New role focuses on delivery of Kaitiakitanga Strategy

Reconnecting PKW shareholders to their whenua through the revitalisation of the PKW story is and important focus of the new position of Kaitiakitanga Strategy Manager, according to the Taranaki rangatira who has taken on the role.

Tonga Karena (Taranaki, Te Atiawa, Ngai Tūhoe) is passionate about preserving, promoting and protecting the cultural narratives, history and meaning that bind Māori to the land, and provide essential perspectives to help the Taranaki Māori community grow and prosper.

“The Kaitiakitanga Strategy encompasses everything that PKW does, from its environmental, cultural and social obligations and political responsibilities, to its aspirations as a commercial enterprise,” says Tonga. “My role is very much to ensure the strategy is apparent, ever-present and brings all things back to connection, connection between people and whenua, of course, but also connection of PKW between iwi and hapū and, most importantly, connection with our culture.”

Tonga (pictured top) has lived in Taranaki for the past decade and is a respected tribal leader. He is an orator at Te Niho, one of the houses at Parihaka, as well as a governor. He is currently writing his Phd thesis Te Kura Huna o Rongo (The Hidden Treasures of Rongo) completely in te reo Māori. It explores how indigenous traditions relate to the peace traditions of Parihaka. He says his first challenge is gaining an indepth understanding of who and what PKW is and how he is best placed to help the Incorporation and its shareholder whānau.

“As an entity, PKW needs to find ways to give expression to the cultural and political facets of the organisation, as well as its role as a business,” he says, “We want to build those all-important connections so we can give iwi and hapū opportunites to flourish and encourage the descendants of shareholder whānau to actively engage with us, their land and the sites of significance it holds.”

Puna Wano-Bryant, General Manager Shareholder Engagement said: “The creation of this role within the organisation indicates the significance of the Kaitiakitanga Strategy to PKW, and the importance of ensuring its principles and intent are embedded into the way we work in order to deliver its outcomes to their fullest extent.

“Tonga is bringing a lot of knowledge and understanding to our team and we are looking forward to working with him as we continue to strive to create connection between our business, our shareholder whānau and the wider Māori community.”