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Chief Executive Report - Wharehoka Wano
It is an honour to present to you the annual Chief Executive’s Report for Te Kāhui o Taranaki Trust, offering a comprehensive overview of the strides we have made, the issues we have navigated and the achievements we can celebrate as Taranaki Iwi.
It has been a year of purposeful progress. From the cultural events that uphold our traditions and connect our people, to the kaitiakitanga efforts that safeguard our natural and historical assets, this report summarises our work over the past financial year to reinforce and foster the wellbeing and prosperity of our people, culture and land.
The year has posed its own set of challenges. The ongoing aftermath of the pandemic, climate events, and social, economic and political pressures have all had their impact here at home. But there have been opportunities, too. We have not only adapted to te ao hurihuri but have harnessed it as a catalyst for
innovation and progress. One example is our plan to create an engineered wetland to treat stormwater on our 20-home housing development in Ōkato; the runaway success of our oversubscribed virtual Wānanga Mounga Reo programme is another.
As chief executive, however, the highlight of the 2022-2023 financial year has been once again working ā-kanohi as a team and as an iwi, and re-introducing opportunities for uri to reconnect kanohi-ki-te-kanohi after the restrictions of Covid. We have dedicated significant resource to those joyful events, among them the two mainstays of our iwi calendar, Taranaki Tū Mai and Tiripoua.
In our Taiao spaces also, with our expanded team of nearly 20 Toa Taiao leading the charge, we have been able to get back to the whenua and moana to advance mahi on the ground, such as our cultural programmes for freshwater restoration, the work to rejuvenate our lamprey eel populations, the development of our Pungarehu seedling nursery and our further plans to establish a sustainable commercial nursery.
It has been a pleasure, too, to see the development of our Te Patu Kiore trapping team. After a two-year apprenticeship with the support of Te Papa Atawhai and the Taranaki Mounga Project, Mawene Bidois and Tipunakore Rangiwai are running traplines in our ngahere and on our mounga to keep our sites predator free.
We have continued to back our rangatahi at tertiary and high school level, with our investment in education grants and scholarships now totalling $120,000. Our intern, cadet and work experience programmes are also thriving, aiming to provide rangatahi with opportunities to gain an understanding of the many workstreams in our Taranaki Iwi space.
The decommissioning of the Tui oil field has reached stage three, the final phase. This has been an enormous learning opportunity for Taranaki Iwi and the uri involved. Our kuia Fran Davey stepped aside from her role as engagement lead in this project earlier this year. Her wisdom and influence will be greatly missed.
We also farewelled some key members of our team over the past year, including Maria Hokopaura, Raymond Tuuta, Ngahina Capper and Shane Wallace-Hoskin. I acknowledge and thank them for their mahi and wish them all the best in their new roles.
In the following pages, you will find an exploration of the milestones we’ve reached, the projects we’ve embarked upon, and the collaborations and initiatives that are propelling us toward our shared aspirations.
Reflecting on the journey over the past year, it is pleasing indeed to acknowledge the results that are building steadily from our endeavours. With each accomplishment, we move forward as we remain committed to shaping a legacy we can be proud of.
On behalf of our kaimahi at Te Kāhui o Taranaki, thank you for your continued tautoko and manaakitanga.
E te mareikura, e te ruruhi kuia, e te pou ko Taranaki Iwi e tangi atu nei ki a koe e moe i te moenga roa te moe e kore hoki mai ki te ao.
Fran Davey was firstly a treasured uri of Taranaki iwi and also a valued member of our team over the last 3 years, who passed recently after a brave battle against cancer.
She was a passionate advocate for her hapū and marae pā around Ōpunakē and beyond, and a staunch supporter of the rāhui takutai over recent years. Her strength, resilience and calmness along with that beautiful, cheeky smile will be missed by us all.
Haere rā koe ki o rarangi tupuna e tatari mai rā.
