Honouring a Legacy for Future Generations

Former Charles Bailey Scholarship recipient Liana Poutu’s future as a leader for both women and Taranaki iwi was apparent from an early age.

Whenua talks to the chairwoman of Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa about her journey from being the first Māori head girl of New Plymouth Girls’ High School to meeting former US president Barack Obama.

Liana pictured with her koro Edward (Ted) Tamati after completing her conjoint BA (Māori) and LLB in 2000. Liana studied another year doing Masters papers in Law.

Liana Poutu’s Koro knew she had a lot to give to Te Atiawa and Taranaki Iwi. He also knew that she needed to go out into the world first, to learn and develop her skills as a leader.

Edward (Ted) Tamati was the chairperson of Parininihi ki Waitotara (PKW) Incorporation for 13 years. He also held different leadership roles in the community during his time, including that of Taranaki Regional councillor, chair of the Taranaki Māori Trust Board (a position he held until his passing in June 2007) and founding member of the Parihaka Peace Festival Trust. His contribution and dedication to Taranaki Māori was recognised in 2003 when he was awarded the Queen’s Service Order (for Public Service).

Liana credits him, along with her grandmother Val, as a significant role model in her life and is grateful for his wise counsel that saw her leave the family home in Kaipakopako (Bell Block) to attend Waikato University in 1995.

“I was the fourth generation in my family to go to Bell Block Primary so venturing away on my own was quite daunting,” she says. “Kui Whero Bailey and New Plymouth Girls’ High School Principal at the time, Jain Gaudin, were also hugely influential in the path I took, and gave me the confidence to apply for the PKW Charles Bailey Memorial Scholarship.”

The scholarship helped her successfully study for a Bachelor of Arts (Māori) and Bachelor of Law and Liana recognised its significance by dutifully providing the incorporation with a written report each year on her progress and learning, to acknowledge the support of PKW shareholders.

The connection with her roots also showed its strength when she undertook postgraduate studies towards a Master of Laws degree.

“I contacted PKW to ask if there was any research that could benefit them on a particular issue,” she says. “One of the issues they identified was around the Māori Reserve Land Amendment Act. In the original bill, farmers were to be compensated given they had to now pay market rentals to lease Māori land. But there was no provision for Māori landowners to be compensated for not having received market rents all those years. My research contributed to the pool of information enabling Māori landowners to be compensated.”

Her time at Waikato University brought her into contact with a group of lifelong friends who helped to broaden her Māori cultural knowledge and were major contributors to her leadership development.

“My network included mentors Lewis Moeau, Kate Cherrington and Bentham Ohia and fellow law student, and my whanaunga, Puna Wano- Bryant. We were lucky to be nurtured and encouraged by Mama LaDonna Harris, the founder and president of Americans for Indian Opportunity, who gifted to us what would become our ambassador programme called AMO (Advancement for Māori Opportunity),” she says.

The programme, initially funded by Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, examined the notion that indigenous models of leadership were valid and their difference from mainstream western models stemmed from the concept of service: leadership based on indigenous values.

“Through that programme we visited indigenous communities throughout Indian Country (USA), Peru, Bolivia, and Japan. That exposure to different indigenous leadership in action was a game changer for many of us,” says Liana.

Fittingly, as it was her Koro who encouraged her to go out into the world, it was her Koro who brought Liana home to Taranaki to spend time with him before his death.

She brought a considerable amount of legal experience in the treaty settlement environment with her after benefiting from the mentorship of Martin Dawson during her time at law firm Russell McVeagh.

“Martin had an incredible legal mind, he ngākau Māori tōna,” she says.

He was a highly respected Pākehā lawyer who had built up a substantial portfolio of work that included the New Zealand Māori Council cases, the Whanganui River and Te Reo Māori claim.

Due to Martin’s untimely death through illness, Liana found herself thrown in the deep end having to continue a lot of Martin’s casework. With just 3 years’ post-qualification experience under her belt, appearing on different occasions as legal counsel for her clients in front of the Waitangi Tribunal and Māori Land Court, it was a pretty intense time in her career.

This stood her in good stead when she was seconded from Kahui Legal to help Taranaki Iwi with their settlement negotiations. She then took on the General Manager role for Taranaki Iwi and the move home became a permanent one.

Liana and partner Duane Luke (Ngāruahine and Ngāti Ruanui) with their children, son Rongomaiira and daughter Te Auripo at home in Kaipakopako.

Now the mother of two tamariki, Liana holds governance roles and professional directorships alongside her position as chairperson for Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa, the post settlement entity for Te Atiawa iwi.

She supports the aspirations of PKW to rebuild leadership models that will increase the capability of shareholders and beneficiaries to become more connected and engaged with their land.

“I’m keen to see PKW develop their tikanga to reconnect their shareholders to the land and to recognise the contribution of their leaders,” she says.

“My involvement with AMO and exposure to international indigenous relationships has made me passionate about seeing how that can be extended to create networks that are empowering and inspiring to Taranaki Māori.”

This commitment and her influence as a wahine leader has led her to becoming included in Wāhine Toa, a network set up by Nancy Gilbert, the wife of former US Ambassador to New Zealand, Mark Gilbert.

The programme features Māori women throughout the country who are giving back to their iwi or community in varied and extraordinary ways and it was this group that was selected to meet with former US president Barack Obama during his visit to New Zealand earlier this year.

“It was a once in a lifetime opportunity,” Liana says. “He was so respectful of us and who we were and came across as very humble and genuine.”

“A lot of our discussion was focussed on leadership and in particular youth leadership. We thought it might be us asking him a lot of questions but it was kind of the reverse.”

Liana was honoured with the privilege the experience gave her and it’s clear that honour is something this accomplished wahine takes very seriously. The honour to lead and serve her iwi, the honour of upholding the integrity of her koro, and the honour of building on his legacy as she stands as a role model for the rangatahi of today to become the leaders of tomorrow.