Koekoeā - the magazine for Wakatū - Issue #4 Hōtoke 2022

KOEKOEĀ 2022Hōtoke#4Issue THE MAGAZINE FOR WAKATŪ Issue #4 Hōtoke 2022 and also: WHAI TAPUWAE TE PŪOHO KĀTENE KARIOI MĀRA UPDATE OUR WHĀNAU WHĀNUI Merenako A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP

Kōwhaiwhai

Kōwhaiwhai are a traditional Māori artform, with patterns often inspired by nature. As well as being decorative, kōwhaiwhai help to tell a story. The kōwhaiwhai featured throughout the magazine is specific to Wakatū; designed by one of our Te Hunga Panuku, Te Waiho Paratene.

Each segment of the kōwhaiwhai represents the hapū of Wakatū who descend from the iwi of Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama and Te Ātiawa. These segments symbolise chain links. Built from the strength of those who came before, the chain represents the strong links Wakatū has with its Owners, whānau, employees and business associates. It also represents the presence of Wakatū in Te Tauihu, Aotearoa, and the world, now and in the future.

There are three strands central to the design; the awa (rivers) that nurture the lands of Wakatū, the heke, the migration of our whānau and hapū from the North Island to Te Tauihu, and the journey of Wakatū since its incorporation in 1977.

Welcome to our fourth issue of Koekoeā. As in previous issues, our stories focus on the whānau, legacy and activities of Wakatū. In this issue, Mitchell Ritai and Moana Oh share their experiences of following in the footsteps of our tūpuna on a haerenga undertaken as part of our Te Rākau Pakiaka programme. We have an update on Karioi, our indigenous crops project, along with practical tips for harvesting and storing kūmara, and we share a delicious recipe for kamokamo pickle. This issue also includes profiles of our whanaunga Kat Stephens, Kōwhai Pacey, Kīngi Gilbert and Aimee Porteners, and Te Pūoho Kātene offers his perspective on unique aspects of Māori leadership.

Based in Te Tauihu, Wakatū is an organisation for the whānau and hapū of the customary owners of Whakatū, Motueka and Mōhua. Koekoeā is one of our ways of sharing our stories of people and place.

MIHI

Me maumahara ki a rātou kua hinga ki te pō, moe mai rā. Ka rere te reo mihi ki ngā tai o te motu, ki ngā whenua o te ao, tēnā koutou katoa.

If you have any feedback on this issue, or ideas for future stories, please email us at korero@wakatu.org – we’d love to hear from you. All issues of Koekoeā are available online at www. issuu.com/wakatu. We invite you to use this platform and share Koekoeā with whānau and friends.

Mā te wā, Kerensa Johnston Tumu Whakarae Chief Executive, Wakatū Incorporation

E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha o Te Tauihu – tēnā koutou katoa.

At Wakatū we are guided by our vision set out in Te Pae Tawhiti, to preserve and enhance the taonga entrusted to us by our tūpuna, for now and for future generations; to be good ancestors. We hope that you take inspiration from the stories that we share and join us on our journey.

Pāora Te Poa Karoro Morgan Chair,TiamanaWakatū Incorporation

Themes of leadership are threaded throughout the articles in this issue, whether it is kuia sharing their memories of Merenako, a prominent leader from our past, or the plans for the Te Tauihu Climatorium, a way of showing leadership for our future.

Heoi anō, tēnā anō koutou katoa,

We are pleased to bring you our fourth issue of Koekoeā, the magazine for Wakatū Incorporation.

Kaituna kai: Marnie Morgan

Issue #4 Hōtoke 2022

Whai tapuwae

FiveKopakopaClimatoriumminutes

with Kīngi Gilbert

Kūmara Tupu

Te Pūoho Kātene

Karioi: a year in te māra o Puanga kairau

Tō mātou whare: Kat Stephens

Tohutohu tao kai: pickled kamokamo

Merenako: a legacy of leadership

RĀRANGI TUHINGA

Five minutes with Aimee Porteners

Kaimahi kōrero: Kōwhai Rōpata Pacey

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Wātaka

4 KOEKOEĀ Merenako A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP EHARA TAKU TOA I TE TOA TAKITAHI, ENGARI HE TOA TAKITINI. I come not with my own thoughts, but that of my tūpuna and elders.

M

airangi: When our mum Hana was only three months old, her mother died, so her grandparents Huta Pamariki and Pare Paaka (Park), went and took her back to Motueka to live with them. Mum loved them dearly. They brought her up as part of their family.

Judi: I’ve always been proud to carry her name. She was a very strong woman. When I was young, my family would say, ‘Merenako, you’re just like her.’ I loved that and how she was very determined. I don’t know whether people today realise what a great woman she was.

As part of the history of Te Tauihu, Merenako was a pioneer, one of the earliest in the first wave of ancestors who came into Te Tauihu and settled here. She is known for her leadership and her strength of character.

Three sisters and kuia, Judi Merenako Billens, Rāmari Joseph and Mairangi Reiher, grew up knowing about Merenako as a part of their whānau. In November 2021, as tūī sang in the garden, they spent an afternoon talking with Kerensa Johnston and Rōpata Taylor about their tupuna, sharing stories and memories about this important ancestor and reflecting on what her legacy means to them and for the next

Merenako arranged the marriage between Pare and Huta, who are our great grandparents. Growing up, our mum always used to call Pare ‘Granny Park’. Pare was also known as Merenako. Judi was named after Merenako too. When we were younger, we used to tease her and call her ‘Mary Knuckles’.

It was said you could hear the clicking as she broke tree branches while she walked a path on her way to Kaiteretere. Breaking the branches was her way of claiming the land. But while she was

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Thegenerations.threesisters whakapapa to Hana Te Unuhi Park and grew up in Mōhua. All three currently live in Te Tauihu.

Opposite page: Merenako of Motueka. Original photographic prints and postcards from the file print collection, Box 16. Ref: PAColl-7344-44. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. Above: Hei tiki of Merenako (Photo: Graeme Robertson).

look after her. Initially Hōani Kitakita opposed the arrangement, upset to think his daughter was just going to be a servant to a kuia, but Merenako, being the type of person that she was, she persisted and got her own way and Pare went and lived with her, cementing our family connections.

Mairangi: We know that Merenako, from Te Ātiawa, came down from Taranaki with her family as part of the heke. She and her brother Te Karara went off into Motueka in the early 1800s, and that’s where her journey in Te Tauihu began. Merenako married twice – both men from Ngāti Rārua. Her first husband was Taare Te Ahimanawa. After he died, she married Pene Te Poa, the son of Te Poa Karoro, chief of Ngāti Rārua. Sadly, Pene Te Poa died before Merenako. Because she was alone again, Merenako approached her cousin, Hōani Kitakita, to ask if his eldest daughter, Pare, could come and

Judi: Our mum used to talk a lot about Merenako. We would always ask her to tell us more stories about her.

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KOEKOEĀ

Judi Billens and hei tiki of Merenako. (Photography: Virginia Woolf)

Mairangi: Merenako and Pare were both from Te Ātiawa and from the same family in Taranaki. Even when they were in Te Tauihu, they maintained their connections to Taranaki. Huta and Pare had an orchard and farm where they grew potatoes and other fruit and vegetables, and they’d send food that they caught or grew to whānau and hapū back in Taranaki.Thoseconnections continue to this day. Huta would also go fishing and eeling and our mum has a memory of sitting in the cart and having to jump out of the way as Huta threw the squirming eels onto the back of it.

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Mairangi Reiher, Judi Billens and Rāmari Joseph.

MAIRANGI REIHER

Mairangi: She was very astute and very aware about what was right and what was wrong. So, if there was anything that she felt was hers and needed fighting for, she would go to court and get it back.

exploring this area she hurt her knee walking on the spongy ground. This was near Riuwaka –but Riuwaka is only the name of the river – not the surrounding area. That land was named by Merenako, and she called it Turi Auraki after her sore knee. If you can visualise all the bush from Motueka through to Kaiteretere, Merenako went through there and she made a path all the way. She was determined to go right around that coastline.

There was an instance where she let someone use her land – the land was down by the old homestead on the corner of Whakarewa and Pamarika streets – they used it for years, until the council decided that this other person must own the land and started sending him the rates bills.

Judi: Huta was good at figures, and he knew how to put the pennies together. He was a smart businessman. Merenako learnt about business from him, and she eventually became better than him.

Merenako showed attributes of leadership, strength and courage – she has even been described as a warrior.

Rāmari Joseph and hei tiki of Merenako.

It feels wonderful to be part of the legacy of Merenako. We are humbled to have her as a part of our family.

Rōpata: In the well-known photo of Merenako she is pictured wearing a kahu kiwi, the kiwi feather cloak and her hei tiki, her greenstone tiki.

Rāmari: We’re not sure how old Merenako was when she first arrived in Te Tauihu or even how old she was when she died in 1888. The church records said she was around 90, and others said she was 105.

KOEKOEĀ 8

Mairangi: There are two kiwi feather cloaks. Other branches of the family are guardians of the cloaks: our cousin Mark’s family look after one, and our cousin James looks after the other.

Kerensa: Do we know where the cloak is?

Mairangi: It’s a bit of a mystery, but we think that a family member of Pare gave this hei tiki to James Cawthron (of the Cawthron Institute) to look at and never received it back from him. Then eventually it disappeared altogether. Our whanaunga Janice Manson actually found it when she was visiting a storage unit around the Nelson waterfront. We don’t know why she was there, but Janice was led to it, saw this box, and opened it. She said, ‘I got such a shock. It was throwing out energy at me.’ It was the hei tiki that Merenako is wearing. I’m not quite sure where it went from there, but it disappeared again, until it resurfaced back at the Cawthron Institute.

Ā O E

Mairangi: Her age doesn’t mean a lot to me, I mean, she’s just our kuia. But looking at the

Rōpata: Today, you brought her hei tiki with you. Can you tell us about it? It’s with you now, but the whānau hasn’t always been able to access it, is that right?

timeline, you get a sense of what a strong woman she was – whether she was 90 or over 100, she was still quite old when she died. She was noted as a chief of high standing. What she had achieved from her childhood onwards is what gave her this status that she ended up with. She showed attributes of leadership, strength and courage – she has even been described as a warrior.

They didn’t even check with Merenako. This went on for some time. Then when that person died, Merenako found out he’d left the land to his own people instead of it reverting back to her. So, she went to court. Not only did she get it back but she also fought for restitution for all the time he had use of the land as well.

There was another time where there was a dispute with neighbours over the ownership of a tree that was by the fence. It was the tree where the pito was buried when children were born. Both parties said, ‘That tree belongs to us, it’s on our side.’ But really, that tree belonged to Merenako.

MERENAKO 9

Mairangi Reiher and hei tiki of Merenako.

MAIRANGI REIHER

I was on the board of the Nelson Provincial Museum at the time, and we decided that it wasn’t right for the taonga of our kuia to be locked away like that.

At that time, the hei tiki was then stored in the BNZ vault, and if anyone wanted to look at it, they had to go to Cawthron Institute first, and then to the BNZ to get permission to view it. We weren’t allowed to touch it, and after we had viewed it, it was locked away in the vault again. I was on the board of the Nelson Provincial Museum at the time, and we decided that it wasn’t right for the taonga of our kuia to be locked away like that. It took about five years to come to an agreement and for a memorandum of understanding between the Park whānau, Cawthron and the museum to be signed, to bring the hei tiki back out into the open and on display in the museum.

Kerensa Johnston, Judi Billens and Lenaire Crockford.

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In 2009 we had an official handing over with karakia. This ceremony was supported by all Te Tauihu iwi – not just Te Ātiawa – everyone was there. It was appropriate, as her namesake, that Judi was the one to hand the hei tiki over to the museum. We no longer had to jump through hoops to see the hei tiki, it’s there on display in the Taha Māori exhibition area so everyone can see it, and we can be reminded of Merenako and her influence on the history of Te Tauihu.

Lenaire Crockford with hei tiki of Merenako

This is just a glimpse into the life of Merenako from the perspective of some of her whānau. You can read more about Merenako on Ngāti Rārua Atiawa Iwi Trust website https://www.nrait.co.nz/our-stories/merenako and in Hilary and John Mitchell’s Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka series. We’d like to thank Rāmari Joseph, Mairangi Reiher, Judi Merenako Billens and Lenaire Crockford, and acknowledge all the descendants who are connected to the legacy of Merenako.

Mairangi: I’m proud of her and the more I know about her, the more I empathise with her for what

Judi: Yes, definitely. They know that they have this strong connection to Merenako. My moko Joseph knows all the stories.

Mairangi: My daughters Lenaire and Maree have been learning about their tūpuna through the cultural development programme, Matike Mai, and the Wakatū whakapapa wānanga and haerenga, Te Rākau Pakiaka. Maree researched and presented on our tupuna Te Meihana, and Lenaire chose Merenako. She now knows as much as I know about Merenako; maybe even more.

Rōpata: Given the significance of Merenako and her legacy, have you passed her stories onto the next generation, to your children and to your grandchildren?

Judi: I think she’s smiling now actually.

Rāmari: It feels wonderful to be part of the legacy of Merenako. We are humbled to have her as a part of our family. We grew up knowing about her, to us she was special.

I suppose some of the connection comes from having her name, but she's real, she's real with me all the time.

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Judi: Merenako is still real to me every day. I suppose some of the connection comes from having her name, but she’s real, she’s real with me all the time.

she has achieved. She is our hero in life. The photo of her sits in my sun porch and I go in and see her every morning. Sometimes she’s happy and sometimes she’s sad. On another day I look at her, and think, you know, I’m having a bad day, is that okay? And she just looks at me as much as to say, get over it. Or other times she smiles. It’s like she’s understanding.

WHAI TAPUWAE

As we make important decisions about our future, we must be grounded in the knowledge of our past. It is vital that any decisions made for the future of ngā uri o ngā hekenga nui are made from a position of knowledge and understanding of our lines of connection, our whakapapa and our history.In2018 and 2019, we ran Te Rākau Pakiaka, a series of wānanga focused on whakapapa, identity and history. In 2021, we brought the two cohorts together to travel on a haerenga, to retrace the hekenga from Kāwhia to Waikawa.

Whāia atu rā te ara o ngā tūpuna

ae T

J

We wanted to re-ignite relations between whānau in the North Island living on historical lands to the whānau living in Te Tauihu today.

ust over 200 years ago, our tūpuna began the first in a series of heke from Kāwhia southwards that would lead them to settle and build new lives in Te Tauihu. These migrations are one of the most significant characteristics of our collective identity as ngā uri o ngā hekenga nui.

We wished to encourage them to reflect on the role they have in the legacy of the people of the heke, and to keep sharing with the whānau whānui of Wakatū the gift of knowledge gained – to build a roopū of not just knowledge holders, but knowledge sharers.Like our tūpuna, we travelled on the haerenga not as individuals but as part of a collective. The places we visited are significant in our shared cultural history – they are places that we have talked, sung and cried about. On the haerenga we paused, reflected, commemorated and celebrated who we were, who we are, and who we will become. It gave us the opportunity to reflect on the aspirations of our tūpuna and consider what could have been realised if the full scope of the vision of our tūpuna had been achieved, and how we can keep working to now achieve this vision. ▶

Our purpose for undertaking the haerenga were many.

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We have been building our pool of whakapapa and cultural specialists, to deepen our understanding of our collective history, the connections that bind us together, our whakapapa and our connection to whenua.

We wanted to broaden and strengthen the connections between the participants of the two Te Rākau Pakiaka cohorts, to develop a strong network of history and whakapapa specialists.

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The five mauri commissioned for the haerenga. Details on facing page. (Photo: Virginia Woolf)

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Mitchell Ritai, a participant on Te Rākau Pakiaka in 2018, shares his personal perspectives on the haerenga on the following pages. On page 20 Moana Oh shares her thoughts.

Mitchell Ritai

Through my participation in Te Rākau Pakiaka wānanga in 2018, I was extremely fortunate to be one of the recipients of a kete mātauranga that revealed the connection my whānau has to the hapū of Te Tauihu. And now through my experience on the haerenga in 2021, I’ve gained an even deeper insight into the trials and tribulations of our tūpuna during the time of the hekenga and settlement in Te Tauihu.

My connections to Te Tauihu are through my mother, Pamela Te Urumairangi Ritai. Her whakapapa connects us to Taranaki through Ngāti Mutunga, Te Ātiawa and Taranaki iwi, and also connects us to Te Tauihu through Te Ātiawa, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Rārua and Ngāti Toa iwi. My whānau always knew that we had connections to Te Tauihu and that the links had been very strong during my great-grandparents’ and grandparents’ day, but over time that connection had dissipated and my whānau and I did not get many opportunities to meet our extended Te Tauihu-based whānau. We didn’t get to learn any of the whakapapa or kōrero about why our whānau had such a strong presence in Waitohi (Picton) and Motueka. Neither did we have a solid understanding about our tūpuna who had been instrumental in establishing a legacy for us in Te Tauihu.

Te whai tapuwae, te kite ngā pungarehutanga ahi, te noho ki ngā noninga kumu

While it’s a challenge to summarise all that we experienced on the haerenga, I’ve tried to capture some of the highlights of the week. Everywhere we went we were warmly welcomed and hosted by the haukāinga. As well as being generous with their hospitality, they spent time with us discussing our shared histories and telling the stories

Mitchell Ritai (Photo: Virginia Woolf)

about significant people, events and places. The experience was intense, emotional and spiritual. Each day was different, but we were anchored by the bonds we shared and by our daily rituals of starting and ending our days with karakia, and ensuring that tikanga was observed wherever we went.

– a stone pounder representing Te Heke Tukituki Āruhe – a rākau whakapapa representing Te Heke Mai Raro – a boar’s tusk necklace representing Te Heke Niho Puta – a shark’s tooth māripi representing Te Heke Niho Mangō – a woven mat representing Te Heke Whirinui

Wakatū had commissioned Kahu Paki Paki, Joy Shorrock, Brian Flintoff and Soraya McConarchy to create five taonga that would act as mauri to protect the roopū during the haerenga. Each mauri was named after a heke or associated event:

Wakatū had also commissioned rākau whakapapa and pūmoana to be gifted as taonga to each marae we stayed at. On our first night together, the taonga and mauri were blessed and were assigned guardians for the journey.

fter months of planning, it was invigorating to finally be beginning the haerenga. Kirikiriroa was our meeting point. It was great to be among our kaumātua again, to catch up with the roopū from Te Rākau Pakiaka 2018 and to meet the 2019 participants. We shared stories and whakapapa, and talked about what we were looking forward to over the next week.

We visited Tangi Te Korowhiti and Te Papa o Karewa, two prominent pōhutukawa trees that were said to have acted as haika or inland anchor points for the Tainui waka. We saw where Whatihua, a descendent of Hoturoa, had built his whare, Wharenui, as part of his ongoing contest with his

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Knowing that we would be following the footsteps of our tūpuna gave me a sense of nervousness and excitement. Our tūpuna had begun their journey, Te Heke Tahutahu Ahi, from Kāwhia to Taranaki in 1821, and here, 200 years later, we were going to be travelling the same pathway and visiting the same places. It felt like a momentous task ahead of me but I felt honoured to be undertaking this and keen to get started.

DAY ONE: KIRIKIRIROA

brother Tūrongo, and we viewed the island where the brothers would often train. It was here that we were first introduced to the well-known Taranaki tupuna, Ruaputahanga, who was known as a puhi, an urukehu, and a wahine toa of Ngāti Ruanui and Ngā Rauru. Ruaputahanga married Whatihua and was known to carry the mauri for Kahawai with an ability to bring shoals of fish into shore for the

We travelled to Maketū Marae in Kāwhia, where we were welcomed by the haukāinga. It was here we established the protocol to bring the mauri and taonga on to the marae, a ritual that was repeated at all the marae we visited. We gifted Te Tauihu o Te Waka, a rākau whakapapa, as the taonga.

Top: Joan Carew and Ngawhakaara Coldwell, pōwhiri at Makatū marae (Photo Rachel Taulelei). Above: Barney Thomas with Tangi Te Korowhitit, Maketū (Photo: John Dobson)

After pōwhiri, we spent time with the kaumātua finding out more about the hekenga from the Tainui and Ngāti Koata perspective. We were taken to visit wāhi tapu, including the altar Ahuri, which sits on the summit of a small hill behind the marae, and two ancient markers of the Tainui waka Te Tumu o Tainui that sit at the foot of the hill. Kōrero was shared about the journey of the Tainui waka to Aotearoa, and those who led the voyage, Whakaotirangi and her husband Hoturoa.

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DAY TWO: KIRIKIRIROA TO MAKETŪ MARAE, KĀWHIA

WORDS: MITCHELL RITAI

We were welcomed by haukāinga at Āruka Marae in Tahaaroa, our resting place for the night. The pūmoana, Te Reo o Te Tauihu, was gifted as a taonga for the marae. After pōwhiri and kai, Kui Connie and the whānau shared some of the history of the area and the kōrero behind the name of the wharenui, Te Tahaaroa o Ruaputahanga, in relation to the spilling of the water from the calabashes that she had been carrying. The roopū were taken across

DAY THREE: MAKETŪ MARAE TO ĀRUKA MARAE, TAHAAROA

Left: Kāwhia Aotea (Photo: John Dobson). Right: Rore Stafford with haerenga roopū and members of haukāinga, Kāwhia (Photo: Rachel Taulelei)

one side to other, and Te Kōwhatu o Kāwharu, the place where he would rest his chin and wait for his enemies.

We were taken just down the road to the landing site of the Aotea waka and where the people of Aotea waka established their first pā site, Turi Mātai Rehua, then we climbed a hill overlooking Aotea Harbour, where the taonga Korotangi was found in a swamp. Having heard stories of the Korotangi from an early age, it was a moving experience to see the location where it was retrieved, after being lost for many years. Our last visit of the day was to the Kāwhia foreshore and the final resting place of Whatihua, a significant tupuna for Tainui and a descendant from Hoturoa.

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The next morning, the roopū were taken to key sites for Ngāti Koata in the Kāwhia township, including Te Mimi o Koata, Te Puna o Koata, and Te Pouewe. Stories were shared about the Ngāti Koata tupuna Kāwharu, including his ominous size and his prowess in battle. We heard about his ability to walk across the Aotea Harbour pulling waka from

iwi. Stories of Ruaputahanga would accompany us through our entire journey.

The roopū then travelled from Kāwhia to Tahaaroa, stopping on the way at Hautapu, where we were told the remains of Tupāhau were concealed. We were also told about how in the 1880s, Andreas Reischek, an Austrian natural historian, smuggled the remains of Tupāhau and other tūpuna out of the country back to Austria. The late Māori Queen Te Arikinui Dame Te Atairangikaahu fought for their return to Aotearoa, and they are now at rest at Maunga Taupiri. We also stopped at Te Waihoanga, a sealed cave next to the road, which is the burial place for Tūhoe Pōtiki, the progenitor of Tūhoe people and a fearsome warrior.

We travelled to Kiritehere Reserve, then on to the Awakino Heads. From there we moved to Maniaroa Marae where we visited Te Punga o Tainui, the anchor stone of Tainui waka. After mihimihi and acknowledgements to the wharenui, Te Koha a Rua, the roopū continued just past Mōkau River bridge to Te Māhoe crossing. This is where Ngāti Toa first crossed into Taranaki during Te Heke Tahutahu Ahi.

Once the pōwhiri and kai were completed, the roopū visited two Ngāti Mutunga sites. The first site was Pukewhakamaru Pā where Ngāti Toa,

Ngāti Koata and Ngāti Rārua lived for a time prior to Te Heke Tātarāmoa. This was a formidable site that would be extremely difficult to attack due to the steep cliffs on all sides of the pā and the high prominence of the viewing platforms. The second was Okoki Pā where the battle of Motunui occurred. This is when Tainui warriors were continuing to pursue Ngāti Toa and their allies and arrived at Arapawanui Pā to begin their attack. Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Toa and their supporters initiated the battle by sending out an advance party, or Hunuhunu, whose role was to entice the main Tainui force to attack. As Tainui pursued them back to Okoki, they were then met by the main body of the war party or the matua. The interaction between the war parties ended in a truce and a understanding that would be repaid.Due to the significance of the site, karakia were performed when the roopū began to traverse the slope up to the pā. It was an awe-inspiring

That evening the roopū sat in the wharenui where more kōrero about Ngāti Mahuta ki te Hauāuru, the local area and pā site, were shared with us. We found out more about Ruaputahanga and the mauri she carried, bringing us closer to her as a person through the stories about her experiences.

We were told more about Ruaputahanga, such as the koha she left her second husband before returning to Taranaki, which is where the wharenui derives its name. Upon her departure she said her karakia and a section of the river began to bubble up with kahawai. Nearby is Motu Tawa, an island urupā, where there are Ngāti Rārua tūpuna buried. The roopū visited locations along the Mohakatino and Tongaporutu rivers before making our way to Pukearuhe Marae, where we would stay the night. Te Mātai o Te Tauihu, a rākau whakapapa, was given as a taonga for the marae.

to Te Kōraha Marae to see the recently opened wharenui, Te Ohaakii, and to hear further kōrero about Ngāti Toa, Te Arawī Pā and Honipaka. We also visited Tekau Mā Rua, a sacred hill where Kīngi Tāwhiao would wānanga with his advisors.

After farewells at Āruka Marae, we travelled to Marokopa, a rural community in the Waitomo district. Standing across the river from the Marokopa Marae, we learnt about Ngāti Rārua and the tupuna Tupāhau, who is the kōruru of the whare, and more about Ruaputahanga, the poukaiāwhā of the whare.

DAY FOUR: ĀRUKA MARAE TO PUKEARUHE MARAE, TARANAKI

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Te Tatau o te Pō marae, Petone. (Photo Rachel Taulelei)

Te Rākau Pakiaka is the name given to the wānanga focused on whakapapa, relationships and history. It is a metaphor for the many ways we connect.

what grounds us, sustains us and connects us is not only what is visible but also the places we come from, our shared history, our collective experiences and our memories.

Taiporohēnui Marae in Hāwera, where we stayed for the night. The pūmoana Te Tangi o Te Tauihu was given as a taonga for the marae. After a short rest, the roopū was taken to a historical site, Te Ruaki Pā, a well reserved pā with obvious trenches around the site and carved sections creating separate platforms. This was followed by a short visit to a site in Matariki (Normanby) where Te Heke Tātarāmoa had rested as they made their way south in the 1820s.

The most popular imagery for genealogy is a family tree, with leaves representing individuals, and branches symbolising family lines and connections. Pakiaka is the root system of a tree, and so the name Te Rākau Pakiaka reminds us that

The wānanga explores the connection between individuals and whānau, as well as the interconnection between all things – what is both seen and unseen, what is readily known and what is deeper knowledge.

TE RĀKAU PAKIAKA

DAY FIVE: PUKEARUHE MARAE TO TAIPOROHĒNUI MARAE, HĀWERA

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experience visiting such a significant location in the hekenga story and to hear about the events that occurred during the battle, from the Ngāti Mutunga perspective. Included in this stop were pathways named after two tūpuna, Te Ara Takitaki o Ruaputahanga and Te Ara Takitaki o Kapuakore. The roopū returned to Pukearuhe Marae, and in the evening the haukāinga shared whakapapa that showed the connections between Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Koata and Ngāti Rārua. A further insight into the time of the hekenga was given through discussing a waiata composed by a tupuna of the time. It provided honest insights into the way the composer had been feeling and the declarations that were not adhered to. This was an immense day with an enormous amount of kōrero shared. While there was a sense of tiredness there was still a feeling of excitement knowing that we were only halfway through our journey.

It was an early start for the roopū. Our first stop was Pukerangiora Pā to listen to the local perspective of the events that took place during Te Raihe Poaka, and events that occurred when the pā was attacked again 10 years later. The same war party that attacked Pukerangiora Pā had continued on to Ōtaka Pā, which was our second visit of the day. The attacks on Pukerangiora Pā and Ōtaka Pā are two key events that led to Te Heke Tamateuaua. Our journey continued through Taranaki to

Joan Carew, Ngawhakaara Coldwell, Celia Hawea and Kura Stafford at Pukearuhe marae. (Photo Rachel Taulelei)

DAY SEVEN: KĀPITI ISLAND

We caught the ferry across to Kāpiti Island. The roopū was formally greeted by the haukāinga on the beach and, in return, we gifted the rākau whakapapa Te Hono o Te Tauihu to the whānau. On the island, the kōrero focused on the Ngāti Toa perspective of events relating to the hekenga and the gallantry of Te Peehi Kupe in being able

The next morning, the roopū said their farewells to the whānau at Taiporohēnui Marae and continued south to Te Ihu Puku Pā, a site that Te Heke Tātarāmoa had visited and where Te Heke Niho Puta obtained its name. The roopū were met at the foot of Te Ihu Puku Pā, next to Te Ihu Puku Marae, and we gifted the pūmoana Te Mahara o Te Tauihu as taonga. Among the stories that were shared, about people and places in this area, was about Ruaputahanga, the tupuna whose story had travelled with us from Maketū marae in Kāwhia, where we learnt more about her prowess as a warrior or wahine toa among her iwi, and her taiaha, Taukaka. This indicated some contrast to previous stories about Ruaputahanga being reliant on her husband and having to escape to return home. To me this showed her mana and strength to determine her own pathway.

DAY SIX: TAIPOROHĒNUI MARAE TO TE TATAU O TE PŌ MARAE

Johannah Kātene-Burge at Hongoeka Marae, looking out towards Whitireia and Te Mana o Kupe. (Photo: John Dobson).

The roopū continued south to Whanganui and stopped by Pūtiki Marae to hear a brief kōrero

about the relationship that Ngāti Apa had with the hekenga, and the whakapapa that is shared through the marriage of Mangō and Hiapoto. The roopū continued to Pōneke, with only brief stops on the way, arriving at Takapūwāhia Marae to acknowledge the passing of a whānau member of the marae. It was then on to Te Awakairangi to Te Tatau o Te Pō Marae. That evening the roopū was presented a kōrero on the hekenga from a Ngāti Toa perspective and the significance of a former heke in 1820 to Wellington that gave Te Rauparaha the idea to move his people to Te Upoko o te Ika.

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19 WHAI TAPUWAE

We had followed in the footsteps of our ancestors, rested at the places where their fires once burned, stayed in the places where they once lived. It made me so aware of the fortitude, resilience,

tenacity and unwavering determination of our tūpuna, who moved from the only home they knew and travelled to a completely new area. It was an extraordinary feat.

We listened to stories of valour and vulnerability, of life and death, of taking and giving, of advancing and retreating. Underlying everything was the commitment of whānau wanting to find a better life for themselves and those who were to follow after them.

Bentham Ohia and Chris Webber (Photo: Rachel Taulelei)

The final day started in our usual way with karakia in the morning before tidying the marae. Our farewells said, we left to catch the ferry to Waitohi. There was both a sense of excitement that this was the last leg of the haerenga as well as heavy hearts, knowing this was the last day we would spend together. As the ferry entered Tōtaranui and sailed past Arapawa Island, the roopū gathered on the starboard side of the ferry to acknowledge the area with mihimihi, karakia and waiata. Arriving at Waitohi, we made the short journey to Waikawa Marae. The rākau whakapapa Te Hokinga o Te Tauihu was gifted as taonga.

DAY EIGHT: WAIKAWA MARAE

to capture the island from the inhabitants. After lunch we spent time together walking through the bush, watching the multitude of birds, and viewing the sea life from the wharf. There was a feeling of peacefulness and togetherness as we talked about the island and the experiences we had shared throughout the last six days. We travelled back to Te Tatau o Te Pō Marae for dinner, followed by an evening kōrero about settlement of the people of the hekenga in the Wellington area.

As one of descendants of the hekenga, I am proud of my whakapapa, and proud to descend from innovators, pioneers and trail blazers. These are also traits and values I see exemplified in everything that Wakatū Incorporation represents on behalf of all the descendants of the hekenga.

Ka tīehutia ngā hoe, hoea ngātahi ki te pae tawhiti.

For the last time, the roopū carried the five mauri that had accompanied and protected us throughout the haerenga into the wharenui. The mauri were placed next to the four rākau whakapapa that had carried the mauri of 2018 and 2019 Te Rākau Pakiaka wānanga. The ceremony to conclude the haerenga was followed by a final karakia over all the taonga. The roopū was then treated to a kai hākari by the haukāinga before we all said goodbye. It was an emotional farewell, with many tears shed and a lot of hugs and kisses.

It was a phenomenal week, and we’d been given a vast amount of information, from various perspectives. We felt immensely privileged to have been able to visit many wāhi tapu and hear stories of the events that had taken place.

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been daunting for our tūpuna. Every place we stopped at or passed through brought home the challenges of that undertaking. At Aruka Marae in Tahāroa, our ope arrived by van in torrential rain and chilly blustering winds. A relatively brief encounter with discomfort. By contrast, our tūpuna travelled on foot, with children, pregnant wāhine, and kaumātua, sometimes with war parties in pursuit; it is hard to imagine. Even more so when factoring in the distance, terrain, and sometimes freezing temperatures.

This trip was an immersion in the kōrero about our whakapapa, significant places and history. I was accompanied by my whānau whānui, and we learnt from warm, welcoming and knowledgeable local people. After only a week of travelling together, our group became very close. I wonder if it was the same for our tūpuna when they journeyed together? At each marae, the manaakitanga of the haukāinga, the prevalence of te reo Māori and tikanga all re-enforced the whakawhanaungatanga. It gave this experience the mana and wairua that I am still struggling to find words to describe.

It saddens and amazes me that this incredible undertaking was never taught as part of history when I was at school. Because we are of this land,

hen we set out to retrace the footsteps of my tūpuna in order to understand and know our history and whakapapa, it seemed to me an ambitious undertaking. I knew so little. How would I remember it all? Would I connect? But then, how could I not? As a group, whakapapa binds us. Envelops us. Whakapapa connects us to the haukāinga at each marae. And as the stories flowed, so too the visible tangible threads linking us and leading us back to our tūpuna.

Two hundred years ago, this journey must have

NGĀTI KOATA, NGĀTI RĀRUA, NGĀTI TAMA Moana Oh

In footstepsthe of the ancestors

Moana Oh, a participant on Te Rākau Pakaia in 2019, shares her perspectives on the haerenga.

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KOEKOEĀ

Because we are of this land, our history, Māori history, is everywhere, yet invisible if you have never had the opportunity to learn it.

It took me some time to climb down from the high of the haerenga experience. To settle. To reflect on my learnings. What I have now are memories tied to history, linked to places with stories to share. All of it has enriched my understanding of my origins and whakapapa and why I am who I am. And why we are the descendants of the tangata hekenga.Ialso learnt something else about myself on this journey. Despite being in unfamiliar surroundings with unusual noises and among many newly met whanaunga, I slept soundly. And then it occurred to me. I sleep best when I am happy.

WHAI TAPUWAE

Top left: Looking across Kāwhia harbour. (Photo: Moana Oh). Top right: Blair Taylor, Īhāia Raharuhi, Kerensa Johnston, Moana Oh (Photo: Rachel Taulelei), Below: The mauri representing Te Heke Niho Mangō was carried by Moana and her group throughout the haerenga. (Photo: Virginia Woolf)

I was reminded again that recognising our leaders in any significant undertaking, such as this heke, is so important. Rangatira and kaumātua led our tūpuna on the hekenga, from Kāwhia. Over the week of the haerenga, we were given the chance to follow our rangatira and kaumātua in karanga, whaikōrero and tikanga, as we retraced the footsteps of these tūpuna.

our history, Māori history, is everywhere, yet invisible if you have never had the opportunity to learn it. Without the speakers and kaumātua sharing their knowledge during the haerenga, I would continue to be ignorant. For me, a simple, poignant example of this was when we were shown the site where the house of Te Rauparaha once stood. A fire station now stands in its place. There is no obvious indication that such a significant rangatira once lived on that whenua.

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KOEKOEĀ 22Photos: Virginia Woolf He rei ngā niho, he parāoa te kauwae TeKātenePūohoNGĀTITAMA

I admit, my perception of leadership had been influenced by these portrayals. The confidence, the charisma, the assertiveness – these were traits I initially convinced myself were necessary for leadership in modern contexts. And although aware of this alpha-leader archetype, I was equally aware that these were not traits I owned. I was quietly spoken rather than outgoing, considered rather than assertive, collaborative rather than directive. I looked at the prototype put in front of me and didn’t see myself reflected in it.

I was born and raised in Porirua at Takapūwāhia Marae. My whānau occupied the corner opposite the pā, aptly dubbed ‘Kātene Corner’. My greatgrandfather, George Kātene, came to Porirua as a child from Motueka; a descendent of the hekenga, and his own great-grandfather, Paremata, was one of the 254 tūpuna of the Nelson Tenths’ Agreement.

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As tends to be the case, it was not till later in adulthood that I realised the abundance of leaders and role models who graced my childhood. I was raised at the feet of my grandfather, Pūoho Kātene, my kaumātua Patariki Rei, Ken Arthur, Mark Metekīngi, Harata Horomona and Kahuwaero Kātene, to name but a few. Along with my maternal grandparents, Tom and Eileen Parore, my childhood was a rich garden of influences that would shape me.

As my journey continued, I was fortunate to be influenced and mentored by remarkable coaches, managers, lecturers, iwi leaders, whānau and friends. More astounding than their acumen in their chosen fields was their generosity. Within our own Wakatū whānau, I have been mentored and

TE PŪOHO KĀTENE 23

The whakaaro that follow are some of my views, conjured over time and across influences. I give them in the hope that they cause a reaction. Not to accept unquestioningly. And that they may help shape the thoughts of our future leaders. It is my hope that it allows you to ask what these whakaaro mean to you and your authentic leadership style.

guided selflessly by Paul Morgan, Hōne McGregor, Kerensa Johnston and Rachel Taulelei – each has played a major role in my development. Mei kore ake koutou hei tautoko mai.

he whakataukī He rei ngā niho, he parāoa te kauwae is to me an appropriate way to start an exploration of the unique traits of Māori leadership. A whale’s tooth requires a whale’s jaw. The implication being that to hold the mantle of leadership, one must embody the true qualities of aMyleader.own thoughts and perspectives on leadership have evolved over the course of my life. The rate of change has increased significantly in recent years as has my exposure to a broad range of leadership styles and approaches – some to which I connected and others not. What it has afforded me, however, is a chance to distil my own experiences and lessons, influences and cautionary tales into whakaaro that others are welcome to draw from or reject as they form their own views.

DISPELLING PRECONCEPTIONSLEADERSHIP

The prevailing view on leadership has been coloured, over many years, by a bombardment of influences, particularly from three sources: Western military, the Westminster government system and, increasingly, Western media. They have conjured certain tropes and archetypes of the quintessential leader, of which, I am sure, we are all familiar. The charismatic, hierarchical, alpha-type leader that has graced our news sources and our fictions. Erudite and polished and, in almost all portrayals, white and male. In popular culture, we have seen the ilk of Harvey Specter, Tony Stark and James Bond; realworld figures such as Churchill, John F. Kennedy and alarmingly, Donald Trump.

I believed that studying abroad, in Silicon Valley, would be a way for me to learn some of these traits and apply them to my own leadership persona. During my year at Stanford Graduate School of Business in California, I encountered these traits constantly – in my studies, with corporate leaders or people aspiring to leadership roles – but on a

Former associate director and current Manaaki committee member Te Pūoho Kātene shares his thoughts on the characteristics of Māori leadership, by looking back on his own leadership journey.

nevertheless very aware of the weight of expectation laden in that rangatira name. But it didn’t become truly apparent until my career positioned me to work with Te Tauihu iwi. Despite not having grown up connected to the rohe, the legacy of Te Pūoho preceded me everywhere, from Whakapuaka to Whakatū, from Onetāhua to Parapara. His legacy fused my journey to Te Tauihu; his ōhākī my path to follow.Our legacy, born of our whakapapa, is our superpower. The relationship we have with it is, in my view, a defining characteristic of the Māori approach to leadership. In contrast to some hereditary-based authority systems, we do not consider ourselves entitled to the leadership; rather, we are entrusted with it. Stewards of it. Further, it is not ours alone; through whakapapa, our legacy is that of the collective. This sense of obligation, of being bestowed with the gifts of our ancestors, underpins a fundamental truth of Māori leadership: our leaders serve the aspirations of the collective, to protect and enhance the legacy for the generations to come.

My first lesson came in the form of legacy, that of sharing the name of Te Pūoho ki te Rangi, the Ngāti Tama chief who led his iwi on the hekenga southwards, firstly to Te Whanganui a Tara, then across to Te Tauihu. While I didn’t understand the gravitas of that migration until I was an adult, I was

Te Pūoho with wife Beth Tupara-Katene, daughter Kauria and son Māui at Puhi Kai Iti, the site of first contact between Māori and the crew of the Endeavour, designed by Beth's uncle Nick Tupara. (Photo: Virginia Woolf)

LEGACY

fundamental level, I felt no connection to this style. My search for leadership traits had been misplaced. Everything I needed in terms of exemplary leadership existed within my own whānau and my own whakapapa. There is nothing inherently wrong about the alpha-leadership style; the distinction is that it was the wrong style for me. More important than your skills and talents, speeches and strategies is that your leadership style be 100 per cent authentic to who you are. People can sense when a leader isn’t being authentic, and like the whakataukī E kore e piri te uku ki te rino, about clay not sticking to iron, an inauthentic leader is doomed to erode the trust of the people they lead.

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In Frank Herbert’s science fiction epic Dune, Stilgar, a tribal leader of the indigenous Fremen people, asserts ‘What is important for a leader is that which makes him a leader. It is the needs of his people.’ This remark echoes commonly held sentiments within te ao Māori – that the mantle of leadership is conditionally granted by those the leader serves, and it is for them to determine whether that leader continues to be worthy of the mantle. Waiho, mā te iwi e whakamana. It is by people that authority of leadership is bestowed.

Gaining trust from a leadership perspective requires both authenticity and a shared vision. Authenticity may be the simplest concept to understand but the hardest to execute. Whether they be employees, communities, hapū and iwi, or the general public, people have a keen sense of when a leader is being authentic or not. Again, I refer to those engrained archetypes, whose influence confuse the way we would authentically act with the way we believe ‘leaders’ should act. In aspiring to someone else’s leadership ideal, we deprioritise those qualities that reside in our own experiences, personality and whakapapa. The greatest fallacy may be that we think we must have all the answers. To me, there are few phrases as powerful as: ‘I don’t know but let me find out.’

E O O KĀ E E

TO LEAD IS TO SERVE

It is also by the people that authority be removed. The mandate is leased; rent is due every day to the people who bestowed the authority upon the leader, and it relies on a synergistic relationship between leaders and the groups they serve, built on a bedrock of trust and accountability.

Our leaders serve the aspirations of the collective, to protect and enhance the legacy for the generations to come.

In 2019, I was immensely privileged to be selected to join Obama Foundation Leaders: Asia Pacific. During our discussions on leadership, we were fortunate to have President Obama pull up a chair and share some of his thoughts, not as a president but as a community organiser. He said, ‘When you listen to the truths of people’s lives, people start to trust you.’ It was a valuable lesson.

TE PŪOHO KĀTENE 25

BUILDING TRUST

Te Pūoho speaking at Taste Tomorrow, a Future Food Aotearoa event. (Photo: Future Food Aotearoa)

Every two years, for the last decade, I have been privileged to take part in Te Matatini, the national kapa haka competition, with the Tairāwhiti group Waihīrere. For my whānau, this means six months of round-trips from Wellington to Gisborne leading up to the event each February. It means 18-hour days practising in the Gisborne summer heat, countless hours of learning kupu, kōrero, choreography and actions, all to achieve a championship-calibre performance, collectively. The motivation required to make this commitment is founded upon the shared vision of winning Te Matatini. Each campaign begins with the group discussing this, learning what it will take to achieve it, and making their individual choice to be a part of it. As a kaihaka, I must identify what skills and

IN THE CASE OF WHAKAITI

A shared vision is one over which both the leader and the people feel a sense of ownership. Ancient philosopher and writer Lao Tzu, author of Tao Te Ching, The Way, wrote: ‘When the best leader’s work is done, the people say We did it ourselves.’ The leader is not the architect but the steward of the collective vision. A shared ownership also allows a leader to ask, and expect, a great deal from their people in the pursuit of the vision. By being coowners of their direction, all are equally answerable.

To follow someone on a new journey, whether literally or figuratively, requires trust.

My whanaunga Rachel Taulelei once gave me some advice that leaders take their people to horizons they can’t yet see. To follow someone on a new journey, whether literally or figuratively, requires trust. Winning that trust is an arduous task, and keeping it, more so.

KOEKOEĀ 26

Paramount among the self-erected barriers that keep us from reaching our leadership potential is whakaiti, or humility. I’m sure many of us have

Waihīrere kapa haka performing at Te Matatini, 2019. Left to right: Kawai Joe, Huia Pihema, Willie Te Aho, Te Pūoho Kātene.

E O O KĀ E E

Humility, honesty and vulnerability: traits that reinforce how a group relates to a leader.

value I can add and what work is ahead of me. I know what I must do to contribute to our shared vision; it is no longer the role of the leader to hold me to account, it is up to me. It isn’t only the role of our tutors to drive us towards our goal; each kaihaka can find an element of leadership where they can contribute, whether that is on the haka floor, within the creative group, in the wharekai, fundraising, or being handy with a broom – we all add to our collective success.

Winning that trust is an arduous task, and keeping it, more so.

SHARED VISION

Whakaiti plays a key role in our social fabric, ensuring we operate with respect and empathy, but I think that sometimes in our professional pathways, humility is often to a fault. Māori culture reinforces that it is by the grace and acknowledgement of others we gain recognition. Too often I see talented, accomplished wāhine and tāne Māori passed over for opportunities they richly deserve because they continue to apply this framework of whakaiti with others, such as in an organisation, or recruiters, decision-makers; those who do not ascribe to the same social accord generally followed in te ao Māori.

I was aware that this was not my journey and at first I feared my own shortcomings, however, I realised that my divergent experiences allowed me to contribute my unique perspectives and thoughts. In that competitive learning environment, I initially mistook my differences as a weakness, not a strength. Such is it with leadership – there is strength in embracing our differences we bring to the role, and no one leadership pathway is better than another. Homogenising our leadership approach can undermine the diversity of thought needed to adapt to this fast-changing world.

boxes and your path to success, leadership and influence was all but assured.

TE PŪOHO KĀTENE 27

It has taken time for me to reconcile this issue. The conclusion I have come to is that whakaiti remains a key part of our cultural values, but in a leadership sense, it can be misinterpreted. Rick Warren in The Purpose Driven Life wrote ‘Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less.’ Whakaiti does not require us to be overly self-eff acing or avoid accolades and opportunities we have earned. Instead, it encourages us to consider our individual achievements in the context of the collective good. When we are driven to ensure the success of the collective, our individual achievements that contribute to this are not only encouraged but also demanded. For all of us to succeed, each of us must excel.

grown up with the ubiquitous whakataukī Kāore te kūmara e kōrero mō tōna ake reka. The kūmara speaks not of its own sweetness. It was certainly a core part of my upbringing.

As the world, and its issues and opportunities become more complex, there are still foundational elements that each of our leaders will need to have. The idea of service. Of protecting and enhancing our shared legacy. Of the privilege of mandate and the work required to keep it. For a millennium, these elements have defined Māori leaders as they faced their own situations and challenges. It is no different today.

I take comfort that, despite the uncertainty of new challenges, our approach to leadership was laid out generations before us. It is interwoven in our whakapapa and in the exploits of our tūpuna. And if we can mute the tumult of our overstimulated surroundings, there is calmness and assuredness in the power of whakapapa. A knowing that our right to lead is innate, and our time to lead will come when the people call. It is our responsibility to ensure that when that time arrives, we have become the leaders our people need.

In honing his own martial-art style, Bruce Lee coined the phrase using no way as way. No matter one’s aptitude within a system, the existence of a singular, prescribed system is, in itself, a limiting factor. We would hinder our leadership potential if we were encouraged to follow a single path, one regimented system. If you are an aspiring leader, you should not be concerned that your chosen field may limit your leadership options in the future. Rather, choose whatever path best allows you to use your skills and passion to serve your people.

NO WAY AS WAY

A commonly held misunderstanding is that the journey to a leadership role follows a clear, prescribed route from point A to point B. This idea was something I noticed at Stanford, where the path to accelerated success seemed well-established: an undergraduate degree from a well-known university, four to five years’ experience at an investment bank such as Goldman Sachs or one of the big consultancies like McKinsey or Bain, high scores in the graduate management admission test, then gaining a place at a top MBA programme. Tick these

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Karioi

Top: Jackie Stephens at the māra (Photo: Virginia Woolf). Below: Tupuranga roopū: Dara Barton, Manaia Rāpata, Jacob Thompson, George De Thierry, Hāmeora Wallace, Shemaiah Barton (Photo: Virginia Woolf)

KOEKOEĀ

A YEAR IN TE MĀRA O PUANGA KAIRAU

Kaupapa Tupuranga launched in 2019 and is a programme to build leadership, teach practical skills and deepen the connection Wakatū whānau have with the whenua. The Tupuranga roopū have spent hundreds of hours caring for the māra through planting, weeding, watering, monitoring for pests and disease, harvesting, and helping distribute kai. Garry Almond, one of Tupuranga roopū from 2021, said there was a huge sense of achievement seeing an empty field turn into a vibrant kai-producing māra. He said it was also a great feeling to work together as a whānau, growing kai, broadening their knowledge of tikanga and strengthening bonds as a roopū.

We have now had a full cycle of seasons on the māra and can look back on what we have achieved and learnt during our first year.

COVER CROPS

community and anyone driving past, with many people stopping to take photos of the sunflowers.

We planted a range of summer annuals to help improve soil health, encourage rainwater to permeate more deeply, draw carbon from the atmosphere and increase the microbiology in the soil – the more microbes (life), the better it is for the soil, our food and for us. The cover crops included strawberry clover, sweetcorn, sunflowers, chicory, plantain and pumpkins. They were spectacular and a crowd favourite with the kaimahi, the local

MĀRA OVERVIEW

Summer annuals also do a great job protecting kūmara and other kai crops from predators. We know this as the many pūkeko that came into the māra preferred the cover plants, and when we harvested our main crops there was no damage from the birds, whereas other growers in the area said they had extensive damage to their kūmara from pūkeko. So this is something we will certainly be planting each summer. After the last harvest, we introduced sheep into the māra to eat down the remaining foliage and speed up our composting processes.

WORDS: DIANNE BROWN (NGĀTI POROU), KAIHĀPAI WHENUA ORA

Karioi sits within our kaitiakitanga framework, a commitment to a 20-year transition towards tikanga-led farming practices across our portfolio of businesses, and is part of Whenua Ora, our land and water wellness programme. This commitment reflects our roles and responsibilities within te ao Māori, in relation to the long-term sustainable use and care of land and water, including te taiao, a concept that acknowledges the interconnected relationship between all things. Karioi aims to: reconnect our whānau to our whenua; foster local resilience and food sovereignty in our community; build evidence and knowledge on the impact of our tikanga-led practices on our soils, water and crops. Te Māra o Puanga Kairau was developed to grow ancient crops. The māra was given its name to recognise the significance of the harvest star Puanga to Motueka, and to recognise the whakataukī Puanga kairau; Puanga of abundance.

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KAUPAPA TUPURANGA

We began preparing the māra in October 2020, and planting taewa, kamokamo, paukena, kānga and kūmara in November and December. But on Boxing Day 2020, a large hailstorm in the Motueka area flattened the recently planted kūmara tupu. The taewa, kamokamo, paukena and kānga were also very damaged, although they still had some growth standing above ground. The plants proved resilient and after just a few weeks the whole māra had come back to life and recovered well.

Kamokamo was the first of our crops to be harvested, in late January 2021, and we continued to harvest it until late May. The taewa and some of our kūmara were harvested in March. In early May, we harvested the last of our kūmara, and all the kānga and paukena.

KARIOI

An important aspect of Karioi is information sharing and increasing knowledge and skills, particularly relating to traditional cultural practices in the māra. A series of wānanga at the marae and practical learning sessions were held, such as the sessions with Nick Roskruge on plant health, and Glen Skipper on growing kūmara. Erina WehiBarton, a tikanga-led taiao practitioner and one of the Wakatū whānau, led a session introducing us to maramataka, the traditional Māori calendar. In the coming year, she will hold more sessions on maramataka, and help us develop a te taiao observation sheet, and eventually our own maramataka for Te Tauihu.

Over the course of the growing season, the main maintenance task was weeding, and the whānau spent mornings in the māra before it got too hot, particularly early on before the foliage covered most of the ground. As part of our exploration of tikanga-led practices, we have minimised the use of machinery and encourage the use of hand tools. The primary tool used for weeding is a push hoe. It is effective for most weeds as it cuts them just below ground level. We found couch grass was a perennial problem, and breaking up roots and runners just produced more weeds. The roopū tackled this by pulling out as many of the weeds as possible and leaving them to dry out. Weeds growing on the mounds in and around the crops were carefully hand-pulled to minimise disturbance to the crop plants and to avoid potential damage that a hoe could cause.

The roopū also visited Nick Roskruge in Palmerston North. Roskruge is an associate professor in horticulture at Massey University and chair of Tahuri Whenua, the Māori Vegetable Growers Association, and is one of our whānau sharing his knowledge and expertise with us on our Karioi journey. The roopū spent an afternoon with him learning more about the science and history of growing kūmara and gaining more harvesting experience.

Garry Almond with a kamokamo (Photo: Claudia Meister)

and grading kūmara. The kai they helped harvest was given to Parihaka, to be used for celebrations throughout the year.

Garry Almond reflects: ‘Spending time in the māra with Glen in Taranaki was inspiring because they are a couple of years ahead of us in their journey. It was so great to see the strong community involvement in the harvest, and it gave me an insight into where we are heading. Knowing that the harvested kai was going to Parihaka added an extra dimension to the experience for me.’

As part of our exploration of tikanga-led practices, we have minimised the use of machinery and encourage the use of hand tools.

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WĀNANGA

As part of the Tupuranga programme, the 2021 roopū travelled to Ōakura, Taranaki, and spent the day with Glen Skipper, one of the whānau specialist advisors involved in Karioi, in the Ahu Ahu Road community māra, learning the art of harvesting

We have planted taro and hue (gourds) as new crops for this season.

WHAT’S DIFFERENT ON THE MĀRA THIS YEAR?

We are learning about the site and how to best utilise it for different crops, based on the soil type and the topography. As the māra is on an old riverbed, it is prone to occasional flooding, which needs to be taken into consideration.

Our experiences are contributing to a working definition of tikanga-led regenerative practices for the māra.

We are developing tikanga for the māra, and have learnt waiata, ngeri and karakia.

We are learning about seed saving and storage and will be refining our techniques this coming year.

Aroha Healion, Allanya Misiepo, Cumorah-Lee Aiolupotea, Adam Hanita working in the māra, (Photo: Virgina Woolf)

INSIGHTS FROM A YEAR ON THE MĀRA

31 KARIOI

We’re discovering the best times to plant. For example, we found that taewa, if planted late, were susceptible to pests and disease and reduced our overall yield.

KAI DISTRIBUTION

We planted the taewa earlier, and have covered a couple of taewa rows with insect netting to compare

Renee Thomas who is part of the Karioi roopū and helped coordinate the kai distribution said, ‘It was wonderful to spend time together on the māra. We grew kai as a whānau, and it was so rewarding to eat it together, and be able to share the harvest with whānau whānui. People really appreciated receiving kai that had been cared for by our hands and grown on our own whenua.’

the results with uncovered taewa.

We built tāpapa beds to grow our own kūmara tupu, before planting them in the māra.

We have planted seeds saved from our first year’s crop, including paukena, kamokamo, kūmara and sunflowers.

As part of the harvesting cycle and encouraging tikanga-led practices, we enjoyed sharing our first season’s crops, including kamokamo, taewa, kūmara, kānga, paekena and sunflower seeds, with those who had helped on the māra, Te Āwhina and Wakatū marae and local whānau. We also enjoyed eating what we had grown at hākari, to celebrate the end of harvest and to mark Matariki and Puanga.

We have moved the planting area so that the same crops aren’t planted in the same places as before.

Glen Skipper, one of the Wakatū whānau contributing to the Karioi project, shares some tips for harvesting and storing kūmara.

Here are some tips I’ve learnt from working in community māra, with a focus on harvesting, storing, and selecting seed kūmara.

CHOOSING A VARIETY TO PLANT

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There are many more varieties of kūmara than you might expect. I grow at least six varieties, for reasons such as taste, nutritional value, yield, ease of harvesting, storage life and adaptability. Many regions have adapted their own varieties, with their own names, and history and tikanga for growing this treasured kai. If you know someone

Bush-habit varieties tend to grow kūmara closer to the surface and clumped together, making them easier to find and quicker to harvest. This means there can be less damage to the kūmara during harvest. These varieties are ideal when you have limited space in your māra. Though they are often less productive, many bush varieties score higher, nutritionally. The Matakoura variety, with purple

The foliage and growing habits of the varieties can differ considerably so a little experimentation might surprise you and provide some interesting opportunities to fill your māra with colour and texture as well as productivity.

the crops our tūpuna brought with them from the tropics, including kūmara, struggled to grow in Aotearoa due to the colder climate, and so new tikanga were developed and adaptations made, in order to propagate, plant, harvest and store kūmara.

All

TUPUKŪMARA

who is already growing kūmara in your area, check with them about which ones do well in the local conditions. They may be able to share some tupu and pointers with you.

Because Aotearoa doesn’t have the right conditions for kūmara plants to produce viable flowers and seeds, another method used is to encourage the kūmara vegetable to sprout multiple new shoots, tupu (slips), which can be harvested and replanted to create the next season’s plants. This reproduction method means that the tupu are clones of the parent plant.

Graders. Responsible for collecting, sorting and assessing the collective piles; also gathering potential seed kūmara and then dividing remaining kūmara into piles for either storage or immediate eating. Grading into piles is by variety, then size, shape and use, such as:

HARVESTING ROLES

If you are a home gardener wanting to store your harvest, it is important to check for fungal disease before digging each plant. To do this, split the main

• kai – sort by large, medium and small; eat as kūmara deteriorates.

• possible seed in case of emergency

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Clearers. Responsible for clearing rows and plants of excess greenery, exposing the main stalk and ground.Diggers. Assessing stems for fungal infection, and with a digging fork, making an initial assessment of the kūmara. Also snapping off excess material on the kūmara and gathering each plant’s harvest into an individual pile.

CHECKING FOR FUNGAL DISEASE

Kūmara are harvested during late summer and early autumn. Always choose a dry weather period as a few days of dry and heat after harvest are needed to harden the skin and dry any cuts and wounds on the kūmara. If you are harvesting on a large or community māra, you’ll need a team of people covering the different roles, but for a home māra, you’ll just need one or two people. I try to make sure my children are around to help and learn.

LEFT: Glen Skipper. ABOVE: Glen in the process of harvesting kūmara (Photos: Virginia Woolf)

KŪMARA TUPU

HARVESTING

• seed for next year’s crop

Running-habit varieties tend to grow kūmara deeper and are spread across the bed further. This can be a disadvantage if you are harvesting by hand, as the kūmara are spread out and harder to locate. However, they are often high producers and good for long storage as well as doing better in drought conditions. The most recognised kūmara variety in Aotearoa, Owairaka, with red skin and creamy yellow flesh, is a runner variety. While Owairaka has one of the highest yields, it also has one of the lowest nutritional values.

skin and mottled purple flesh, is one of the more common bush varieties that may be found in stores.

SELECTING SEED KŪMARA

When you are choosing your seeds for your next season, you’re looking to promote strengths and minimise the weaknesses of a variety, as well as maintaining genetic diversity. I put my greatest effort and energy into my seed selection, curing and storage, as these are the key to future crops.

stem above the point where it enters the ground. If the plant is infected, it will have black stains or streaks on the core of the split stem. Kūmara infected by fungus are still fine for eating, but can’t be stored for next year’s seed. Eat kūmara with fungal diseases straight away, or if storing, keep them well away from your seed selection.

PREPARING KŪMARA FOR STORAGE

Fresh kūmara are soft and can be damaged easily, so it is important to harvest carefully and methodically, and treat them gently to avoid damaging the crop, as damaged kūmara do not store well and can rot. Start at one end of a row and work towards the other end, clearing all the ground as you go. As you’re digging, insert the fork far enough from the middle of the plant to minimise the damage, making sure the fork goes straight down (not on an angle) and then leverage it up, being careful when bringing the fork up. Repeat, moving towards the centre of the plant. Place all kūmara from a plant into a pile behind you and move onto the next plant.

After harvesting each row, compare the kūmara piles and choose the best piles from which to select the seed – from kūmara that are a good medium size, unblemished and undamaged. When storing, keep the seed kūmara separate and labelled ‘SEED, DO NOT EAT’. The remaining kūmara can be stored for kai.

Freshly dug kūmara are starchy, so storing kūmara for a couple of months allows them time to convert the starch to sugar, giving them their delicious, sweet taste. After digging them up, remove any stalks, taking care not to break the surface. The

CURING STEP 1: SAP HARDENING. CONDITIONS REQUIRED: DRY HEAT

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After snapping off the stalk, the first response of the kūmara will be to bleed milky white sap from the open surface areas to seal the wound. Many people leave the kūmara in the open sun for up to three days so the sap can dry and form a crust over the wound, and the fresh soft skin can start to thicken and harden up. Turning the kūmara after a day can help the drying-out process.

smaller the broken surface, the easier it will be to heal and cure before it can be safely stored. Stabbed or broken kūmara should be eaten straight away.

Your location will affect this process. For example, in Taranaki, there is heavy dew in early autumn and it often rains in the evening, so it may be too damp to dry out the sap. Because of this, I sometimes put the kūmara in bread baskets and move them under a shelter to dry instead of leaving them on the damp māra.

KOEKOEĀ

DIGGING KŪMARA

To achieve the humid conditions needed, commercial growers gather their kūmara in large wooden crates and stack them in warehouses where they can control the temperature and humidity. For home curing, there are a variety of techniques to activate this healing process. The simplest is to put kūmara in banana boxes in a warm place such as a hotwater cupboard with a moist towel over the

STORAGE CONDITIONS REQUIRED: COOL, MOIST AND STABLE

The traditional Rua storage pit was a type of cellar where the storage area was sunk into the ground to use the cool, insulated and moist earth. This kept the temperature in the pit reasonably stable. Rauruhe (bracken fern leaf) was used to line the pit and promote airflow around the kūmara.

KŪMARA TUPU

Right: Marnie Morgan, Aroha Healion and Harina Rupapera working in the māra (Photos: Virginia Woolf)

Before placing your kūmara into storage, be sure that you have sorted and carefully checked each kūmara, then store in a cool, dry place where rodents can’t get to them. The storage temperature needs to be consistent, otherwise kūmara will break dormancy and send out shoots. The ideal temperature is between 4–8 degrees Celsius. Check their condition periodically, and over time choose kūmara to eat.

During this process the kūmara need to perspire some of their excess moisture and equalise. If this isn’t done and the core is still saturated, they may start to rot from the inside out. At each stage, check for rotting and changes in condition, such as wrinkling or spots. Remove these kūmara for eating.

A fresh kūmara harvest.

top to help raise the humidity. Allow some airflow around the boxes. This usually takes one to two weeks, but it could take up to a month depending on what method you use. Properly cured kūmara will store for 12 months or longer.

CURING STAGE 2: HEALING WOUNDS, EQUALISING INTERNAL MOISTURE. CONDITIONS REQUIRED: HEAT & HUMIDITY

Once the sap and skin are dry, the kūmara can be picked up from the māra and placed together in warm, humid conditions. This will foster the sealed wound to fully heal. During the next few weeks, the kūmara grows a corky material over the exposed flesh to heal any cuts, scrapes and wounds and provides a barrier to prevent bacteria and fungi. The faster this material grows across the wound the better. Once this phase is completed, the kūmara is cured and ready for storage.

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Marnie Morgan

NGĀTI RĀRUA

KAITUNU KAI

M

Photos: Virginia Woolf

Te Māra o Puanga Kairau, Marnie was on hand to create something special with it.

‘I have such happy childhood memories associated with kamokamo, as it was a favourite vegetable of my mother’s. With the first crop of kamokamo from the māra, although a lot had been distributed to local whānau and to the marae, there were still crates of it left over. When I asked the Karioi team what was going to happen to the surplus, they said they weren’t sure, so I volunteered to make my pickle. As soon as I said that, I saw a sparkle in their eyes, and I realised I’d been had!

Her love of kai and cooking – combined with a dislike of kai going to waste – means that she is well-known for her preserving and pickling. So, when there was a bumper crop of kamokamo from

KOEKOEĀ 36

arnie Morgan’s connection to Wakatū is through her father, Kiwa Morgan. Kiwa, who served on the Wakatū board, grew up in Motueka. Marnie has a passion for kai, particularly fresh from the māra. ‘There’s nothing like picking something fresh that you have grown yourself. When it comes straight from the garden, everything, even lettuce, has its own distinctive scent.’

KAITUNU KAI 37

– Stuff larger kamokamo as you would a marrow or aubergine. Use the scooped-out flesh, and combine with garlic, tomato and other vegetables. You can also add breadcrumbs or rice.

They had wanted me to make my pickle all along but hadn’t wanted to ask me directly.’

– Slice kamokamo thinly lengthwise. Make small mince balls, and then wrap the sliced kamokamo around the mince balls. Secure with a skewer, and place in a baking dish. Cover with a tomato sauce, top with grated cheese and breadcrumbs and bake in the oven.

Before the programme was disrupted by COVID-19, Marnie was attending Karioi wānanga and helping out on the māra. ‘I’ve loved being involved in Karioi. It’s been interesting, as some of the techniques that we have learnt about, such as mounding soil around the kūmara and taewa, are similar to the techniques that my mother would tell me about when her whānau grew watermelon. I’m also keen on finding out more about maramataka and how it relates to the māra. I think it is important that the knowledge gained from Karioi is shared with our whānau whānui so that everyone can have a chance to learn how to produce their ownMarniefood.’ says that kamokamo is a very versatile ingredient – you can use it as an alternative to courgette or aubergine. She shares her crunchy kamokamo pickle on the next page.

– Use slices of kamokamo with bechamel sauce instead of the pasta layer in a lasagna.

– Grill slices of kamokamo on the barbeque. Top with a dollop of olive oil, fresh coriander, finely chopped tomato. Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Other ways of cooking kamokamo include:

– Slice and steam the kamokamo and eat with butter and salt.

KOEKOEĀ

Photos: Virginia Woolf

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1 tsp whole coriander seeds

1 tsp black pepper corns

2 tsp whole pickling spices

Sterilise glass jars and lids by washing them in hot water with detergent. Rinse and transfer to them to an oven set at about 100–140ºC for

fresh sprig of fresh dill for each jar

approximately 20 minutes.

1 medium white onion, thinly sliced

2 cups white sugar

(optional)TOHUTOHU

TAO KAI

Slice the kamokamo into bite-sized pieces and place in a plastic container such as a bowl or a bucket (don’t use aluminum) and sprinkle around 1/3 of the cup of table salt over the kamokamo.

PREPARATION TIME: INITIAL PREPARATION OF THE KAMOKAMO TAKES PLACES OVER TWO DAYS, WITH THE PICKLE MADE ON THE THIRD DAY COOKING TIME FOR THE PICKLE: AROUND 30 MINUTES

2/3 cup of salt (to prepare the kamokamo)

Toss to mix. Cover with a tea towel or loosefitting lid and keep in a cool place, but not in the fridge. Leave for 24 hours, drain, and then rinse thoroughly.Makesure

4 cups white vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)

Ingredients

1 tsp whole mustard seeds

Pour the vinegar into a large pot, add the sliced onion and cook over a medium heat until the onion has softened. Add the sugar and spices and bring to the boil. Simmer for a short while to infuse the flavours and ensure the sugar is fully dissolved. Taste the liquid and adjust the spices to your own liking. Bring the liquid back to the boil, and then add the kamokamo and cook for a further 2 minutes only – this is important to retain the crunch.Remove kamokamo from the liquid with a sieved spoon and firmly pack each jar. Lastly, add a sprig of dill, if you have it, and pour over the liquid to cover the kamokamo and seal.

Marnie’s kamokamocrunchypickle

1 tsp (large) turmeric powder

For approx. 1.6 kilo of kamokamo:

MAKES: 6 JARS

TOHUTOHU TAO KAI

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all the water is drained away, then repeat the salting process and leave for another 24 hours. Drain and rinse thoroughly.

You are now ready to make the pickle.

Method

2 tsp medium curry powder

TŌ WHAREMĀTOU STEPHENSKAT

Kat Stephens, Andrew Young with their dog Mac. Photo: Virginia Woolf.

y connection to Wakatū is through my dad, Keri, and his parents, Reuben and Minnie Stephens. Hūria Mātenga is one of our tūpuna, and we have strong ties to Whakapuaka. I was born in Whakatū, and we moved to Motueka whenI was eight. Even though I’ve lived in various places around Aotearoa as well as overseas throughout my life, I always tried to come back to Motueka regularly, because it’s home.

KOEKOEĀ

Around three years ago I had just finished working on a movie in Maunga karamea, in Te Tai Tokerau, and I knew I didn’t want to live in Auckland anymore. I was originally going to move to Whakapuaka but fate intervened and I ended up falling in love, and then buying a home here in Motueka.

The solid, open nature of this house is one of its appeals. But mostly what I love is that it’s ours, and we can do what we want with it. We’ve got an eclectic collection of art and objects. We’ve had fun finding the right spot for everything, like the painting behind me by Ron Highfield, a good friend I met through my work many years ago. Our front porch is the perfect place to sit in the late afternoon sun with a glass of Tohu chardonnay and catch up on our day. I have freelanced for most of my career and so I often have to travel for work. However, I’m finding it very difficult to leave my little home. I can’t think of why anyone would want to leave the paradise that is Te Tauihu for any length of time.

Kat (Katrinna) Stephens is a freelance production manager working in film, television and advertising, and her fiancé, Andrew Young, works as an orchard supervisor for Kono.Kat’s tūpuna are Te Wahapiro Paremata, Hara Te Hiu, Rīwai Ngāpaki, Ema Wakarei, RangihokaiaWhāngaingāhau. Her Wakatū iwi connections are Ngāti Tama and Ngāti Rārua. Kat and Andrew live in Motueka with their mastiff-staffy cross, MacGregor Tahi, affectionally known as Mac.

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M

41 TŌ MĀTOU WHARE

Kōwhai Rōpata Pacey

NGĀTI RĀRUA

Photography: Virginia Woolf

KAIMAHI KŌRERO

KOEKOEĀ 42

My mum and Lee (Blinky) Roberts were raised by Nanny Sophie, Ngāhopi Roberts (née Luke), and her children Kōwhai and Darkie. Auntie Darkie was a well-known identity in the Wairau community. She had a beautiful singing voice and at the age of 14 she toured New Zealand with the Reverend Seamer ConcertArthur,Party.my dad’s connection, is through Mātene Takihi, a grandchild of Te Hemara Te Totohu of Rārua. However, because my dad was brought up in Kaikōura, his whānau identified as Ngāi Tahu. Even though we were getting dividends from Wakatū each year, I don’t think either of my parents fully understood their connection to Ngāti Rārua and Wakatū. Myrole within Kono is senior machine operator and team leader at the Annies fruit bar factory, in Grovetown. I’m the connection point between the workers on the factory floor and management and have been at Annies for over ten years. I’d been working in Blenheim as a hammer hand, but building work dried up and I was looking for a new work opportunity. A mate of mine who was working at Annies got me a job here. He ended up leaving to return to Brazil, and I ended up staying.

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One of the things I like about working at Kono is meeting other Wakatū whānau – it’s special we share whakapapa and history. Our relatives made the same journey south together.

full name is Kōwhai Rōpata Pacey, and I was named after my uncle Kōwhai Raurangatira Roberts, who passed on before I was born. I am connected to Wakatū through both my mother and my father.

Kōwhai at Hauhunga Marae, Marlborough

My mother, Hemongārua Pena Roberts, was given her name to acknowledge the passing of her (whāngai) grandfather, Tana Ruka, from Ngāti Rārua and Ngāti Toa Rangatira, who passed away on the same day she was born. Pena was a daughter of Tāuru Piripi, who connects to Wakatū through her Ngāti Rārua great-grandfather Tana Pukekōhatu, and his wife Te Waharau Tana, along with Piripi Te Ngāhoe, also of Ngāti Rārua.

KAIMAHI KŌRERO

whakapapa and history. Our relatives made the same journey south together.

I’d already been here for about five years when Kono bought the business. It had been a worrying time when it went into receivership under the previous owners, so it was a real relief when Kono took over. It has been interesting working for a Māori family-owned business, as all my previous employment has been for Pākehā businesses. One of the things I like about working at Kono is meeting other Wakatū whānau – it’s special we share

My family has always been hard workers. My parents didn’t grow up with much, but they put in the mahi for their whānau. I look back at the sacrifices our tūpuna made to create a new life for themselves and to provide for a better future for their descendants. Two hundred years ago, they journeyed south from Kāwhia, suffering hardships along the way. Even when they settled in Te Tauihu, it still wasn’t easy. We’re living the lives that we are today because of the actions our tūpuna took on our behalf.  I’d like to think that 200 years in the future, our great-grandchildren will look back and talk about the mahi we put in to protect the environment and look after the taonga that was left to us, to gift a positive future for iwi, whānau and whakapapa.

My

Today, the Climatorium is buzzing with rangatahi from a local school installing an

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A ClimatoriumforTeTauihu

It is the year 2030. Wakatū Incorporation is a founding partner in the Climatorium of Te Tauihu, a well-known and well-regarded facility, located by the Mahitahi River in the vibrant Hekenga precinct, where mātauranga, science, business and innovation intersect.

The award-winning design of the building itself showcases low-carbon emission architecture and construction, and has become one of the region’s most visited landmark structures, while the Climatorium’s reputation for innovation and collaboration attracts new investment and talent to Te Tauihu. The products and services being developed for climatechange solutions are creating jobs, boosting the local economy and, importantly, looking after our natural world.

interactive exhibition they created with students in Peru on the impact of climate change on indigenous crops. In another room, academics and researchers from Aotearoa are holding a virtual seminar with colleagues from other countries, discussing how to take a promising green-tech solution from pilot stage to real-world application.

The Climatorium brings together tangata whenua, businesses, innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, local government, educators and community organisations to collaborate on climate-change issues, and to research and discuss adaptations, solutions and opportunities. It attracts global private and public-sector investment and is managed by a not-for-profit entity, its goal to deliver intergenerational climate-change outcomes for Te Tauihu, Aotearoa and the world.

The Lemvig Klimatorium in Denmark, an inspiration for Te Tauihu (Photo: Adam Mork)

The Wakatū board challenged us to think about international relationships and to work with the world’s best when it comes to taiao, the natural world. Denmark, with its reputation as an environmental innovator and its focus on climate change, seemed a good place to start. In 2017, I travelled to Denmark with Iain Sheves (tumu whenua/group general manager, property and commercial) and John Charleton from Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust. We wanted to learn about technologies and projects in water infrastructure and services, housing and innovation and science parks. What we learnt on this visit helped inform our thinking about the Motueka West Development, a 100-year plan to develop housing and commercial initiatives. It was also when we met Lars Nørgård Holmegaard, who introduced us to the Climatorium concept, and we started to build our connection with Lemvig.

One of the advantages of our relationship with Lemvig is the ability to now apply for international funding, and in July 2021, Wakatū, Lemvig and Nelson City Council were successful in obtaining ‘City to City Collaboration’ funding from the European Union’s International Urban and Regional Cooperation Directorate. This will support our ongoing relationship and, when international travel becomes easier, a delegation from Whakatū plans to visit Lemvig and Copenhagen.

his is the vision that Wakatū, in partnership with Nelson City Council and the worldleading Klimatorium in Lemvig, Denmark, are working towards. Miriana Stephens, Wakatū director and tumu auaha, AuOra, explains the progress of the journey so far.

CLIMATORIUM FOR TE TAUIHU 45

Ongoing COVID-19 restrictions meant the official opening of the Klimatorium in Lemvig in early December 2020 was a virtual one, but Wakatū and Nelson City Council were present via video, reinforcing the importance of the connection between Lemvig and Whakatū. A highlight of the ceremony was the announcement that Lemvig Klimatorium was the winner of the prestigious Danish ‘Building of the Year 2020’ award.

The relationship between Wakatū, Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa Iwi Trust and Nelson City Council and Lemvig continued to develop, and a delegation from Lemvig visited Nelson in 2019. We discussed ideas for collaborative projects that could turn global climate, water, infrastructure and land-use challenges into opportunities. Unfortunately, the plans for a second delegation to travel from Lemvig to Aotearoa in early 2020 were cancelled due to COVID-19.Eventhough we weren’t able to meet in person, the relationship with Lemvig was still evolving. By May 2020, Nelson City Council and Wakatū Incorporation signed principles of collaboration with the Danish entities that developed the Klimatorium in Lemvig, including supporting the assessment of a southern hemisphere ‘sister’ Climatorium here in Te Tauihu.

Miriana Stephens. Photo: Kate MacPherson

businesses, agencies and researchers, with a specific focus on climate-change solutions.

I returned to Denmark in 2018, this time with Nelson Mayor Rachel Reese as part of a delegation from Aotearoa. The purpose of the trip was to look for opportunities between Aotearoa and Danish

Climate change is the biggest environmental challenge of our time. It is already affecting our climate, food and fibres industries, native ecosystems, infrastructure, health and biosecurity. If left unchecked, it will have broad social, cultural and economic impacts. A priority action area identified in Te Tauihu Intergenerational Strategy is to build new partnerships and accelerate existing initiatives that improve climate change and water-stewardship outcomes for our region.

T

• green technology start-ups and established businesses being supported to design, develop and pilot clean, smart, circular economy technologies.

• circular Engineeringeconomyandinnovation

• the local community, national and international visitors coming to learn more about climate change

• water

• soil and regenerative agriculture

• wānanga, workshops, seminars and conferences

The Climatorium is about identifying projects, seeking the investment needed, and selecting the right people to find solutions for one of the biggest challenges of our life-time. Whether we end up with a physical building on the riverside or simply create a virtual space, it’s about bringing people together to restore te taiao.

As we continue to develop the Climatorium concept, we’ll form a collaboration of willing people, organisations and businesses that will enable us to agree the scope of activities that the Climatorium will undertake, as well as governance and funding models. We’re aiming to complete a business plan and investment case for the Climatorium by the end of 2022.

• energy

• exhibitions showcasing local and global climate-change adaptation solutions, including National Science Challenges research

will underpin solutions to climate-change challenges.

• biodiversity

• climate

Our initial focus areas will be:

46 KOEKOEĀ

While there is a lot of emphasis on the building, it’s the Climatorium’s potential to align with our intergenerational thinking about climate change that is exciting. The opportunity to bring our whānau and wider community together is also exciting. It’s about being able to say that we as a whānau, hapū and region are committed to climatechange solutions, and leveraging that commitment to develop local, national and international partnerships.Wearecurrently working with Lemvig Klimatorium on the development of collaborative projects, including virtual conferences and workshops, as well as student exchanges.

The Lemvig Klimatorium in Denmark, an inspiration for Te Tauihu (Photo: Adam Mork)

• students, researchers, industry innovators and international partners working collaboratively

We anticipate the Climatorium will be a hub for:

• indigenous thinking and research, ensuring traditional knowledge and practices underpin climate-change research, application and models

47 KOPAKOPA

WORDS: ANDY ELLIOT

Kopakopa industrytikanga-ledabuildingnew

In 2004, Andy Elliot, AuOra business development and research manager, and the hatchery team began work on investigating the life cycle of the greenshell mussel. Information shared by kaumātua Mugwi Macdonald, an Owner and previous Wakatū board member, about kopakopa, an indigenous ribbed mussel, piqued the research team’s interest. Kopakopa (Aulacomya atra maoriana) are smaller and sweeter than the more common greenshell mussel. Although mainly found in Te Waka a Māui, kopakopa are also found throughout Aotearoa. Andy Elliot shares the research journey into this taonga species. ▶

Photo: Andy Elliot

The first batch of kopakopa grew really well, and it initially appeared that this species of mussels conditioned the best through winter and spring. Because we don’t harvest greenshell mussels in winter and early spring, this looked a promising way of keeping our mussel-processing operations going throughout the year. However, further trials showed conditioning and spawning kopakopa were only successful in spring.

This first batch were in the water for almost four years before being harvested and distributed by Mugwi to whānau in the Wairau. Over the next

Through the kopakopa project, Wakatū is aiming to build a higher value, tikanga-led mussel farming industry in Aotearoa

Mugwi Macdonald (Photo: Bob Reed, Seereed)

E O

KOEKOEĀ 48

In 2008, we registered kopakopa with the New Zealand Food Safety Authority. This amendment to their approved fish names list is one step closer to being able to potentially export kopakopa. We have also registered kopakopa with the Ministry of Primary Industries as a mussel species that can be farmed commercially, either in a land-based fish farm or on a marine farm. Then, Wakatū registered Māoriana as a trademark and a logo for kopakopa mussels. All these steps are necessary if we decide to set up an industry to farm and sell kopakopa commercially, and to secure the cultural and

ugwi Macdonald had told us that kopakopa had been an important food source for Te Tauihu whānau, and it was often preferred over other mussel species. This information sparked our curiosity. As part of our Taketake a Tāne programme, we explore ways to revitalise indigenous species in Te Tauihu and to support the connection of Te Tauihu whānau to their whenua and taonga, and so we started a research project to find out more about kopakopa and what we could do with it. We sourced the species from our marine farms in Banks Peninsula and spawned them at the Cawthron aquaculture facility at Horoiranga in Whakatū. The spat was then transferred to one of our marine farms in the Marlborough Sounds.

Andy Elliot (Photo: Virginia Woolf)

M

few years we continued small-scale trials where we spawned kopakopa spat in the aquaculture facility, and then transferred them to our marine farms.

By 2016, we had added kopakopa to one of our marine farms in Port Underwood, so it could be harvested and put through a factory commercially.

Male (on the left) and female (on the right) kopakopa.

intellectual property rights of Te Tauihu whānau relating to kopakopa.

KOPAKOPA 49

The journey has been a fascinating one. Nearly 20 years later and we now have two aquaculture technicians within the AuOra team who are based at the Cawthron Aquaculture Park and focused on kopakopa research. The Kono marine team continues to help us understand the conditions and locations where kopakopa grows best. Our research partnerships are strong, and we recently completed a detailed study of different formats and markets for kopakopaThroughproducts.thekopakopa project, Wakatū is aiming to build a higher value, tikanga-led mussel farming industry in Aotearoa so that the next generation of farmers, businesses, investors and customers will be attracted to the industry and help realise the growth of a sustainable export from Aotearoa.Everything

Near the end of 2008, we harvested and processed kopakopa that had been growing for around two and a half years. We gave out vacuumpacked 1-kilogram bags to staff and selected customers to taste-test this different variety of mussel.Other opportunities to get market and customer feedback on kopakopa has included providing samples to customers of the sustainable seafood providores Yellow Brick Road. Their positive response reinforced the potential of kopakopa as a niche seafood product. In 2014, Urban Eatery, a restaurant in Whakatū that specialises in local produce and kaimoana, showcased kopakopa in one of their dishes, which proved popular with diners. Around the same time, we used the finals of the Ōra King awards, a competition focused on salmon and kaimoana, as a way to introduce some of the country’s top chefs to kopakopa. We were delighted with their favourable reactions.

Wakatū undertakes is guided by the principles of Te Pae Tawhiti, including continuing to innovate, through the sustainable and successful development of land and sea, the creation and provision of high-value goods and services, and by nurturing people’s cultural identity, knowledge and strength.Apriority for Wakatū is the protection of taonga for the benefit of our whānau and communities, which means putting in place appropriate access, utilisation, and benefit-sharing arrangements, and building in training and work opportunities for whānau. We look forward to seeing where this exciting development takes us to next.

Our research into seasonal variations of kopakopa has continued. We have worked with scientists at Plant and Food Research to develop a nutritional baseline for the species, which means exploring its composition to find out more about its properties. This knowledge helps us to understand the health benefits of eating kopakopa and supports good practice in the protection, conservation, use and enhancement of this taonga. In 2019, with the support of Seafood Innovations Ltd, an organisation specialising in research for the seafood industry in Aotearoa, we secured funding for a research project to further develop sustainable farming methods for kopakopa.Ourresearch has also been bolstered by funding support via High-Value Nutrition Ko Ngā Kai Whai Painga, one of the National Science Challenges. It will go towards working with research partners including the University of Ōtago to investigate the unique health benefits that kopakopa has, with a focus on Omega-3. There is huge potential to develop a high-value product for the lucrative global markets of functional foods and nutraceuticals.

(Photo: Andy Elliot)

How do you connect to Wakatū?

My connection to Wakatū is through my greatgrandfather papa Hare Rore Stafford, my nanny Hana Morrison (née Stafford), Uncle Rore and Aunty Lynne Stafford.

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

NGĀTI RĀRUA, NGĀTI TAMA

KOEKOEĀ

Where did you grow up?

We are a mix of many ethnicities and have strong connections to Te Arawa and Tainui.

I grew up in Tāmaki Makaurau. I went to Takapuna Grammar. My upbringing was culturally diverse. My favourite childhood memories are of times in Otorohanga and Rotorua. Ko ēnei ōku hokinga mahara o aua wāhi, eke hōiho, kohikohi hūhū, patu tuna, hī kōura, kapa haka, me te kaukau i te ngāwhā.

It’s important to Hina and me that our legacy as tangata whenua carries on – mātauranga, te reo, tikanga, hākinakina, mahi toi and pūoro. We engage our tamariki in these as best we can, and hope they will do the same when they have their children.

I live in Takapuna, Tāmaki Makaurau. I’ve lived in Cambridge, United Kingdom as a video game producer. I also had a summer contract as a professional polynesian entertainer at Universal Studio’s theme park Port Aventura in Salou, Spain. I performed kapa haka and other Polynesian dances there. Our whānau have spent considerable time in Māui, Hawai‘ i. My two girls, Manawanui and Ko‘ iawekealoha, were born in Māui, Hawai‘ i. Ko Hina Kneubuhl tōku hoa rangatira, nō te moutere o Māui ia.

Where is your family from?

Ko Ngāti Rārua, ko Ngāti Tama ōku iwi, Ko Takarei Paerata, ko Hēni Te Huahua ōku tūpuna, Ko Hare Rore Stafford tōku tupuna tāne, Ko Hana Stafford tōku kuia, Ko Ken Gilbert tōku matua, Ko Zella Morrison tōku whaea, Ko Kīngi Gilbert ahau.

What qualifications do you have?

Where do you live now and where else have you lived and worked?

Kīngi Gilbert

50 Amonuku, our Associate Director and Manager programme is an important part of our succession planning for the future of Wakatū. Each year we bring on board new associate directors and managers for a two-year programme gaining experience in the governance and management of Wakatū. Previous associate directors include current board members Miriana Stephens, Jeremy Banks and Johnny McGregor, as well as Wakatū CEO Kerensa Johnston and former Kono CEO, Rachel Taulelei. Previous associate managers include Turi McFarlane, Sarah-Louise Myers and Carl Reti. We spent five minutes with associate managers Kīngi Gilbert and Aimee Porteners (on the next page) and asked them some quick-fire questions.

I have a diploma in advertising from Auckland University of Technology, a certificate in entrepreneurship acceleration from Wharton University and have completed intermediate papers in te reo Māori from Auckland University of Technology. I was tutored in kapa haka and mau

rākau by Taini Morrison, Temuera Morrison and Wetini Mitai-Ngātai.

FIVE MINUTES WITH KĪNGI GILBERT

What does it mean to you to be part of Amonuku?

I live by a Hawaiian whakataukī or ‘ōlelo no‘ eau: Ma ka hana, ka ‘ike. An English approximation might be, ‘In the doing comes the knowing’, or ‘Knowledge is obtained through experience.’

I was amazed by how many cool kaupapa Wakatū have underway, such as AuOra, Whenua Ora, Kaupapa Tupuranga and Te Pae Tawhiti and many more.

Tāngata whenua across the Pacific share many cultural values and aspirations. I was coached by Roland Teahui from Tahiti in 2017 and 2018 while competing in an important race in waka ama, the Molokai Hoe. He had great expertise at positioning our strengths and skills and I learned a lot from him about quiet leadership.

Photo: Virginia Woolf

Is there any whakataukī you live by or is important to you?

51

Is there a particular person who has been influential in your life?

What do you do outside of mahi?

The māra kai is really important to our whānau, we grow kai all year round. Waka ama and kayaking are sports I love, I need regular connection with Tangaroa. I also spend a lot of time learning new technology, particularly natural language processing and web3.0. These emerging technologies are disruptive and I prefer to be an early adopter to understand opportunities.

K E

I applied for the programme as my interests are in supporting kaupapa Māori and perpetuating Māori culture. I also wanted to tautoko Uncle Rore,

I love this proverb because it reminds me of three things: to be humble, that insight is achieved over time, and that wisdom does not come easily.

Aunty Lynne and my cousins. I am grateful for the connections I have made with other whānau and Wakatū kaimahi who are on the same track to perpetuate our culture. I was amazed by how many cool kaupapa Wakatū have underway, such as AuOra, Whenua Ora, Kaupapa Tupuranga and Te Pae Tawhiti and many more.

NGĀTI KOATA, NGĀTI RĀRUA, TE ĀTIAWA

In 2011, my husband and I had a transformative experience when we lived at an orphanage for six months, on the border of Burma and Thailand. We were volunteering for Border Green Energy Team, a charity focused on renewable energy and sustainable technologies. Our work included installing solar home systems in remote villages and schools, and teaching in refugee camps. We also gained experience on permaculture farms and helped develop and implement a plan for Grace Garden, a sustainable living and learning centre.

Where else have you lived and worked?

Where did you grow up?

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

I connect to Wakatū through my māmā, Laura Thompson née Auld. My tupuna koroua was Manunu Pene, son of Patara Pene (Ngāti Koata), who was married to Herani Wineera, who descends from Wineera Te Kanae (Ngāti Koata, Ngāti Rārua). I also whakapapa to Inia Te Hunahuna (Te Ātiawa). My mum was born at Takapūwāhia Marae and enjoyed her early years at the pā.

52

Photo: Virginia Woolf

What’s your connection to Wakatū?

My husband and I live at Ōtaki Beach with our three tamariki. Our oldest is nine and the youngest is almost two. We’ve recently bought a 10-acre lifestyle property close to the beach and are very excited to

Where do you live now and what do you do there?

KOEKOEĀ

In Aotearoa I have mostly lived around Te Upoko o te Ika a Māui. I graduated as a product design engineer from Massey University and worked for Formway Design in my earlier career. I’ve run my own design consultancy, and I’ve got a Masters in life-cycle analysis and energy management. I’ve also lived in Canada and England and have travelled extensively in Europe and across South-east Asia. I spent three months in India and Nepal.

I was born in Gisborne, where my mum and dad met. Mum was a maths teacher at the local high school and dad had come from Auckland to play rugby for Poverty Bay. When I was two years old we moved to Pukerua Bay, which became my tūrangawaewae.

Aimee Porteners

Summer annuals, such as sunflowers help improve the soil condition on the māra. Photo: Melissa Banks

Ehara taku toa i te toa takitahi, engari he toa takitini.

53 FIVE MINUTES WITH AIMEE PORTENERS

I know that teamwork makes the dream work, and everything achieved in life is through the support of our whānau, friends, workmates, and our tūpuna who came before us. We leave the legacy for our tamariki mokopuna. That is our strength.

Are there particular people who have been influential in your life?

My māmā, the toka tū moana who blazed the path for wāhine Māori in our whānau. She left school at age 16 and went on to get a maths degree. My mum and my older sister represent integrity, success and strength. Then there is my dad and my uncles who equipped us with the skills to deal with people from all walks of life, as well as socialising and having a good time.

As kaitiaki, we have deep spiritual connections and a duty to care for our resources. I think I bring some new perspectives as we find ways to weave a better future together.

EE O E E

What do you do outside of mahi?

put into practice our dreams of community living and permaculture farming. We also plan to create tinyAfterhomes.becoming a māmā, I began my journey to reclaim my culture and learn te reo Māori, for our tamariki mokopuna. With all of us 100 per cent committed to the journey, our whānau moved to Ōtaki, where I spent three years in full immersion te reo Māori, gaining a Heke Poutuarongo Reo degree from Te Wānanga o Raukawa. I feel privileged to now be one of the pūkenga on the teaching team. It’s a lot of fun and it’s a real buzz being part of the life-changing experience for everyone who comes through Heke Reo.

Ko au te taiao! Camping off-grid over summer in Te Tai Rāwhiti is a summer ritual. Day-to-day, we are lucky to live in a reo Māori community with moana and awa for swimming, and sports clubs for tennis and basketball. This last winter we formed a women’s soccer team, Ōtaki Kāeaea, and took out Wellington’s division 3 football championship. That was heaps of fun with a great bunch of wāhine. About half of the team are te reo Māori speakers. My sister Alice and I started adventure racing a few years back, so getting fit for that is good motivation for football training. The last event I did was the Big Bang race. Our team of four wāhine won our division.

What does it mean to you to be part of Amonuku?

I’m a founding member of Ahu Charitable Trust, where we run events and workshops showcasing our arts and culture, with the aim of building resilient and connected communities, and one morning a week, I am at the local Playcentre, where I kōrero Māori with the tamariki. And I am on the board for Te Matarau a Mauī, the strategy for Māori economic development for the Wellington region.

Wakatū has some amazing people, including strong wāhine Māori business leaders, doing important mahi focused on the long term through our Te Pae Tawhiti goals. I am inspired and proud of this mahi, our tūpuna, and the legacy they created for us. I want to do the same for our tamariki and mokopuna, believing that, as kaitiaki, we have deep spiritual connections and a duty to care for our resources. I think I bring some new perspectives as we find ways to weave a better future together.

Is there any whakataukī you live by or is important to you?

KOEKOEĀ

Huiterangiora and Te Matau a Māui above Te Āwhina Marae. (Photo: Te Kawa Robb, Toroa Creative, 2018).

54

holidays

WĀTAKA

Oct school holidays

2 December Annual general meeting, Whakatū

2022Octschool

Participants on the 2021 Wakatū pilot wānanga reo. (Photo: Virginia Woolf)

Taiohi wānanga

10 December

Ahi Kaa wānanga

Taiohi wānanga

3 December Annual general meeting, Whakatū

2023Jan/Feb

30 April

10 December

1 April

Taiohi wānanga applications close

Mārahau summer bookings – all camping applications due by today

Taiohi wānanga applications open

Mārahau summer bookings – all camping applications due by today

55

1 April Special general meeting (SGM), Te Whanganui-a-Tara

All dates may be subject to change.please check www.wakatu.org or forkorero@wakatu.orgemailupdates.

Wakatū wānangameetings,&opportunities

Writers: Andy Elliot, Dianne Brown, Felicity Connell, Glen Skipper, Ihaka GriffinMatthews, Miriana Stephens, Mitchell Ritai, Moana Oh, Rōpata Taylor

Editor: Jude Watson Design: Floor van Lierop (thisisthem.com)

Photographers: John Dobson, Claudia Meister, Graeme Robertson, Naomi Āporo-Manihera, Rachel Taulelei, Te Kawa Robb, Virginia Woolf Cover image: Merenako of Motueka. Original photographic prints and postcards from the file print collection, Box 16. Ref: PAColl-7344-44.

Print in Christchurch on a FSC Certified, chlorine-free stock made from pulp sourced from sustainable tree farms. Printed using soya based inks.

Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New PrintedZealandbySpectrum

TĀPAE

www.wakatu.org