Nā te Kaiwhakahaere

And this brings me to Dr Terry Ryan who was responsible for helping many of our whānau discover their Ngāi Tahu heritage. Last month an ope of whānau travelled to Otamatea Marae to farewell Terry during his tangi. Terry offered decades of service to Ngāi Tahu and many others through his extensive mahi as Secretary of Rehua Marae and as the Kawai Kaitiaki of Ngāi Tahu Whakapapa. He was also involved in drafting the legislative provision that recognised Māori as an official language of our country.

I know we have lost others over the past months who our whānau grieve for. Our thoughts are with you all.

E te poua, Terry, hoki atu rā koe ki ō tīpuna e tatari nei ki a koe. Otirā, kai kā mate huhua o te iwi tou, okioki atu rā koutou ki te huika o te kahuraki.

For the first time in three years, we came together as a wider whānau, hapū, and iwi late last month for Hui-ā-Iwi at Arowhenua Marae.

Kai kā mauka whakahī, kai kā wai whakaika, nāia kā mihi matakuikui ki a tātau katoa.

Tēnā koutou e te whānau,

Kai kā mate o te wā, koutou kā manukura o te iwi ko whatukarokaro atu ki tua o te ārai, tēnei te whakamiha atu ki a koutou katoa. Haere atu rā ki te kāpunipuni o te wairua, ki te huika kahuraki. Moe mai, moe mai, okioki mai rā.

Sadly, since my last pānui, we have lost several prominent whānau who have all played a significant role in the modern history of our iwi.

Hokonui whānau recently farewelled respected kaumātua Taare Bradshaw who was a stalwart of his hapū and former chairman of Hokonui. Taare committed his life to his people, with his contribution spanning from Kaikōura to Awarua. His whānau can be immensely proud of his achievements.

Likewise, so can the whānau of Florence Edith June Tikao nee Subritizky. Florence was a respected kaumātua, dear friend, loving mother, and a cherished nanny to her many mokopuna. Florence will be remembered for her kind and loving nature and considerate contributions towards the lives of Ngāi Tahu whānau.

Together, we also remember Miriama (Mihi) Sinclair (Kāti Rakiāmoa, Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Kāti Wheke, Kāi Te Ruahikihiki, Kāti Huirapa, Ngāti Moki, Poutini Ngāi Tahu and Rakiura). Mihi maintained many close connections with whānau across the takiwā.

This was such a special weekend, with more than 2,500 of us reconnecting with our whanauka and strengthening our whakapapa links. Although we may represent 18 different marae, when we are together we are one iwi.

It was a privilege to share highlights of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Group mahi during the Report Back session on Saturday, and later answer pātai from whānau at our popular Open Forum.

There were incredible stalls selling a range of products hand made by whānau (which many of us picked up as part of our Christmas shopping), weaving sessions, rock art tours, and panel discussions. Our puku were filled with delicious kai at the hākari, and hapū put on stunning performances during Te Atakura. Ka mau te wehi!

Ka mihi ki a koutou, Kāti Huirapa o Arowhenua. Thank you for hosting Hui-a-Iwi 2022 and bringing us together again as an iwi after several difficult years filled with disruptions. It was so good for my wairua to see so many of our whānau reconnecting with one another after so long a part.

E te whānau, if you missed Hui-ā-Iwi there is a range of content on our social media pages. The entire weekend was livestreamed, and videos are available on our Ngāi Tahu website.

Days before Hui-ā-Iwi, I returned from COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where I had spent most of November representing our country and iwi.

During my time there, I was proud to attend the premiere of the short film Hinemoana Halo, alongside Mere Takoko, Haami Piripi, Huhana Lyndon, Paul Morgan, Rauhi Papa, Aperahama Kerepeti-Edward, Mike Neho, Wayne Mulligan, Hilton Collier, Rikirangi Gage, Sheridan Waitai and the team from Conservation International Aotearoa. The film was a powerful showcase of climate change and its impact on the indigenous peoples of the pacific. It was a privilege to be interviewed as part of the film and to attend the premiere alongside the largest Māori delegation to ever attend an event at COP27.

I also enjoyed joining a panel discussion on blue carbon where Conservation International Aotearoa announced its goal to raise US$100m (NZD$162m) to support blue carbon investment opportunities between indigenous peoples working with governments, financial institutions, philanthropic organisations and donors.

Sadly, climate change is impacting many of our marae and traditional mahika kai sites. Recently our Moeraki whānau featured on Sunday TVNZ in a story describing the impact of climate change on their hapū. Upoko o Moeraki Rūnaka David Higgins spoke with Tāmati Rimene-Sproat about the danger of urupā washing away due to rising sea levels, as well as the partnership between mātauranga Māori and modern science.

If you have an interest in climate change or want to learn more, I encourage you to head to our Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu website where you can explore Te Kounga Paparangi, our 88-point climate change action plan.

At Hui-ā-Iwi I was proud to announce that we were expecting approximately $96.5M as a relativity payment from the Crown just before Kirihimete.

Along with Waikato-Tainui, our Ngāi Tahu Deed of Settlement with the Crown included a relativity mechanism, which was negotiated to make sure that we would not be disadvantaged by being the first two iwi to settle our historic grievance claims.

The upcoming payment from the Crown of approximately $96.5 million relates to Treaty Settlements between July 2017 and 30 June this year.

During our recent Te Rūnanga hui, we agreed for a portion to be distributed to the Ngāi Tahu Regional Investment Fund as an equity investment, while another allocation will go directly to Papatipu Rūnanga as pūtea tautoko. I am especially pleased that whānau registered with Whāi Rawa will share some of the pūtea to boost their savings. So, e te whānau, if you are not yet registered with Whai Rawa, please make sure you consider doing so you too can benefit.

The exact allocation of the relativity payment will be discussed and agreed at a Te Rūnanga hui next year and I look forward to sharing an update afterwards.

This relativity payment follows our strong financial results which we announced in early November, with Holdings declaring a net profit of $233m.

I’m pleased that Ngāi Tahu Holdings has performed very well under challenging circumstances as we continue to strategically invest in assets which will support us as an iwi to ride out the difficult times, such as the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

With our strong financial result, we can reintroduce several of our popular programmes that were paused in 2020 due to economic uncertainties, such as Te Pōkai Ao which introduces rangatahi to future focused opportunities in the digital world, and Manawa Tītī and Manawa Nui which support emerging tribal leaders.

Holdings have done extremely well to regrow some of the losses experienced in 2020, as the world adjusted to lockdowns, border closures, and the loss of international tourism.

Kai te pūnaha i pūrena ai te kete pūtea o te iwi, nāia kā mihi ki a koutou e hāpai tou nei i tēnā kīwai o te kete.

In other exciting news, I warmly congratulate the Hollyford Wilderness Experience for being selected by Tourism Industry Aotearoa as the winner for the New Zealand Tourism Awards: Visitor Experience Award 2022.

This represents the efforts of the Hollyford Wilderness Experience team to ensure that manuhiri get the chance to enjoy everything that the beautiful Hollyford Valley has on offer. Congratulations to the Hollyford Wilderness Experience team, keep up the awesome mahi!

Seventy-seven years after the end of World War II, the whānau of ten Māori Battalion soldiers finally received the medals of their tīpuna at a special ceremony at Burnham Military Camp early last month. The medals recognise the service and sacrifice of the soldiers and officers during their time served in the 28th Māori Battalion.

The battalion was in active service for nearly six years fighting in the Greek, Crete, North African and Italian campaigns. Together they set aside historic tribal rivalries and encouraged Māori unity. Many Ngāi Tahu whānau attended the ceremony and there is a beautiful article in the December issue of Te Karaka, written by a whānau member of one of the soldiers who received a medal.

As 2022 draws to a close we can reflect on the achievements of our iwi over the past year. From hosting the first Hui-ā-iwi in three years, to finally having the Environment Canterbury (Ngāi Tahu Representation) Bill pass in parliament. We also launched Te Kounga Paparangi – our 88-point climate action plan, established Te Tauraki – our Iwi-Māori Partnership Board, and celebrated our first Māori public holiday, Matariki.

I was equally proud to celebrate our rakatira Tā Tipene O’Regan when he was named New Zealander of the Year, and later became a Member of the Order of New Zealand for his services to the country as part of the Queen’s Birthday and Platinum Jubilee Honours.

As we look ahead to 2023, I encourage our Koukourarata whānau to take part in a three-day whānau friendly event over Easter weekend next April to mark the 100-year story of Tūtehuarewa marae and the building of the hall in 1923. Make sure you register now to ensure that you do not miss this amazing opportunity to explore, enjoy and remember through whakapapa, memories, delicious kai, and the launch of special pukapuka and waiata whakakahau.

I am very proud that the mauri has been passed to Ngāti Waewae who will host next year’s Hui-ā-Tau. I look forward to welcoming you to Arahura Marae in November 2023, which is when the new Kaiwhakahaere will be announced. Keep an eye out for exact dates and details in the months to come.

I hope you all have a safe and happy summer break e te whānau, I look forward to reading the first issue of Te Pānui Rūnaka 2023 so I can read about all your summer adventures.

Meri Kirihimete e te whānau.

Lisa Tumahai Kaiwhakahaere