HE RAU ĀWHINA, KIA TOITŪ TE MĀTAURANGA THRIVING RELATIONSHIP SEES MORE TAUIRA MĀORI IN HIGHER EDUCATION
HUI Ā-TAU AGM NOTICE
KA TUPU TE RAU, KA HUA TE RAU JOBS FOR NATURE PROJECT EXCEEDS MILESTONES
TE RAU MATATOI O TE TAU CHARLES BAILEY SCHOLAR 2024
KODY WARD
HE TĀNGATA 7 TE RAU RENGARENGA O PARININIHI KI WAITŌTARA
Committee of Management Election Outcome 2024
HE RAUPŌ KA PIKO E TE HAU KA ARA
Income resilience key in a challenging business environment. 9 TANGATA TŌMUA, WHENUA TŌMURI
Half Yearly Hui ki Taiporohēnui.
13 NGĀTI MARU TAKU HAU TAPU, TAKU HAU MARU
Sharing the kaupapa to protect the taio of Mangaoapa.
HE WHENUA
16 KA TUPU TE RAU KA HUA TE RAU
Jobs for Nature project exceeds milestones
19 KO TE RURU TAIPŌ TE KAITIAKI O TAI AWATEA
The holistic approach to kaitiakitanga on Te Ruru whenua.
HE ORANGA
27 KO TE MATAMATA O TE ARERO TE KAINGAKI O TE KUPU, KO TE MATAMATA O TE WHĀRANGI TE KAIPUPURU O TE KUPU (te reo Māori article) 28 HE RAU ĀWHINA, KIA TOITŪ TE MĀTAURANGA
Thriving relationship sees more tauira Māori in higher education 29 HE RAU ĀWHINA, HE PUTANGA TAUIRA
Scholarship recipients for 2024.
22 TE RAU MATATOI O TE TAU
Te Rau Matatoi / Charles Bailey Scholarship 2024 recipient; Kody Ward.
PKW AGM Notice & Agenda
10am, Saturday 16 November
Te Upoko o te Whenua Marae, Tarata
Full details on page 6.
Order Annual Report
Full details on page 7.
PKW Tertiary Grants & Scholarships
Open: 15 December 2024
Close: 31 March 2025
Full details are on the PKW website: pkw.co.nz
Tīkina atu rā ko te kāhui pō
Oho ake ki te ao, ka rongo te tangata
Ka hotu te taua e, i a koe Te Hanataua
E hotu ana rā ki koutou kua riro
Whakaraupō e te iwi
Ka pākia e te hau, ka piko
Ka mauru mai anō ka ara ake!
E wāhi rūa ana nā runga Rua Taranaki e!
Mai Parininihi ki Waitōtara
Waitōtara ki Taipakē
Ki te take tairangaranga ki Taupiri kuāo
Kei te tuarongo o te whare o Pōtatau, e te Kīngi nui, te Kīngi o te kotahitanga
Okioki atu rā, ki te kāpunipunitanga o te wairua, ki te kāhui o ngā āriki, e hai!
Tēnei tātou ‘ka mahi ki te whakakaupapa o te kotahitanga’
Tōia te waka o te aroha! Mā wai hei tō?
Mā te motu hei tō!
E ara rā ko te matatū o Rongo
E ara rā e te Kuini Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō
Rire Rire Hau Pai Mārire !
PARININIHI KI WAITŌTARA
Postal PO Box 241
New Plymouth 4340
Physical 35 Leach Street
New Plymouth 4310
Tel +64 (6) 769 9373
Email office@pkw.co.nz
Web pkw.co.nz
iSTUDIOS MULTIMEDIA
Postal PO Box 8383
New Plymouth 4340
Physical 77B Devon Street East
New Plymouth 4310
Tel +64 (6) 758 1863
Email info@istudios.co.nz
Web istudios.co.nz
Strength and resilience are very much the watchwords for us at this time as we deal with a challenging operating environment. Volatile markets and high interest rates are adversely impacting on business outcomes.
But we know that we can weather these storms, as our tūpuna have done so in the past. We have a clear view ahead, laid out in Rautaki 2033, our refreshed strategy, of what we must do to balance our portfolio to make it easier for us to flourish in the future.
I have very much enjoyed connecting with our Rau Titikura whānau during our roadshows and again at our recent half-yearly hui. You can read a more fulsome report of the hui at Taiporohēnui on page 9.
Te Rau Rengarenga and Te Rau Manawaora, your governance and management teams, were proud to present to Rau Titikura some of the highlights from the first part of the year, with one being the start of harvesting at Mangaoapa Forest. Input and guidance from Ngāti Maru has been integral to this mahi – find out why on page 13.
Our Taiao team and the connections they have been making with hapū as part of their work is another milestone to be celebrated. Read about the Tupu Rawa project and how its kaupapa will continue in this important space for PKW on page 16.
WHENUA MAGAZINE
Editor Aisha Ross
Deputy Editor Puna Wano-Bryant
Creative Direction Sheree Anaru
Photography Quentin Bedwell
Graphic Design Cherie Quin
CONTRIBUTORS
Deena Coster
Polly Catlin-Maybury
Marama Ellis
Shona Geary
Tonga Karena
Stephanie Ockhuysen
Meet our Te Rau Matatoi 2024 Charles Bailey Scholar Kody Ward on page 22 and find out how the Māori Education Trust is supporting the PKW Trust’s aims on page 28.
And although it seems like the half-yearly hui was just a few short months ago, it is nearly time for our AGM to be held this year at Upoko o te Whenua marae ki roto o Ngāti Maruwharanui. Get a preview of what to expect on page 6.
Recent issues of Whenua magazine have documented the complex rent review process, which had entered arbitration to enable an agreement to be reached between Parininihi ki Waitōtara and the West Coast Settlement Reserves Lessee Association. This concluded in June and largely focused on what constitutes an ‘Improvement’ in today’s context when assessing the estimated value of the Unimproved Land. We are pleased with the favourable Arbitration Award recently received.
“OUR TAIAO TEAM AND THE CONNECTIONS THEY HAVE BEEN MAKING WITH HAPŪ AS PART OF THEIR WORK IS ANOTHER MILESTONE TO BE CELEBRATED.”
This is a significant accomplishment and an important step towards a conclusion.
This year saw three vacancies on the Board to be filled, and with three nominations there is no need for an election to be held. I am happy to be able to welcome Anne-Marie Broughton and Liana Poutu back for another term, along with new member Dr Acushla Deanne Sciascia. Serena Fiso decided not to restand for election at the conclusion of her term - I would like to acknowledge and thank her for the significant contribution she has made during her time on the Board.
Ngā mihi,
Aisha Ross Te Rau Matomato Chief Executive Officer
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the Annual General Meeting of Shareholders will be held at Te Upoko o te Whenua Marae, Tarata on 10am, Saturday 16 November, 2024.
9.00am Pōwhiri and registrations 10.00am Meeting commences
BUSINESS:
• Apologies
• Confirmation of Minutes of 2023 Annual General Meeting
• Annual Report and Financial Statements to 30 June, 2024
• Approval of Dividend
• Appointment of Auditor
• Appointment of Share Valuer
• Committee of Management Election Outcome
• General Business
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT the Annual General Meeting of Beneficiaries will be held immediately following the Annual General Meeting of the PKW Incorporation.
BUSINESS:
• Apologies
• Confirmation of Minutes of 2023 Annual General Meeting
• Annual Report and Financial Statements to 30 June, 2024
• Appointment of Auditor
• General Business
Please note that lunch will be served at 1.00pm.
Aisha Ross SECRETARY
The hui-ā-tau will be followed by a workforce development expo, partnering with Te Heru Māpara, Ngāti Maru and our kaimahi, to promote partnerships and pathways for Rau Titikura and whānau. The expo will commence after lunch at approximately 2pm.
In the last issue of Whenua magazine, the annual notice calling for nominations to the PKW Committee of Management was issued.
Nominations for the three vacancies closed at 5:00pm on Friday 30 August, 2024.
Nominations were confirmed from Anne-Marie Broughton, Liana Poutu and Dr. Acushla Deanne Sciascia. No other nominations were received.
In accordance with Section 23(5) of the Māori Incorporation Constitutions Regulations 1994, Anne-Marie Broughton, Liana Poutu and Dr. Acushla Deanne Sciascia are deemed elected to the PKW Committee of Managment, effective as of the Annual General Meeting date being Saturday 16 November, 2024.
Please refer to page 5 of the AGM Information booklet, distributed with this issue of Whenua magazine, for the full profile of the new Committee of Management member.
To order your copy please contact us:
Email: reception@pkw.co.nz
Phone: 06 769 9373
Freephone: 0800 759 462 Website: pkw.co.nz
It has been another challenging year for PKW, with the narrative of a slowed economy, geopolitical influences and the effects of climate change being told by the numbers that make up the year-end financial report.
But by protecting key income streams created by a diversified investment Papatupu (portfolio), the Incorporation has the resilience and strength to stand resolute for the long-term.
“Sometimes you have to look behind the numbers to get the full story of how a business is performing,” says Jahron Neha, Te Rau Māhorahora/GM Finance and Investments. “When the underlying value of our greatest asset, our whenua tupuna, is subject to such volatility from annual revaluations, it is inevitable that the balance sheet is going to feel the impact.”
“The expectation for the year is that the impact will be a significant one, placing strain on the reporting result in our 2023/2024 accounts.”
“But the true value of that whenua to our Te Rau Titikura / Shareholders cannot be held in a number, because any movement in value would never be realised through being sold. The legacy of our tūpuna remains steadfast and resilient, as always.”
The annual rent from the whenua tupuna is a key revenue stream for PKW, along with the ground lease payments generated by the Tai Hekenga property investment portfolio.
“Tai Hekenga represents a strong, stable and enduring source of income for the Incorporation, maintaining our cashflow regardless of outside influences, for the most
part,” says Jahron. “It’s a valuable example of the benefit of a diversified investment strategy.”
The slowing of the NZ economy, high interest rates and the uncertainty presented by key offshore markets have had the highest impact in two key business areas.
“Our largest investment, our dairy farming business, is always working in a challenging environment with high operational costs and changeable returns,” explains Jahron. “We also experienced drought-like conditions that severely curtailed grass growth with a knock-on effect of significantly reducing milk production.”
“The Ngāmotu Hotel joint venture has also been hit hard by the economic conditions, with families and businesses tightening their purse strings and reducing discretionary spending.”
But the news is not all bad, with Port Nicholson Fisheries showing the best performance ever over the first three quarters of the year, enabled by high sale prices for kōura in China and favourable foreign exchange rates.
Harvesting is now well underway on the 300-hectare Mangaoapa Forestry Block too, converting timber into $10m of cashflow over the next three years.
“We have been weathering the economic storm for some time now, however the outlook on the domestic front is encouraging with expectations of multiple interest rates cuts before the end of the year. Unfortunately, we are anticipating continued uncertainty globally,” says Jahron.
“But PKW is well-placed and resilient. We know we have a strong strategic approach and a kaupapa that will sustain us through what is to come.”
There was a strong sense of connection to the history of the whenua and kotahitanga at the PKW half-yearly hui held at the Taiporohēnui Marae.
It was here in 1854 that the Taranaki Māori Land League was formed, unified around the central agreement that no more whenua should be sold without general consent, and that disputes between Māori should be decided by tribal rūnanga, not under European jurisdiction.
It is from this significant event and kōrero, that our vision of He Tāngata, He Whenua, He Oranga is inspired, and the commitment of that hui to future generations has been a legacy the Incorporation has carried since its own inception in 1976.
Te Rau Toi Ariki / PKW Chair Dion Tuuta spoke to the history of the Taranaki land confiscations - 1,244,300 acres (503,550 ha) taken in total – and the impact that has had on Taranaki Māori throughout the generations and to the present day.
“The history of our whenua has shaped who we are as a kaupapa, our purpose, and our commitment to those both past and to come,” he says. “In or about 1968, a collective call to action was made to the owners of the West Coast Settlement Reserves to have confidence in ourselves, to insist that we stand firm against the Government offer to buy our shares, and to take control of our whenua, build up its value by good management and pass on something that will still be of practical benefit to our children and mokopuna, something of which they can be proud, something that will be a living memorial to this present generation.”
“Now we work to serve our Rau Titikura whānau, and their future generations. Te Iho, our identity and touchstone for the future, reaffirms our vision, mission and values with the addition of our purpose ‘To make positive contributions to the prosperity of our people, protect our whenua tupuna, and build wealth that enriches future generations’.”
A sense of Place and Pride is a key element in the refreshed strategy, supporting the reconnection of Te Rau Titikura to the whenua, together with hapū and iwi.
“Our relationship with the whenua is synonymous with the relationships PKW hold with hapū,” says Te Rau Matomato Aisha Ross. “These relationships are very important to us, and we take an active approach to nurturing and strengthening them.”
“The history of our whenua has shaped who we are as a kaupapa, our purpose, and our commitment to those both past and to come.”
Dion
Tuuta
“Working together with hapū ensures we achieve shared success and the positive outcomes that are experienced by our owners and Taranaki Māori as a whole. There are many opportunities to be explored and the strength of our relationships will be integral now and into the future.”
The refreshed Rautaki 2033 emphasises the need to balance the investment Papatupu (portfolio) and to smooth out the volatility of assets within the existing portfolio.
“To deliver on our mission to provide meaningful opportunity through a sustainable business, we need to continue to build further resilience into our portfolio. Opportunities such as renewable energy and property development could assist in meeting this objective,” says Aisha.
“The current cost of doing business, and the need to manage those costs, is something that resonates with Te Rau Titikura because parallels can be drawn with the cost of living and impact of inflation on whānau working hard to sustain their own livelihoods. Te Rau Titikura have shown
a good level of support for the opportunities we have explored and identified to take us forward as a business, along with clear and insightful feedback.”
An update of business performance was also presented at the hui, which was well-attended, with many Rau Titikura travelling from around the motu to be present.
Favourable weather conditions on farm saw milk production volumes exceed expectations and the kōura investment generated respectable cashflows for the
Right: 2023 Te Reo Rangatira scholarship recipient, Dean Kahu, presenting about the importance of the Trust’s support. Below: 2024 recipients - Ana Pue and Charles Walters.
Incorporation in the first part of the year, but the second half has been far more challenging, with extremely dry conditions impacting production and additional farm costs.
Highlights of the year so far were mentioned, with the start of the Mangaoapa Forest harvesting, positive outcomes from the Taiao team mahi, and the Te Rau Titikura roadshows all included.
The half-yearly hui included an update from Te Rau Manawaora / PKW Trust, presented by Te Rau Toi Tauira / Chair Liana Poutu.
She was pleased to inform the hui that there had been 186 applications from ākonga for educational grants and scholarships and that community mātauranga grants for Taranaki Tū Mai Festival ki Ngāti Tama; Our Taranaki rōpū representing the mounga at Mana Kuratahi Kapa Haka Nationals; and Taranaki Whānui Māori Rugby League had also been awarded.
The Trust has also supported Aotearoa Pā and the redevelopment of the whare Te Kuia through its Marae grants, and worked with 22 scholarship partners, two more than last year.
Dean Kahu made a presentation about the importance of the support he received from the Trust in the form of the Te Reo Rangatira scholarship last year. This award, worth $50,000, supports Taranaki whānui to gain fluency and confidence in te reo me ōna tikanga by providing a financial incentive to cover living costs and to keep the home fires burning while they are studying.
Born and raised in the rohe of Pakakohi, Manutahi Marae chairman Dean knows all about the commitment needed to reclaim te reo Māori for his whānau, marae and iwi as he moved to Auckland to study te reo Māori full-time in a one-year rumaki reo programme at Te Wānanga Takiura o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa.
Liana also introduced this year’s recipients of the award, Charles Walters and Ana Pue. They are both enrolled in
full immersion programmes - Charles at Te Tohu Paetahi in Tauranga Moana and Ana at Te Pūtaketanga o Te Reo in Kirikiriroa, Hamilton.
At the conclusion of the meeting, Te Rau Titikura joined a bus tour to Te Ruru (Meremere Road), where Te Poihi Campbell gave a kōrero on the history of the whenua, alongside the Taiao and Farms management on how Te Ruru will become a thriving biodiversity hub. They also saw the infrastructure improvements that have been made.
“Te Rau Titikura continue to affirm their support and appreciation of the commitment and mahi of Te Rau Rengarenga / Committee of Management and kaimahi, and the ambition to continue to build a legacy that we are proud of,” says Aisha.
NGĀTI MARU
TAKU HAU TAPU, TAKU HAU MARU
SHARING THE KAUPAPA TO PROTECT THE TAIAO OF MANGAOAPA
As a young man, Anaru Marshall hunted with friends and members of his whānau in heavily forested Ngāti Maru whenua alongside the river and streams of the Upper Waitara catchment.
In those days it was not unusual to pull two thousand piharau (lamprey eels) out of the river a couple of times a year, with no impact on numbers, he recalls.
“Today you could put your nets out and you might get five. The way forestry was originally executed has contributed to the depletion. We can see where some of the streams have filled up with silt, damaging the piharau spawning grounds,” says Anaru, now the Tumu Wakarae o Te Kāhui Maru.
Paraninihi ki Waitōtara, now the sole owner of the 400-hectare Mangaoapa Forest, is working closely with Te Kāhui Maru to ensure damage is minimised and taonga species like piharau are protected.
“It’s great to engage with PKW and have a conversation that’s more than just about the commercial wellbeing of the balance sheet. We’re talking about the wellbeing of the whole forest environment,” says Anaru.
Ngāti Maru led an on-site blessing before work began on felling the radiata pine crop last November. And before that, they helped with the criteria for the logging tender.
PKW prioritised conditions like staying clear of waterways while the piharau were spawning. Another proviso for potential contractors was the protection of kiwi.
Richard Buttimore, Te Rau Whakahono Pito / GM Property for PKW, says New Zealand Forestry, the harvest manager, had to be on board with this kaupapa.
“We currently have six kiwi fitted with transmitters. They’re all partnered and forestry staff actively monitor their locations on our behalf as part of our Kiwi Project.”
The peak of nesting occurs through July to November with eggs usually taking 70 – 80 days to incubate.
“We don’t know how kiwi behave during harvesting so we’re monitoring them constantly. We assume they won’t move if they’re on an egg. But we just don’t know how close is too close, whether they’ll bunker down or try to hide,” Richard says, adding that all the research findings will be shared with the industry.
Once widespread, the numbers of Western Brown Kiwi have reduced over the last 40 years with the main populations found in Taranaki and Whanganui hill country across to Tongariro.
Ngāti Maru are committed to safeguarding the kiwi living in their rohe. They’ve been active in kiwi conservation for
25 years, particularly in partnership with the East Taranaki Environment Collective around Pūrangi and Pukemāhoe and, more recently, in an alliance with Ngāti Tama and Ngāti Mutunga.
“We’ve sent kiwi from here up to Maungatautari (Sanctuary Mountain in Pukeatua, Waikato). They’ve bred them and sent young ones out to repopulate areas where numbers drop off,” says Anaru. He is proud of their role in moving the kiwi off the endangered list.
Another way to protect taonga species is to improve the state of the taiao. With harvesting of the Mangaoapa Forest underway and expected to take another two to three years, PKW is already turning its mind to opportunities the next phase may offer.
“Come next year we’ll have to replant everything we’ve harvested up until Christmas this year. We want to develop a planting plan with Ngāti Maru, to achieve their outcomes too, then work with them on propagation and planting,” says Richard.
Some of the 300-hectare crop, planted in 1992, is on unpredictable soils, steep contours or close to waterways. Richard calculates about a quarter may not warrant a second rotation. What happens to that whenua will be part of the kōrero with Ngāti Maru.
“There are other ways of leveraging outcomes from the land without damaging it. It may be replanting native species, taking a more long-term view,” says Anaru.
Almost landless before their 2022 settlement which returned nearly 5000 hectares, a key kaupapa for Ngāti Maru is support for the taiao.
“When rangatahi are working on the whenua it’s not just the reward of planting. It’s working on the land that was once ours and was lost, knowing we’re still here and the land’s still here and we’re still connected.”
“It’s good to have a relationship with forest owners – PKW – who share the same kaupapa and vision for the whenua, awa and ngahere.”
“There are other ways of leveraging outcomes from the land without damaging it. It may be replanting native species, taking a more longterm view,”
Anaru Marshall
KA TUPU TE RAU, KA HUA TE RAU
JOBS FOR NATURE PROJECT EXCEEDS MILESTONES
A project to restore the wairua of the whenua and boost Māori capability in the taiao space may have ended, but its kaupapa will continue.
The Tupu Rawa project, which received $1.2 million through the Department of Conservation, ended in August with all its milestones achieved.
Raniera Karena was one of four Te Rau Whakauruora / Kaitiaki Cadets chosen in 2021 for the project. He and two other kaimahi, Luka Kamana Kerehoma and Jessica Matehuirua White, have now graduated to permanent roles with Parininihi ki Waitōtara. The fourth, Jordan Morehu Ryan, used his experience with the PKW kaupapa to gain a new role at Taranaki Regional Council.
“I’ve learnt how to see the whenua as an environmentalist, to know whether an area of wetland needs to be retired, and then put my feet on the ground and do it,” says Raniera.
“It’s very different from the farming work I used to do. As a farmer you look at the whenua and think about how you can get the most feed for your animals.”
Building on work PKW already had underway on its 33 farms, the cadets and their Te Rau Whakaueue / Kaitiaki Supervisor, Josephine Sullivan, fenced and planted 84km of land adjacent to waterways, undertook pest control, monitored streams, and retired land where possible, and developed new climate change adaptation plans.
“I’m really proud of them. They exceeded all the milestones. Taiao work is hard. They’re out in some harsh, cold conditions this time of year and came in looking pretty washed up at times,” says Puna Wano-Bryant, Te Rautitikura / General Manager Shareholder Taiao Engagement.
Tupu Rawa was an opportunity to bring the jobs in-house, to have Taranaki Māori working on Taranaki whenua. And that has meant an increased level of hapū engagement on their farms that wouldn’t have been possible with contractors.
“I’m really proud of them. They exceeded all the milestones. Taiao work is hard. They’re out in some harsh, cold conditions this time of year and came in looking pretty washed up at times.”
Puna Wano-Bryant
“Wāhi tapu protection is a big part of what we do. It’s where hapū want to be meaningfully engaged and have more access. They’re happy for the team to do the mahi as long as the findings are shared,” Puna says.
In order to record and share the information and narratives they learn, the Taiao team creates ArcGIS StoryMaps. This is a web-based application that allows them to build maps overlaid with digital stories and other content like photos and documents. It is used for the 19 awa and relevant wāhi tapu on PKW whenua.
Engagement is an aspect of the job that Raniera clearly enjoys. Born on the coast at Ōpunakē, he has whakapapa to Taranaki Iwi, Te Atiawa, and Ngāruahine, and can go to his uncle, cultural expert Tonga Karena, with his questions.
“During the summer we invited hapū to carry out water monitoring with us, so they can walk on their whenua and see the results for their awa,” Raniera says.
“I’ve also been part of wānanga with hapū to return names to their farms so they’re not just numbers. It’s really cool to have all the whānau out at a dawn naming ceremony, to have a good kai, to talk to them. It’s how it should be.”
An essential part of the PKW Kaitiakitanga Strategy is mātauranga Māori - enabling scientific data to be complemented and enhanced with and by tikanga o Taranaki. Reconnecting whānau with their whenua and awa is one of the strategy’s five priorities, vital to achieving a holistic result.
The kaitiaki taiao also apply their bespoke Mouri Engagement Framework – Te Ihoiho Whakakite when engaging with and assessing waterways.
“The team use a Taranaki mātauranga Māori lens. It makes working with us different from working somewhere else where you may just do pure ecological restoration,” Puna says.
As a kaupapa Māori land organisation PKW always strives to elevate its commitment to kaitiakitanga. The extra resources from the Tupu Rawa project further enabled kaitiaki to gain intimate cultural and physical knowledge of each site.
“Because of raupatu our whānau have been disconnected from these spaces. The team knows the gentle, courteous, empowering position they have to take. They engage respectfully and always come away with more knowledge,” she says.
Post-project and post-cadetships, the team is consolidating.
Jo Sullivan becomes the Te Rau Whakaihoiho / Kaitiaki Taiao Manager, Luka and Matehuirua are Te Rau Whakauruora / Kaitiaki Taiao, and Raniera is the team’s coordinator Te Rau Whakaueue.
“We’ve put in tens of thousands of plants, and we’ve absolutely got better at what we do. In 2022 we weren’t too bad, last year the results were super good. This year our prep was on point. It’s going to be the best yet.”
Raniera Karena
The promotion could not have come at a better time for Raniera. His son will be two next month and he and his partner have another baby due in February. He looks back on the team’s achievements with enormous satisfaction and pride.
“We’ve put in tens of thousands of plants, and we’ve absolutely got better at what we do. In 2022 we weren’t too bad, last year the results were super good. This year our prep was on point. It’s going to be the best yet.”
Is he tempted to return to farming? No, especially as he has developed an allergy to cows.
“I went out to play with the calves recently and immediately got puffy eyes! No, I see myself staying here in the taiao space. It’s a cool job.”
KO TE RURU TAIPŌ TE KAITIAKI O TAI AWATEA
THE HOLISTIC APPROACH TO KAITIAKITANGA ON TE RURU WHENUA
A Parininihi ki Waitōtara (PKW) South Taranaki farming operation is going from strength to strength in terms of both productivity and kotahitanga with the hapū who gifted its name.
Te Ruru Farm, in Ōhangai, has been owned by PKW since June 2002, and the change since then has been enormous, says Te Rau Whakahaumako / General Manager Ahuwhenua Shane Miles.
Blessed with the name Te Ruru, which was gifted by Ngāti Ruanui hapū Tūwhakaehu in 2018, the 298-hectare farming operation has grown not only in size, but in terms of its production too.
Shane speaks proudly of the work Te Ruru staff – a contract milker who has been on the farm for 10 years, and the 3.5 FTE team – do.
Originally the property, which was previously known as Farm 2, had a herd of 300 cows, which has almost doubled now to 520, owned solely by PKW.
This has seen a direct increase in the kilograms of milk solids racked up per year, moving from 120,000 to about 225,000kgMS/annum.
There has also been a major investment in new infrastructure on the farm, including diary sheds, effluent system upgrades, as well as the acquisition of more whenua.
“There’s been a lot of change,” says Shane.
In parallel with what’s happening on the farm, relationships with hapū have also blossomed.
The name Te Ruru is the touchstone for the relationship, as the ruru is recognised by the hapū as a spiritual guardian of the people.
While its physical appearance is infrequent, its spiritual presence never leaves.
Shane explains that there is wāhi tapu on the farm site, which is near a forestry block which is due for harvest.
Kōrero around the protection of the sacred whenua is one of the areas where there are opportunities for learnings and wānanga, as well as in other aspects of the management of the farm, says Shane.
This year, as part of the half-yearly PKW Annual General Meeting in May, Rau Titikura / Shareholders were able to visit Te Ruru and see how things work for themselves.
For kaikōrero mō te hapū o Tūwhakaehu, Te Poihi Campbell, these events are ‘very, very important’.
Te Ruru farm has increased in size to 298-hectares and 520 dairy cows.
He says hapū members were able to share with PKW staff and the shareholders who visited, some of whom affiliated to the land, the historical narratives of the whenua.
The hapū takes a holistic view in terms of the health and wellbeing of the environment and the whenua, and although it is not involved in the day-to-day management of Te Ruru, it does have ‘solid engagement pieces at various times of the year,’ says Te Poihi.
“PKW’s aspirations are similar to hapū aspirations in terms of growing a prosperous area of land.”
Ongoing kōrero includes getting updates about water testing results, or when any major infrastructure change takes place.
In terms of the wāhi tapu, Te Poihi says the hapū has an active role with that kaupapa too, including a recent onsite visit with archaeologist Ivan Bruce.
“We were able to walk the farm and understand the layout of the forestry area and what mitigation was in place to ensure the wāhi tapu is safe and protected.”
Meanwhile, Shane says while there were no plans to grow the size of the farm, investing in technology used in its operations will continue to play a key role in attracting the best people to work at Te Ruru.
This complements the PKW pillars of the importance of health and safety, animal welfare, people and the environment, which are all underpinned by its Kaitiakitanga Strategy.
“Although important, what we do at Te Ruru is not all necessarily about financial returns,” says Shane.
The challenge ahead for Te Ruru, and other farms within the PKW portfolio, is the adaptation required to address climate change, meet emissions targets and maintain freshwater requirements.
“Those big, chunky things are our challenges going forward. They are very much on the radar.”
“PKW’s aspirations are similar to hapū aspirations in terms of growing a prosperous area of land.”
Shane Miles
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) student Kody Ward experienced a flood of emotions when he learned he’d been awarded the 2024 Te Rau Matatoi Charles Bailey Scholarship earlier this year.
Not only did it reduce the financial pressures of studying fulltime for the next three years at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington, but it also opened the door much wider to the 23-year-old’s continuing efforts to build whakapapa connections in Taranaki
Kody, of Taranaki Iwi and Ngāti Maniapoto, is from the Iti whānau who whakapapa to the pā at Puniho and Ōakura. His koroheke’s parents and older siblings moved away from Taranaki in the years before his koroheke, Manu Iti, was born.
Born and raised in Hastings, Kody is keen to continue learning about his Taranaki connections. Which is one of the reasons he was so delighted with his Te Rau Manawaora / PKW Trust scholarship of $7,500 a year, for three years. He also benefitted from the longstanding partnership PKW has with the Māori Education Trust (see page 28).
“I was super stoked. Really, really happy when I got the phone call,” he said.
“The money is super helpful, because I was very worried about living costs and expenses in Wellington. It’s taken so much pressure off and I’m so grateful for that. But the coolest part of this are the connections and relationships, getting to meet more people from Taranaki, which makes it feel more and more like home.”
“We always knew where our marae was, but for a long time we didn’t go there unless there was a tangi or a reunion. My Mum, sister and I now try to go back for what we call ‘happy events’ too. If we start going back whenever we can, we hope our cousins will start coming with us as well, so it feels a bit more normal for our whānau.”
Not long after being awarded the scholarship, Kody attended a PKW roadshow hui in Wellington, meeting other uri who knew his whānau. He’s looking forward to making more connections as a guest speaker at the PKW annual general meeting in November at Te Upoko o te Whenua Marae.
After graduating from Te Herenga Waka with a BA majoring in Te Reo Māori and International Relations, Kody followed up with a Master of Indigenous Studies. A recipient of a Te Herenga Waka Wellington Doctoral Scholarship, Kody started his PhD research in July this year in the emerging area of rangatahi Māori entrepreneurship.
Still formulating his specific research question, he’s tapping into his passion for helping people in an area that broadly looks at how rangatahi Māori businesses can be better supported, with an ultimate goal of potentially bringing home whānau living away from their tūrangawaewae.
This builds on his Masters research, which investigated rangatahi Māori entrepreneurship and the influence of Māori cultural values and perspectives on success.
It also touches on Kody’s enthusiasm to continue visiting whanaunga at home in Taranaki as often as possible, with the intention of being available to help with whatever is needed.
Kody, who has been taking part in the Taranaki Mounga Reo 2 classes, loves te reo Māori.
He currently tutors for Te Herenga Waka subsidiary Kāpuhipuhi Wellington Uni Professional, which offers public and private beginner te reo Māori courses.
In 2021 he was awarded the Te Kawa a Māui Ruka Te Rangiāhuta Broughton Memorial Award for Excellence by Te Herenga Waka School of Māori studies in recognition of his commitment to te reo Māori, tikanga and achievement in te reo Māori courses.
Although he learned te reo Māori at high school, his real te reo journey started at Te Herenga Waka in 2019.
“It’s a huge part of my life. I love Te Herenga Waka, but there’s something different about learning my own reo, my own mita. Before, it was about learning Māori; now it’s about learning te reo o Taranaki.”
Liana Poutu, Te Rau Toi Tauira / Chair of Te Rau Manawaora / PKW Trust said it’s great to see PKW’s commitment to developing whānau is helping reconnect rangatahi Māori like Kody back to their Taranaki roots.
Over the years, many Te Rau Matatoi Charles Bailey scholars have been living outside Taranaki.
“The scholarship encourages their commitment to reconnect and their commitment to themselves and whānau,” she said.
“It’s a huge part of my life. I love Te Herenga Waka, but there’s something different about learning my own reo, my own mita. Before, it was about learning Māori; now it’s about learning te reo o Taranaki.” Kody Ward
“The board talks about succession all the time. But for me, succession is visible, encouraging pathways home – not just to PKW but to other parts of the Taranaki landscape. If engagement with PKW encourages our people to come home, that’s a big achievement for all of us.”
Liana says it’s important that people like Kody understand there are opportunities for them in Taranaki.
“It’s so different to 20 years ago – the iwi-hapori world has changed,” she adds.
“There are many more opportunities here back home to grow our people. Now you can get cultural reconnection, reo and tikanga and have a job tailored to your desired career pathway that will nuture your development.”
Kody isn’t sure what he’ll do at the end of his three-year PhD studies.
“The main thing for me is to keep an open mind and a hard-working attitude of trying to do the best I can – and whenever an opportunity comes up, just try to say ‘yes’,” he says.
He’s grateful to the many people and groups who have helped him pursue his love of learning, starting with his parents and the sacrifices they’ve made for him and his younger sister “to be ourselves and give things a go”. He also acknowledges the supportive whānau whānui of Te Herenga Waka, Te Kawa a Māui/School of Māori Studies and wider whānau and friends who have all played a role in guiding and supporting him.
To this pivotal support network, Kody can now add the PKW whānau whānui o Taranaki.
“The main thing for me is to keep an open mind and a hard-working attitude of trying to do the best I can – and whenever an opportunity comes up, just try to say ‘yes’.”
Kody
Ward
Arā ko ngā pou whakairo, te matakōrero nō nehe, ngā pounga waihoe ki roto i te moana i whawhati i te kare o te wai – he kaireretanga o ngā uruwaka, ngā pou whenua i aukati i te rāwaho, i tongikuratia ai te mana o te iwi, ngā tuahu i whaoa ki te ruruku i whaoa ki te tohu, te mataora i pīereere mai i te kura toto, otirā, ko te tātainga whakapapa.
Arā hoki ko te tuhi o te rongo i mātua kākahuria mai ki ngā tangi oruoru o te reo Rōmana, he pukapuka tapu te otinga, ka mau, ka uru, ka tupu, he ao kē, he hanga kē. Ka hora te whārangi, ka hora te kupu – ka tātāwhāinga tā te ao o nehe pupuru i te kupu ki te ao kē me tāna huarahi pupuru i te kupu. Āe rānei he kakaritanga whai hua, i pakaru rikiriki rānei tētehi taha i te mana whakatoatoa o tētehi atu taha. Āe rānei kei te rere takirua, he manu piritahi, he noho karapīpiti, he momo tū-ā-wehe rānei. Koinei aku rongo putuputu, taku kiri e pākinikini nei mō te āhua o tā tātou waerea i te ururua o te ao kōrero me te ao tuhituhi. Ananā, ka tāirihia ake ko te upoko kōrero o runga ake nei. Ko te mahi o te arero he ngaki i te kupu, ko te mahi o te whārangi he pupuru i te kupu.
Ko te kōrero e poipoia whānuitia ana, kia whakahokia mai te kupu i te matamata o te whārangi ki te matamata o te arero. Nā Te Wharehuia Milroy tērā i oha mai hei akiaki i te kāhui ako i te reo kia ora mai te reo Māori i te
whakaoreorehanga mai o te arero, ā, kia kaua hoki e waiho hērā tauiratanga ātaahua ki te whārangi pukapuka anake. Ki te taea ngā hiringa mahara o mua te kukume ki tēnei wā mā roto mai i te tātari i te reo tuhituhi, kātahi ka whakakōrerohia, kua ora i a koe te reo o ō tūpuna.
Koirā hoki tā Parininihi ki Waitōtara i whāia rā, kia whakaoraorahia mai te kupu o raurangi mā kia tāirihia ki te mahara, ki te ngākau hoki. Whāia kia toka ai ki roto i te mahara tangata, ka āhei noatia, ka piupiu ki te rangi, ka waitokorau ahakoa te roa i kaha ngaro i a tātou. He māramatanga tēnei e whiti ana, e pūrangiaho mai ana kia hāpai ake i te hipi tokoroa, kia tatauria te tau o te reme i te wā e noho mai ana te rongo taketake. Kia manawanui, kia manawaroa ahakoa ka whīwhiwhi, ka tapepe rānei –Kāore noa iho i tuku whakareretia mai hērā kura kia takoto māngere ki te whārangi.
Ngakia te kupu kia tuputupu matomato te kupu, whakairohia te kupu kia toka te kupu, ākina te kupu kia rere taiāwhiowhio te kupu, punga whakawhenuatia te kupu kia kore ai e rehurehu e numinumi te kupu.
Nā Tonga Karena
Thanks to the relationship between Te Rau Manawaora / PKW Trust and the Māori Education Trust, a large number of Taranaki tauira have been supported to achieve their educational aspirations.
The Māori Education Trust began supporting the PKW Scholarships and Grants programme last year, contributing to 61 grants and scholarships on offer with an additional $29,200 in funding.
This year, the Māori Education Trust has already contributed $52,900 to 175 PKW Scholarship and Grants.
“They are actively committed to getting more money into Māori education,” Adrian Poa, Te Rau Tātai Kura/ Shareholder Engagement Advisor at PKW, says.
“To me the mahi that the Māori Education Trust does to support tauira in Taranaki, and throughout Aotearoa, enables them to achieve their aspirations for the collective benefit of te iwi Māori.”
Adrian has been with Parininihi ki Waitōtara for seven years looking after Rau Titikura/Shareholders and says he enjoys helping them, their tamariki and mokopuna apply for these scholarships and grants each year.
He also has a personal connection with the Māori Education Trust.
“When I was at university, I received Manaaki Tauira grants from the Māori Education Trust.
“My father, Te Whakaotinga Poa, also served as a Board member.”
Adrian said through the scholarships and grants, students had gone on to study a wide range of things including te reo Māori, education, medicine, science and technology, law and toi Māori.
The Māori Education Trust works with lots of partners, but at the moment Parininihi ki Waitōtara has a commitment through the Trust with Massey, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University in Wellington, Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and Lincoln University in Canterbury.
Ma¯ori Education Trust Annual Report 2018
The Māori Education Trust was founded in 1961 and was established following the publication of the Hunn Report in 1960 by the Acting Secretary for Māori Affairs J.K. Hunn, which recognised that Māori students had far less success in higher education than Pākehā. Ensuring the equality of educational attainment of Māori to Pakeha was an immediate need that the Trust identified.
The Trust aimed to help break down the financial barriers that may be stopping Māori from pursuing further study, noting the causal link between the loss of land, language and culture and educational and socio-economic status.
In order to do this, the Māori Education Trust partners with organisations like PKW, iwi, land trusts and education institutions enabling them to increase the number of students funded per year.
From the outset the Trust sought donations from those closest – whānau, hapū, and iwi – to fund scholarships.
Among the early staff members at the Trust was Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi, now a 95-year-old advocate of te reo Māori education and the Kōhanga Reo movement who still serves as a board member today.
Over the last 30 years, the Trust has run summer schools to help students prepare for the year ahead, and held the contract to deliver the Ministry of Education’s Manaaki Tauira programme, until it was discontinued.
The Trust provides more than 4,000 scholarships each year for Māori in tertiary education and, since 1963, has awarded a total of approximately 88,000 scholarships totaling $70m to secondary and tertiary tauira.
PKW SCHOLARSHIPS
The following students have been awarded scholarships: TE RAU ĀWHINA
PKW-Toi Te Reo Rangatiratanga Scholarship
Ana Dionne Pue
Charles Te Rauparaha Walters
Kody
PKW Postgraduate Scholarship
Teresa Foster
Dwayne O’Carroll
Sarika Rona
PKW-VuW Postgraduate Scholarship
Rere-No-A-Rangi
Neve Duxfield
PKW Te Rau Toi Maori Scholarship
Bryn Davison
Mia Robinson
PKW Undergraduate Scholarship
Ruiha Matoe
Kahana Ngaia
Nicola Mathys
Terri-Lee Mason
Aisha Campbell
Bachelor of Teaching in Primary
Applied Management in Business
Bachelor of Management Studies with Honours
Bachelor of Health Science (Midwifery)
Bachelor of Communication Studies
Iharaira and Myra Marama Te Unahi Matoe Whānau Trust
Moana Skelton
Pamela Matiu Ratana
$2,000.00 $2,000.00 $2,000.00 $2,000.00 $2,000.00
TE RAU ARA WHANAUNGA IWI PARTNER SCHOLARSHIPS
The following students have been awarded scholarships:
PKW-Ngaa Rauru Iwi Undergraduate Scholarship Te Puni Doyle
PKW-Ngāruahine Iwi Undergraduate Scholarship Keesha
PKW-Ngāti Maru Iwi
Mutunga Iwi Undergraduate
PKW-Ngāti Ruanui Iwi
PKW-Taranaki Iwi Undergraduate Scholarship
Matthew
PKW-Te Atiawa Iwi Undergraduate Scholarship
Sean Wipatene
TE RAU HONONGA EDUCATION PARTNER SCHOLARSHIPS
PKW-BNZ Bank Undergraduate Scholarship Jaxon
PKW-Ballance Agri-Nutrients Undergraduate Scholarship
Siobhan Hemingway
Joseph Hau
Levi Marychurch
Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Environmental Planning - Te Ara Taiao Stream
Luka Kamana Kerehoma New Zealand Certificate in Organic Primary Production (Level 4) Bachelor of Science
Hemingway Kenny Hau Linn Roy Wineera Te Kawau Bertrand Whānau Trust $2,500.00 $2,500.00 $2,500.00 $2,500.00
continued)
Name Course of Study
PKW-Farmlands Undergraduate Scholarship
Leonardo Semau
Jessie Mckenzie
Kyla Potaka
Kelsea Elkington
Bachelor of Science (BSc) Conjoint: Bachelor of Laws & Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Physiotherapy Bachelor of Health Science
PKW-Marsh Insurance Undergraduate Scholarship
Cyrus Rudd Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science Conjoint
PKW-Govett Quilliam Undergraduate Scholarship
Leah Robinson LLB Bachelor of Law
PKW-iStudios Undergraduate Scholarship
Danielle Knight Bachelor of Laws
Campbell Contracting Ltd Undergraduate Scholarship
Roka reni Osborne
PKW-DR (Jack) Gray Ltd Undergraduate Scholarship
Jarna Flintoff BHealSci (Māori Health), LLB (First Year)
PKW-Evergreen Plumbing Limited Undergraduate Scholarship
Renata King
PKW-Mark Frost Electrical Limited Undergraduate Scholarship
Georgia Jost
PKW-Meridian Energy Undergraduate Scholarship
Tremayne Omeka Mcleod Ratana
PKW Paeroa Contracting Limited Undergraduate Scholarship
Ethan Matuku Bachelor of Arts
35 Leach Street | New Plymouth 4310 Taranaki | New Zealand
2024
