Te pūrongo o te rau toi tauira

Chairperson Report - Liana Poutu

Haehaea mai te pō

Kia tū mai ngā whetū

Tākiritia te ārai kapua

Kia tākiri mai te haeata i te matapihi o te rāwhiti

Kia ara mai ko te rā i te tihi o Taranaki

Ka ao, ka ao, ka awatea.

Tēnei ka tangi auē ki ngā mate o te tau nei te hawe ngangī o te ngākau ki te tokopae aituā kua ririu atu rā ki tua o paerau, ki tua o pae mano. E moe koutou te moe, e au ai te moe, e rarau, kāti.

Nei anō hoki te karanga ki te hau o te ora, ā, kia aumihi anō hoki ki te ora o ngā uri o Taranaki whānui mai i Parininihi ki Waitōtara, kia hauora ki whakatupua, hauora ki whakatawhito, hauora ki te whai ao, ki te ao mārama.

Tihe mouri ora!

This year has furthered the PKW Trust's legacy with significant milestones and achievements. This report highlights the unique successes of 2024 and addresses the challenges and opportunities we face moving forward.

GOVERNANCE OVERVIEW

The Trust has successfully integrated the governance structure introduced in 2023. Our vision, He Tāngata He Whenua He Oranga, inspired by the Taranaki Māori Land League established at Taiporohēnui in 1854, continues to guide us. This legacy informs our purpose, focusing on making positive contributions to the prosperity of our people, protecting our whenua tupuna, and building wealth for future generations.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

The PKW Trust continued its commitment to supporting the aspirations of our whānau through careful financial management. We distributed grants and scholarships across a range of educational and cultural initiatives, reflecting our focus on enhancing our community’s wellbeing.

Despite broader economic challenges, the Trust has maintained financial stability, allowing us to offer consistent support. We plan to explore additional funding avenues and optimise resource allocation to expand our grant and scholarship offerings, thereby increasing our impact on the community.

STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

2024 has been a year of expansion and innovation in our strategic initiatives. We introduced new programmes aimed at enhancing cultural and educational outcomes, including our third He Kurataiao Taranaki wānanga, which brought together kaitiaki and Taiao teams from across the region. Participants also discussed key aspects of the maunga negotiations, sharing their thoughts on what a successful settlement might mean and emphasising the importance of kōrero in the negotiation process.

The Te Reo Rangatira Scholarship continues to provide crucial support to our whānau. This expanded scholarship remains aligned with our strategic objective of cultural reclamation and identity strengthening. Dean Kahu and Tiana Rarawa Capper are among the recent recipients, with Dean speaking at the Half-Yearly Hui ki Taiporohēnui about the scholarship's significance in his journey to reclaim te reo Māori.

In addition to these scholarships, we have increased our partnerships to include two new organisations, Paeroa Contracting and Campbell Contracting, bringing our total scholarship partners to 22.

Looking ahead, we plan to broaden the scope of our strategic initiatives, particularly in education and cultural preservation, increasing the options and funding for scholarships and grants that directly impact our community’s ability to maintain and grow our cultural heritage.

WHĀNAU AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Engagement with our whānau and the broader community has remained a priority. In 2024, we increased community mātauranga grants, supporting events like the Taranaki Tū Mai Festival held from 24-26 November 2023 and the Mana Kuratuatahi Kapa Haka Nationals held from 30 October to 2 November 2023 in Nelson. Our support extended to the Taranaki Whānui Māori Rugby League, and through our marae grants, we supported significant developments such as the redevelopment of the whare Te Kuia at Aotearoa Pā. These efforts reflect our commitment to fostering strong connections within our community and supporting cultural and educational growth.

CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES

This year presented unique challenges as we adapted to new market conditions and continued to refine our governance structure. However, these challenges have also opened new opportunities for growth. Our focus on strategic partnerships, especially in cultural revitalisation, has positioned us well for the future. The implementation of the Te Rau Manawaora Trustees' composition following the governance review will be further refined to align with the Trust’s role and function.

The ongoing success of the Kurataiao Taranaki wānanga has highlighted the importance of environmental and cultural stewardship as key components of our strategic direction. At the time of writing, we are preparing for the next Kurataiao in September 2024 at Kānihi Māwhitwhiti Pā, we will focus on critical changes in Taiao policy, showcasing the work of our Taiao teams, and the positive impact our collective efforts have on Taranaki Mounga.

Our second highlight this year was our community grant to Taranaki Tū Mai ki Ngāti Tama. The festival, held every two years, cleared the way for Te Matatini in February 2025. As always, Tū Mai reflected iwi pride, healthy rivalry, and intergenerational participation, with Ngāti Tama emerging as the overall winner.

A key opportunity for the Trust is the upcoming Te Matatini festival in February 2025 at Pukekura Park, Ngāmotu. This premier cultural event, now a five-day festival, is highly anticipated by performers, whānau, and kapa haka enthusiasts worldwide. Te Matatini draws thousands in person and over 1.8 million online viewers. It’s not only an opportunity to witness kapa haka excellence but also a chance to reconnect with friends, whānau, and te ao Māori.

We are committed to supporting the marae, pā, and groups upholding manaakitanga for our manuhiri, making this event a significant focus for the Trust.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I extend my gratitude to our trustees, management, kaimahi, and all stakeholders for their dedication and hard work. Special thanks go to those who contributed to the success of our strategic initiatives this year, particularly the expanded He Kurataiao Taranaki wānanga and the Te Reo Rangatira Scholarship. Your efforts have been instrumental in advancing the goals of the Trust and supporting our whānau.

CLOSING REMARKS

As we look ahead, the PKW Trust remains steadfast in its commitment to our mission and vision. We encourage continued support and engagement from our Rau Titikura / Shareholders as we work together to achieve our shared aspirations. The upcoming 50th anniversary in 2026 presents an opportunity to celebrate our collective efforts and the enduring legacy of Te Rau Matatau. We look forward to building on the progress made this year and continuing to support the prosperity of our whānau and community.

Liana Poutu - Te Rau Toi Tauira

Te Rau Manawaora o Parininihi ki Waitōtara