Te Ripoata o te Tumuaki

Te Rīpoata o te Tumuaki o Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa

Tuatahi, ko te tuku whakawhetai ki a Ihoa o nga mano, mo āna manaakitanga ki runga i a tātou. Kei nga mate, koutou kua haohia e te kupenga a Taramainuku i roto i te tau, kua pahure, haere atu , okioki mai i roto i te Ariki. Ngāti Awa ki te rangi, Ngāti Awa ki te whenua; ‘ko Ngāti Awa te toki tē tangatanga i te rā, tē ngohengohe i te wai, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa. Meri Hepi, representative Tuariki sadly passed away in December 2020. Meri Hepi was a long serving representative of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, and over the years contributed to various issues for the hapū especially if it involved the Rangitaiki rohe. Meri was a dedicated representative who had a quiet and humble nature but when required spoke her mind on issues she was passionate about. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa mourn Meri’s passing with her whānau and friends.

Reflecting back on our 2020/2021, we have seen a lot of change and growth at Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa. From the many projects which have provided employment, cultural learnings, and business opportunities, to defending our Ngāti Awa boundaries and cultural values through court hearings and legal proceedings. Whatever the platform, we hope to have been devoted stewards in our role to defend, advocate, and progress the aspirations and values of our people. Coming together when the situation necessitates unity continues to be our strength, enabling us to move forward as the toki whose bindings cannot be loosened by the sun, nor softened by the rain. Coming together and showing manaakitanga has been something that Ngāti Awa has become well known internationally as witnessed during the remembrance of the anniversary of the Whakaari eruption, 9 December 2020. The day will always be remembered and we will always give thanks to the many people, businesses and emergency response teams who lent their support in a multitude of ways and to the exceptional and dedicated medical teams from around the motu and internationally, whose intense and dedicated work with survivors continued over many, many months. The same sentiment applies when we consider the situation before us and the impending threat COVID-19 poses to our whānau and to our whakapapa. Coming together in unity to overcome the crisis at hand is not only our only option, but the option that comes most naturally to us as revealed in our stories and histories. Therefore, we implore you, as a member of this Iwi, as a member of your community, as a mokopuna, and as a tupuna, to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and to do your part to keep our whānau safe. Our whakapapa is our most precious taonga, of which we derive our identity, purpose, and connection. In all that Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa seeks to achieve, protecting our whakapapa and connection to each other and to this land, is most central. We will continue to deal with the various activities, challenges, and opporutnities in the years ahead as steadfastly as we can. We remain here, it is our home, it is our history, it is our future.

In closing, I want to thank the Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Ltd Directors, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa Trustees and Committee members for your ongoing commitment and dedication. I would also like to give special thanks to our Manahautū and team for all the tireless mahi they do, without them we would not be able to accomplish all the work we have in front of us.

Mā te Atua tātau e manaaki e tiaki ngā wā katoa

Naaku noa JOE HARAWIRA

“Mā te ngaruru ō ngā whenua maru ō Ngāti Awa, ka noho momoho nga taonga koiora, taonga tuku iho, he oranga whānui mō ngā whakatipuranga.

As the lands of Ngāti Awa flourish, opportunities abound for future generations ”to enjoy their unique ecological, environmental and cultural uniqueness.

I extend my thanks to the staff of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa who have remained unwavering in their commitment to the Iwi. Thank you for all that you have and will continue to do.

Tēnā koutou This is my last annual report as Manahautū Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa. Together over the past five years, we have faced some significant events in the history of Ngāti Awa – 2017 floods, 2019 eruption of Whakaari and beginning in 2020 up to today, COVID-19. Our collective approach with manaakitanga and aroha ki te tangata ensured that residents in our rohe, our manuhiri and the most vulnerable of our Iwi were cared for in times of extreme uncertainty. We have and continue to participate in multiple legal matters including our opposition to the Creswell (Nongfu) water bottling consent, and Marine and Coastal Title applications by other Iwi, and advocating for the protection of our taiao. We have also protected our borders and engaged with other Iwi and the Crown on proposed Tiriti o Waitangi settlements for those Iwi. These types of challenges will continue to test our unity, our resolve and our kaitiakitanga. Together we can protect our taonga, nurture our turangawaewae, and create an environment where Ngāti Awa is flourishing. We must be vigilant, and unified to preserve and enhance our taonga tuku iho.

In the 2020/2021 financial year, we started and implemented workforce programmes with Korehāhā Whakahau, and Marae renovations for twelve (12) marae. All together we have employed 59 people across these two programmes, and 45 are of Ngāti Awa descent. We have spent $597,619.16 with Ngāti Awa businesses as well.

All of these programmes meet at least four outcomes – perpetuation of our identity language and culture as Ngāti Awa, active kaitiakitanga, creating employment and a highly skilled work force. The ability for Ngāti Awa people to live and work within our rohe is achievable, with leadership and working with likeminded partners we can create the future we aspire to – Ngāti Awa people, living with and caring for our taonga for future generations. I extend my thanks to the staff of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa who have remained unwavering in their commitment to the Iwi. Thank you for all that you have and will continue to do. I am grateful to have been mentored by kaumātua within Ngāti Awa, and thank you for your time and knowledge. I also would like to thank the descendants of Ngāti Awa who have over the past five years exhausted their efforts to support, lead and represent Ngāti Awa.

Lastly, to the various governors of the Ngāti Awa Group, together with the descendants of Ngāti Awa, we have the ability to realise a positive future based on our tikanga, kawa, and our taonga tuku iho. Our future can be as bright as we decide it will be, and I look forward to seeing the next evolution of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa and it’s subsidiaries to realise our Iwi vision – Ko Ngāti Awa te toki, tē tangatanga i te rā, tē ngohengohe i te wai.

LEONIE SIMPSON Manahautū, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa