fits-all approach of the current Amateur Fishing Regulations.
Managing customary fisheries at the local level allows us to make decisions that address the unique ecological and cultural needs of each rohe moana (traditional fishing area), fostering more responsive and adaptive management practices. This localised approach can complement modern conservation efforts, providing a more holistic and sustainable framework for fisheries management.
Another key aspect is increased community engagement, which strengthens our role as kaitiaki. Greater involvement fosters a sense of ownership and often leads to better compliance with both our tikanga and formal regulations, as the community becomes invested in preserving resources for future generations.
Customary fishing practices also facilitate the intergenerational transfer of traditional knowledge, preserving cultural heritage while encouraging long-term stewardship of our marine environment and rohe moana. Integrating these customary practices with sustainable fishing methods not only supports the preservation of fish stocks but also promotes local economic opportunities.
This shift paves the way for collaborative efforts between our kaitiaki, iwi, government bodies, conservation groups, and the fishing industry. Such partnerships can lead to innovative solutions that benefit both iwi and the wider community.
Does the change impact our rohe moana?
Kaore, our rohe moana is from Raetihi (Cape Soucis) across Te Tai o Aorere (Tasman Bay) and Mohua (Golden Bay) to Te Taitapu (West Coast), to Kahurangi Point. The Kaitiaki and iwi leadership will work collectively to ensure that the regulations do not restrict or undermine the existing or future rights or responsibilities of any of our Te Tauihu Iwi. This will take some time to embed as a collective of kaitiaki and iwi to ensure that our respective tikanga over our mahinga mātaitai and Tauranga ika are maintained and not compromised.
How to work within the South Island Customary Fishing regulations:
Prior to going customary fishing under the regulations where you require volumes of kai that are in excess of the rules, you must get an authorisation from your local Kaitiaki. Our Kaitiaki are:
• Hayden Ward-Holmes
• Ānaru Stephens
• Fred Te Miha
• Kerensa Johnston
You must obtain the authorisation in person before going fishing.
Key things to remember with your authorisation:
Each Kaitiaki will set out their expectations to the fishers, some of the key things to remember are:
• The permit must be kept in your possession at all times
• You must catch only those species specified on the authorisation
• You must catch only those species specified on the authorisation
• Your catch is not to exceed the quantity specified
• It is valid only for the date and area specified
• You must report your catch back to the Kaitiaki within five days of fishing
Why we need to record your catch
If you can no longer catch a feed of fish like you used to, it’s a good indication of over-fishing or habitat degradation. For this reason, it is important that we effectively manage the fishery in our rohe moana. By providing information to ensure the fisheries resources are not being overexploited, we will guarantee that we can always catch a feed for the whānau.
FROM WHANGAMOA IN THE EAST TO KAHURANGI IN THE WEST, ARE THE LANDS OF NGĀTI TAMA KI TE TAUIHU
ENHANCE OUR SIGNIFICANT LANDS AND WATERWAYS
Why did you become a kaitiaki for Ngāti Tama?
I was appointed into the Kaitiaki role for Ngāti Tama when my dad (John Ward-Holmes), became unwell. I am extremely proud to follow on from Dad and to continue the work he was so very passionate about. I, along with my whānau, love being out on the ocean fishing, and if I can contribute to preserving that for future generations to enjoy, I will be a happy person.
What does your role involve?
First and foremost, it involves having a very good understanding of our local inshore fisheries in Mohua, so I feel comfortable we are doing our bit to preserve our precious fisheries resource. Secondly, it involves supporting local whānau, hapū, and our Iwi to harvest kaimoana for customary use in a sustainable way that allows whānau the opportunity to enjoy the delights from Tangaroa without having a detrimental effect on the fisheries. Since filling this role, I have issued permits for birthday celebrations, tangi, and our AGM. Through this process I take the opportunity to educate whānau on our fisheries which they can then pass onto others, this is important as all fishers need to do their bit to help preserve what we have.
What are customary permits and what can they be issued for? Who can apply for them?
Customary permits are a tool for Iwi to manage the amount of kaimoana taken under customary harvest. Very simply, it allows Iwi to mandate individuals to write authorisations on behalf of the Iwi to take kaimoana for customary use, which can be over and above the normal daily recreational fishing limits. For example, the daily limit for pāua in Mohua is five per person. With a customary permit I can authorise that someone could take 20 pāua for a customary use, such as the Marae AGM. Customary permits are not an avenue to just go and fill the freezer, they are generally issued for significant events. The permits I issue are mostly for Mohua whānau, but I also support whānau in the Tasman area who come over to Golden Bay to gather kaimoana.
Do you have any views on the South Island Customary Regulations?
We are about to adopt the South Island Customary Regulations in Te Tauihu having moved from the very basic customary conditions under the Amateur Fishing Regulations. This will allow Ngāti Tama and the other Iwi of Te Tauihu to better manage our fisheries with tools such as mātaitai, taiāpure and rāhui, as well as the ability to harvest for pātaka which will be great for the likes of a tangi where time is not always on your side.
Te haupūtanga o te wai, te haupūtanga o te kai, te haupūtanga o te tangata
THE EXISTENCE OF A WATER SOURCE, PROMOTES FOOD PRODUCTIVITY, TO SUSTAIN THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF A COMMUNITY
ENHANCE OUR SIGNIFICANT LANDS AND WATERWAYS
Continuing with our focus on Mohua, we are putting a spotlight on Manawhenua ki Mohua (MkM) and highlighting the huge contribution that MkM makes across Mohua. We’ve asked Margie Ward-Holmes Little, one of our trustees who lives in Mohua and is Chair of MkM to tell us more about MkM’s mahi.
Who is Manawhenua ki Mohua?
We are an umbrella entity for the three manawhenua iwi living in Mohua; Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Rārua, and Te Ātiawa. We are made up of ahi kā whānau representatives and a representative from each of the three manawhenua Iwi Trusts. We are supported by like-minded individuals from our community who help with policy advice and management processes.
The whānau representatives descend from rangatira, who became kaitiaki of the rohe through raupatu and intermarriage; a responsibility, which has been passed down through our whakapapa. We have maintained ahi kā roa in Mohua for 200 years. It is this connection that compels us as kaitiaki. We seek to uphold the cultural, spiritual, and environmental integrity of the rohe for past, present and future generations.
We do what we do because we have a strong awareness of what’s gone before us and feel an obligation to protect it for those that will come.
What do you do?
We are effectively the first point of contact for engagement and advice on local matters. We are across environmental and social issues and have representatives on the Golden Bay High School Board / Te Waka Kura ō Mohua, Tākaka Primary School and Aorere / Collingwood Area School. We have representatives on Golden Bay Community Health and the Pae Alliance rōpū.
We work closely with DoC on taiao issues, whale strandings, translocation of manu, Te Waikoropupū Springs and the two National Parks.
As a rōpū we consider and advise on resource consents, provide advice on Council projects, inform local government policy, and engage in environmental restoration initiatives. We support education initiatives with many schools through delivering cultural kōrero and guidance especially out in the taiao in places like Onetahua / Farewell Spit.
We also coordinate iwi monitors who oversee earthworks and construction projects that are undertaken by the local Council and utilities companies.
How do you connect and collaborate with the Ngāti Tama team?
We share the same values and aspirations as Ngāti Tama and we all want to protect and enhance the taiao.
Generally, we lead kaupapa on the ground and are the first point of contact for local Mohua matters. Our strength is that we are an active part of our community with good relationships across many groups.
Ngāti Tama has always had a strong connection with MkM and supported us and our kaupapa. Ngāti Tama and the other Trusts will generally lead more generic kaupapa such as input into policy and planning changes that affect the broader Te Tauihu rohe.
There are times when we are faced with significant challenges or kaupapa such as protecting Te Waikoropupū Springs. We initially advocated for protection of the puna, then Ngāti Tama took a lead in the court proceedings as they were better placed than us.
We know that we both can’t be everywhere at once, our resources are constrained. Our way of collaborating works well and helps us engage across a broader range of kaupapa than we would otherwise do if we both tried to do it all.
What are some of the key kaupapa that you have been involved in over the past year?
A big achievement for us was securing the water conservation order for Te Waikoropupū Springs and Te Wharepapa Arthur Marble Aquifer. We first applied for this in 2013, but our efforts to protect the puna started in the 80’s.
MkM worked closely with the architects on the building of the new Te Kura Waka ō Mohua GBHS and Aorere / Collinwood Area School, both opened at the end of 2023. Robin Slow was employed to create our cultural narratives for both schools. The pūrākau are embedded in the beautiful new school designs and waharoa. “He ātaahua ngā Kura.”
Another of our long-term projects, is the care and conservation of the Anaweka Waka. We reached an exciting milestone in February this year when we were able to drain the waka from its conservation solution and start the drying process. This means the waka is in the final phase of conservation. We are now looking at storage and display options.
We have also undertaken a taonga toi cataloguing project which has meant we have been able to record information on all the cultural artifacts and art held by MkM. This has helped us improve the way we store the taonga and makes it more accessible.
Most recently we have been working with mussel restoration groups that are aiming to enhance the wild green shell mussel populations in Mohua. We have supported with site selection, cultural advice and induction, and re-seeding work.
Looking ahead, our next big thing is opposing the Sam’s Creek gold mine application. The proposed mine is likely to have wide ranging environmental impacts which are amplified in a karst limestone landscape if it is allowed to progress.
I need to acknowledge Janice Manson and John Mitchell both past chairs of Ngāti Tama and John Ward-Holmes, a founding trustee, who all made significant contributions of time and aroha to the kaupapa of Manawhenua Ki Mohua over many years. Moe mai rā ngā rangatira. Pai Mārire.
SEEK THE TREASURES YOU VALUE MOST DEARLY, IF YOU BOW YOUR HEAD, LET IT BE TO A LOFTY MOUNTAIN.
Waari Ward-Holmes CHAIR TAHC
Anthony (Butch) Little TRUSTEE DIRECTOR
Directors are pleased to present their report on Tama Asset Holding Company Limited (TAHC) activities for the financial year to 30 June 2024 (FY24).
Our portfolio has continued to perform extremely well and remains well positioned in the current economic conditions with a strong portfolio of high-quality direct investments that delivers a mixture of income to distribute to the Trust and asset growth for future generations.
Our Total Comprehensive Income after tax for the year was $3.9m which produced a 5.6% return for the year and lifted our Total Assets to approximately $77m. This excludes the market value of carbon credits held by the Trust.
Our strategic approach to investment has proven successful and our focus areas in FY24 remained the same as for FY23. This helps us grow a solid investment portfolio that provides sustainable distributions to the Trust by:
1 Participation with aligned iwi in Māori collective opportunities via Hāpai whānau and Pūainuku whānau
2 Ongoing optimisation of Forest Ground Leases, Seafood Quota and Aquaculture
3 Monitor and manage our strategic capital allocation of managed funds including redemptions to ensure sufficient cash is available for new direct investments
4 Contributing to wider NTWT goals and aspirations
We have remained extremely focused on our direct collective investments which have required discipline and patience and have yielded strong risk adjusted returns for us. We are a foundation investor in the Hāpai whānau alongside five other iwi from throughout Aotearoa. Hāpai whānau acts as our main direct property investment vehicle and invests across Aotearoa in three key areas being: commercial property, build-to-rent housing, and development property. Hāpai whānau now has more than 30 limited iwi/Māori partners in the collective across three investment funds. TAHC has committed $14.5m of its allocated $15.5m across these funds.
Toni Grant DIRECTOR TAHC
Sewell DIRECTOR TAHC
Hāpai Commercial owns seven properties and two under development. These quality tenanted properties are worth approximately $275m. This fund has a strong interest rate hedging policy and has continued to deliver monthly cash distributions which act as a cornerstone of our distribution to the Trust.
Hāpai Housing currently has one build to rent property available for rent in Auckland (Moroki) and two further under development in Auckland (Kaweka) and Wellington (Te Piringa).
We are very pleased to see three Ngāti Tama uri continuing to enjoy their homes in Moroki. This exceeds our allocation of two homes meaning our uptake is proportionally higher than our investment in Hāpai. It is also encouraging to see an ongoing high level of interest from Ngāti Tama uri as other housing complexes are nearing completion.
Hāpai Housing and a collective of Te Tauihu iwi have been proceeding with the predevelopment feasibility of the surplus land at Wairau Hospital. This is exciting as we believe this will provide tangible housing outcomes from rentals, progressive home ownership and market sales for our uri that are based in our rohe. Consent has been granted for this project which is a key step forward in the process.
Hāpai Development has continued its patient approach of focusing on long-term land redevelopment opportunities. An investment in Beachlands South LP with the NZ Superfund and others has recently yielded success with approval being recieved to proceed with the large-scale rezone of the Formosa Golf Club in Southeast Auckland.
Hāpai whānau is constantly scanning and working to originate opportunities for an investment particularly in Whakatū / Motueka. It is challenging due to limited land supply and a competitive development market however we remain optimistic that this may be achieved during FY25.
Pūainuku whānau, the agribusiness collective we have invested in with 16 other iwi/Māori Limited Partners has three delineated asset classes.
• Pūai Tangaroa LP – owns 27 tonnes of CRA3, CRA4 and CRA6 kōura quota, with the annual catch entitlement (ACE) being leased to Port Nicholson Fisheries, an iwi collective vehicle that allows iwi to participate within the full kōura value chain without needing to invest capital.
• Pūainuku Pastures LP – owns a 13% stake in Dairy Holdings Limited (DHL), Aotearoa’s largest dairy farmer with a proven track record of best practice environmental management backed by very highquality land.
• Pūainuku Vines LP – owns vineyard land in Wairau leased to Giesen wines with rental terms linked to CPI which makes this investment akin to an inflation adjusted bond.
Aquaculture remains a key long term direct investment focus for us given our natural advantages, predominantly via settlement, in Te Tauihu. We are an 1/8 owner in Maara Moana Group, which aligns with our strategy of being a part of collective iwi investment opportunities. Maara Moana has consented water space for 335 lines in Golden Bay and Tasman Bay with seven of the eight blocks now leased and operating as per our expectations.
Forestry land leasing continues to form the cornerstone of our land portfolio (~29% of the total investment portfolio) and has proven extremely resilient alongside our land leases to Ministry of Education and Plant and Food Research. Land leasing provides reliable and stable income each year. We own 13,300ha of forestry land with low-risk lease arrangements in place that are regularly reviewed to ensure we are making sustainable long term investment decisions. Our forestry assets were revalued as part of the audit process and resulted in an independent valuation uplift of $1.2m.
Our direct investment strategy which provides us with reliable sustainable returns has seen our investment in managed funds decrease over time. Managed fund returns fluctuate, but this year a pleasing strong result of 11.8%, was achieved. We assess managed funds like all assets over the long term and since inception the, return has been 6.5%, which we feel is an acceptable risk adjusted return and adds diversification to our portfolio. We will continue long term to hold approximately 10% of our portfolio in managed funds which exposes us to growth equities and provides a degree of offshore exposure and compliments and balances our portfolio.
We committed $1m during FY18 to Te Pūia Tāpapa with 78% being called at FY24. Te Pūia Tāpapa is a grouping of 26 iwi and Māori investors seeking to partner with existing New Zealand institutional investors by leveraging experienced partners and their deal channels to invest in large scale private companies.
For the year ended 30 June 2024
NOTES * Managed funds are net of management fees
The financial analysis in the table labelled Financial Performance incorporates the commercial performance by TAHC over the financial year.
We note the following points in particular in relation to the audited financial performance for the year ending 30 June 2024:
• Direct Investment income was $2.2m and managed funds was $0.9m (net of managment fees)
• Investing in direct investments will continue to be the strategy for FY25 with the expectation of increased income in Hāpai Commercial and Housing as properties under development reach investment phase
• Operating expenses are in line with expectations and as we scale up our investments, we continue to improve our operational efficiency
• We also had strong asset appreciation of $1.8m from our direct assets, forestry assets, aquaculture investments especially in Pūainuku Vines and Hāpai Development
A breakdown of Ngāti Tama Total Commercial Assets including quota shares updated to market valuation is shown in the pie graph of TAHC’s asset mix on pg 46.
Our overall result for the year was solid considering our portfolio allocation is currently more weighted to income generating assets. The Total Return on Equity for the Asset Holding Company was ~5.6%.
We will remain committed to implementing our direct investment strategy while continuing to monitor and ensure existing investments are efficiently performing at a high level. We continue to review investment opportunities in line with our strategy and will always seek guidance from the Trust on cultural/social and
whānau outcomes that our investments can help provide. Our key focus areas are:
Continue to actively engage with our collective iwi/ Māori investment vehicles that provide access/ opportunities for premium risk adjusted returns via Hāpai and Pūainuku whānau.
Actively engage in aquaculture, fishery, forestry and property direct investments maintaining effective management structures and strong operational and environment performance.
Monitor and manage TAHC’s strategic capital allocation to our managed funds portfolio including redemptions to ensure sufficient cash is available for new direct investments.
Ongoing support of the Trust including executing on its vision, values and goals. This includes encouraging Hāpai and Pūainuku vehicles to deliver wider impacts in a manner that supports financial objectives – preferential access to housing via Ka Uruora, supply chain, cultural interpretation and possible cadet schemes.
Overall, given TAHC’s portfolio and the development and implementation of direct investments over FY25, we expect our profits to grow in a sustainable manner.
Our thanks go to Koau Capital and the Trust office staff for their assistance and support during the year and a special acknowledgement to Hēmi Sundgren as CEO, Robert Hovenden as Accountant and Jenna Neame as General Manager who provide the Board and its management with considerable value and effort as a Senior Leadership Team.
Nā reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa
Waari Ward-Holmes
Butch Little
Toni Grant
Tony Sewell
The Ngāti Tama Group Operating Profit before Tax and Distributions has grown as we have invested into direct investments in a patient and disciplined manner. Note, managed funds have been removed from Operating Profit. The distribution from TAHC to NTWT was increased from 2% of assets in 2020 to 2.5% of assets in 2022 financial years. Incorporating the growth in assets, this has been increased to $1.9m for FY24.
For the year ended 30 June 2024
For the year ended 30 June 2024
Note:
NATIONAL IWI LEADERS
Butch Little - Representative
Hēmi Sundgren - Representative
TE KOTAHI O TE TAUIHU CHARITABLE TRUST
Hēmi Sundgren - Trustee
TE TAUIHU FISHERIES FORUM
Fred Te Miha - Representative
Ānaru Stephens - Representative
TE PUNA KŌRERO
Dayveen Stephens - Representative
WHAKATŪ MARAE LAND TRUST
Moetū Tuuta - Trustee
TIAKINA TE TAIAO LIMITED
Ānaru Stephens - Director
TE OHU TOI AHUREA ARTS AND ADVISORY COMMITTEE (NCC)
Te Ahu Rei - Representative
BROOK WAIMĀRAMA SANCTUARY TRUST
Deryk Mason - Trustee
REPRESENTATION
TE WAKA-A-MAUI IWI LEADERS
Butch Little - Representative
Hēmi Sundgren - Representative
KOTAHITANGA MŌ TE TAIAO ALLIANCE
Hēmi Sundgren - Co-Chair Member
MĀTĀWAI
Te Ahu Rei Representative
KA URUORA TRUST
Hēmi Sundgren - Chair
MANAWHENUA KI MOHUA Margie Little - Chair
KĀHUI MĀTAURANGA O TE TAUIHU
Ahu Rei - Representative
SUTER ART GALLERY IWI KOMITI
Te Ahu Rei - Representative
TE KĀHUI HAUORA
Leanne Manson - Representative
TE TAUIHU IWI LEADERS FORUM
Butch Little - Representative
Hēmi Sundgren - Representative
REGIONAL INTERSECTORAL FORUM Hēmi Sundgren - Member
MAARA MOANA LIMITED
Toni Grant - Director
WHAKATŪ MARAE KOMITI Ānaru Stephens - Member
MARLBOROUGH DISTRICT COUNCIL, NELSON CITY COUNCIL AND TASMAN DISTRICT COUNCIL
Butch Little - Representative
Hēmi Sundgren - Representative
MĀORI RUGBY BOARD TE TAUIHU Ānaru Stephens - Representative
PLANT & FOOD RESEARCH ADVISORY GROUP
Fred Te Miha - Representative
NELSON MUSEUM IWI KŌMITI
Te Ahu Rei - Representative
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