teTE KŌTUKU ko tuku N G Ā
K A U P A P A
K Ō R E R O
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N G Ā T I
T Ū W H A R E T O A
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CONTENTS Update from our Tūwharetoa entities
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Upcoming events
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Journey to the opening of Kākāhi Wharemoe
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Topia Rameka – Working for a better future for Māori
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A special showcase of Tūwharetoa waiata at Taikura 2019
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Taiopenga Festival demonstrates pride, unity and culture
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Tūwharetoa Kaumātua Dinner
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Taupō Waka Ama - Te Wheke Regatta
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Te Arawa Waka Secondary Schools’ Regional Kapa Haka competition
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Recipient of Tūwharetoa STEM scholarship
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Hole In One Cadetship programme
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Ruapehu Alpine Lifts Gondola investment
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Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board partners with Chris Jolly
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Marae Emergency Services training
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Defensive Driving course
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Completion of the Marae CPR & AED training
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New Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust website
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Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust housing update
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Tūwharetoa Community Cloud update
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Map of Lake Taupō
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Meet our staff – Tredegar Hall
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Genesis Energy – Poutū Tunnel inspection
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Applications open for Marae Rangatahi Fund
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Wastewater spill
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Contact Energy spill into Waipuwerawera
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Waikato River Monitoring Report
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Mitigation Committees
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Waihi weed management
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whakahou UPDATE F R O M
O U R
T Ū W H A R E T O A
E N T I T I E S
KO TONGARIRO TE MAUNGA KO TAUPŌ-NUI-A-TIA TE MOANA KO NGĀTI TŪWHARETOA TE IWI KO TE HEUHEU TE TANGATA TIHEI MAURI ORA!
TŪWHARETOA MĀORI TRUST BOARD
Tēnā koutou e te whānau, I write this with the knowledge it will be my last column for Te Kōtuku, while I fulfil my obligations as Deputy Chief Executive – Māori at the Department of Corrections. I look forward to reading future editions of Te Kōtuku and following the progress of Tūwharetoa. Much of the latter part of the year was absorbed by the challenges of the wastewater spill in Lake Taupō. This was a significant event for our community, and we are proud of the resilient approach we took to addressing this issue. Our environmental and cultural monitoring plan was driven by Tūwharetoa mātauranga and informing our kaitiaki about the state of the moana and awa.
Held at the Hillary Outdoors Leadership Centre, the workshop enabled us to have some productive conversations and brainstorms to take our long-term strategy to even greater heights. Our Declaratory Judgment Hearing has been moved to the first half of 2020, following delays by other parties in filing evidence. That being said, we are hopeful to have a resolution on this issue next year. The Trust Board announced the appointment of Shane Heremaia as the new Chief Executive from January – we are confident that Shane will continue the progress made to date, as well as create new opportunities for Tūwharetoa.
My sincere thanks must go to our marae and kaumātua for their leadership during this time. While the rāhui has been lifted, our work, however, does not stop there. We need to gain a thorough understanding of why this incident happened and take every step possible to ensure we do not have a repeat situation.
Thank you for your support whānau. I hope to see you at our AGM on 7 December at Wairakei Bayview Resort if you can make it.
Our Kaumātua Dinner in Taupō in October was a fantastic occasion to celebrate our elders and the work they do for Ngāti Tūwharetoa. You can see some photos of the event on pages 14 - 15.
Ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa.
Our Senior Leadership Team took part in a two-day workshop aimed at building on our collective strengths, to be a stronger, smarter, more agile and innovative leadership team.
Topia Rameka CEO
Nō reira e te whānau, kia tau ngā manaakitanga o te runga rawa ki runga ia koutou katoa, piki te kaha, piki te ora, piki te māramatanga.
whakahou TŪWHARETOA SETTLEMENT TRUST
Tēnā koutou katoa, It’s been a very busy few months for the Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust. Our new website went live in September and I encourage you to take a look at it at www.tst.maori.nz. Thank you to all involved in pulling this together. It is a great repository of information for all the mahi we are involved in. We were really pleased to announce the inaugural recipient of our TST STEM scholarship in August. This has been awarded to Shaun Toroa Te Rire McNeil, a third year University of Waikato Bachelor of Science student who plans to pursue postgraduate study as a natural products chemist. It was Shaun’s desire to make a difference in the preservation of freshwater biodiversity in Aotearoa that consolidated our Trustees’ decision to award him this scholarship. We look forward to seeing him progress in his studies and do his part to protect our whenua, awa and moana. You can read more about Shaun and this scholarship on page 25. Housing and the needs of our whānau in this space have been key items on our agenda. We sent out a survey in November to all beneficiaries so that we can better understand your needs here, and so we can come up with solutions to help address housing issues impacting our people.
We will also be liaising with other Tūwharetoa entities on this so that we can build a thorough picture of the situation. We thank you for your feedback to date and we will be reporting back to you in due course on the next steps. Marae capital grants are offered through a joint collaboration between the Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust and the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board. This is to ensure we can deliver more benefits to our members and to make it easier for our marae to apply for grants through now only needing to fill out one application form. The current funding pool is $450,000, with applications closing at the end of December. We are nearing the end of the year and we look forward to seeing you at our Annual General Meeting on 7 December at Wairakei Bayview Resort. Thank you for your support over the past few months. Nāku iti nei, nā
Greg Stebbing General Manager
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Fisheries Conference. Tā Tumu te Heuheu is also extremely pleased that Ngāti Tūwharetoa will be hosting the next conference. This conference is strategically important for us, and in particular, considering our commitment to sustainable fisheries management. You may also be aware that Te Arawa Waka negotiated for the creation of Wai Māori Trust as part of the Māori Fisheries Settlement. You can read more about this conference here: www.waimaori.conference.maori.nz/
NGĀTI TŪWHARETOA FISHERIES CHARITABLE TRUST
Tēnā koutou katoa, It’s great to read this issue of Te Kōtuku and see all that we have achieved as a collective. Our investment in the RAL Gondola is performing well and we were pleased to celebrate its opening in July. This investment is one for Tūwharetoa and presents an opportunity for us to be more involved with the maunga. Our desire is to be even more actively involved in the longer term. You can read more about this on page 32. Our Board has updated our Strategic Plan, and introduced a fourth strategic focus area – sustainable fisheries. Our goals are ambitious, but crucial. We will be taking a committed look at how we can support sustainable fisheries management with our partners and subsidiaries; collaborate more on protecting freshwater species; and respond effectively to the impacts of climate change. Twenty-two out of 58 native freshwater fish species in Taupō are endangered. We want to make sure we are doing our part to combat the challenges and improve our resilience to the impacts of climate change. I look forward to formally presenting our updated Strategic Plan, and our work programme for 2020 to you at our Annual General Meeting on 8 April. I was privileged and humbled to accept the mauri stone/tono for the 2021 Te Wai Māori Freshwater
It was great to also celebrate the opening of Kākāhi Wharemoe in June. NTCFT were pleased to be able to offer our support by providing fish for the event to feed whānau. Read more about this on page 8. This year, we were pleased to host four Marae from Kawerau and Whakatāne at the annual Kaumātua Dinner. Thank you to Ngāti Tūwharetoa (BOP) Settlement Trust who assisted with co-ordination and transport for Kaumātua from Hahuru, Oniao, Umutahi and Tohia o te Rangi Marae. Read more about this special event on page 13. We are doing some mahi around new grants for next year to benefit our Tūwharetoa whānau. Stay tuned for updates on this. Lastly, I wish Topia all the best in his new role. We have valued his contribution and we have worked well together on a number of projects. Our joint database system is one of the many examples of success that we have achieved through collaboration. Our ultimate goal is always to make things easier for our members and we hope to continue the theme of collaboration with our Tūwharetoa entities into the future. Thank you for all your support this year, whānau. I look forward to seeing you all at our NTFCT AGM next year. Nāku iti nei, nā
Danny Loughlin General Manager
UPCOMING EVENTS N G Ā
K A U P A P A
W H Ā I N G A
DECEMBER 2019
Hakihea
JANUARY 2020
Kohi-ta-tea
TMTB & TST Annual General Meetings 7 December, Wairakei Resort Taupō Ironman 70.3 7 December, Tongariro North Domain Tūrangi Christmas in the Park 14 December, Tūrangi Tūwharetoa Marae Sports Challenge 3 January, Tūrangi 2020 Epic Swim 11 January, Lake Taupō Rātana Celebration 24 January, Rātana Pā Taupō Summer Concert (sold out) 25 January, Riverside Park & Union Amphitheatre
FEBRUARY 2020
Waitangi Taupō Moana 2020 6 February, Riverside Park, Amphitheatre, Taupō Taupō Great Lake Relay 15 February, Taupō Across the Lake Swim 29 February, Lake Taupō
MARCH 2020
IronKidz Taupō 1 March, Lake Taupō Ironman New Zealand 7 March, Tongariro North Domain IronMāori TAUPŌ-NUI-A-TIA 21 March, Lake Taupō Yacht Club eventfinda.co.nz/venue/lake-taupo-yacht-club
Hui-tanguru
Poutu--te-rangi
APRIL 2020
Paenga-wha-wha-
Taupō Home & Garden Show 3 April, Taupō Ngāti Tūwharetoa Fisheries Charitable Trust AGM 8 April, Taupō Lake Rotoaira Fishing Competition 10 April, Lake Rotoaira
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KO TŪWHARETOA TE IWI, KO NGĀTI MANUNUI TE HAPŪ, KO KĀKĀHI TE MARAE, KO TAUMAIHIORONGO TE WHAREPUNI, KO RANGIATEA TE WHAREKAI, KO MATAREHUA TE WHAREMOE In 2013, Kākāhi Marae celebrated its centenary. With the assistance of the Marae Development Programme under Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust, the Marae was able to complete the rebuild of the Rangiātea and build new ablutions. The long-term vision was eventually to build a new Wharemoe. Up until then, Kākāhi Marae had the capacity to sleep 30 people. This meant that for any hui or tangihanga, whānau either had to travel to and from Taumarunui, or in some cases other, bigger marae had to be considered by Kākāhi whānau. July 2017 Kākāhi Marae Trustees began the project plan for the construction of a new Wharemoe. It would take 12 months for compliance and consents processes with the Ruapehu District Council to be completed. These initial costs were met by the Marae Trustees. By the time funders were approached, the project was already at a ‘ready to build’ stage. July – October 2018 The final comprehensive development plan was presented to hapū to complete the requirements for the project application. Applications were then submitted to Oranga Marae. To fulfil the criteria for bulk funding under the Oranga Marae scheme, the hapū had to identify a cultural development plan to be included in future applications. This included Wānanga and succession planning. Funding applications were also sent to the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board. November 2018 Kākāhi Marae Trustees were successful with both funding applications, receiving $274,000 from Oranga Marae, and $10,000 from the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board. February 2019 The site was blessed, and construction began. 23 June 2019 Iwi, hapū and whānau gathered in darkness before the rising sun to perform the Kāwai Ruruku for the Tūwheratanga of the new Wharemoe. ‘Ko wai, ko wai te whare e tū nei Ko Matarehua, ko Matarehua!’ A huge thank you must go to all the whānau who dedicated their time and experience to bring the project to completion. We were also lucky to have whānau experienced in commercial construction and project management who were available to assist the Kākāhi Marae Trustees to meet all milestones in planning the project. Sadly, we also acknowledge the passing of Arron Tahi Iwikau. Tahi was Chairman of the Marae and was instrumental in not only steering this project, but also led all aspects of upholding the mana and the mauri of Kākāhi Marae. Months after the opening, he was tragically taken from us. His loss will be felt by all for a long time to come. E te Rangatira e Tahi, kei te tangi tonu te ngākau kua riro koe i a mātou, o hapū, o Marae, o whānau katoa. E kore mātou e warewaretia.
MATAREHUA, WHAREMOE.
NEW DECK AREA.
LEFT TO RIGHT: ARRON TAHI IWIKAU AND HIS WHÄ€NAU HEENI, HOOK, CHANNEY, DAVID, ANA AND JANE.
TOPIA RAMEKA W O R K I N G
F O R
Topia Rameka has been the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board CEO since 2015. From 7 October, he took up a secondment opportunity as the inaugural Deputy Chief Executive – Māori at the Department of Corrections for a period of three years. Topia will be responsible for leading and implementing the Department of Corrections Hōkai Rangi strategy, the new mātua strategy for how the Government looks to address, and break, the cycle of Māori reoffending and imprisonment. Topia has provided strong leadership and commercial acumen to the Trust Board during his time as CEO, leading a very capable team that has gone from strength to strength and recorded some considerable achievements over that time. “The last few years have been significant. We have grown and developed to ensure we are fit for purpose, can provide stability for our iwi and continue to deliver a range of services to our people. We’ve created an awesome, highly capable and reliable team of kaimahi to support
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our kaupapa and who work tirelessly to see our iwi aspirations achieved,” says Topia. Topia notes that through a deliberate strategy of having a greater control and authority of Lake Taupō, and by taking up strategic opportunities, the Trust Board has grown its asset base significantly and negotiated important commercial opportunities over Lake Taupō from which to springboard. “I have been very proud to be part of a team that has a strong reputation for the quality of mahi we do and our strength of character in standing up for what’s right,” said Topia. “During this time, we have navigated challenges and pressures, whilst maintaining the tautoko that our people have in the Trust Board.” In his new role, Topia looks forward to contributing to a major area impacting Māori across Aotearoa, and in doing so, tackling the overrepresentation of Māori in our prisons, and reversing the status quo across several statistics relating to Māori in this area.
F O R
M Ā O R I
Despite his new role at the Department of Corrections, Topia will still be involved in the mahi of the Trust Board in an advisory capacity and he remains committed to supporting our kaupapa – Mahi Rangatira ki te Iwi. “I hope to see Ngāti Tūwharetoa further succeed, and for our whānau to continue to benefit from the variety of programmes and benefits the Trust Board and associated Tūwharetoa entities offer,” says Topia. “I thank Ngāti Tūwharetoa for their vote of confidence in me during my time as CEO. It is a privilege to have done the mahi on your behalf, and to have worked with our committed team to ensure Tūwharetoa goes from strength to strength.” “I also give huge thanks to my whānau for their continuous support over the years, in what has been a very demanding role with much time away from home – te mauruuru nei au.” We wish Topia all the best in his new journey and we thank him for his dedicated service to Ngāti Tūwharetoa.
“THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRESS ARE THERE FOR THOSE WHO WILL GRASP THEM AND WHO, BY INDIVIDUAL EFFORT AND DETERMINATION, TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THEM. THEY WILL BE HELPED BY STABILIT Y OF CHARACTER, LEVEL-HEADEDNESS, AND THE WISE GUIDANCE OF HONEST AND CONSCIENTIOUS LEADERS WHO HAVE THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE AT HEART.” EXTRACT FROM TŪWHARETOA BY JOHN TE H. GRACE.
A SPECIAL SHOWCASE
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“TAIKURA KAPA HAKA HAS BEEN RECOGNISED AS A PL ATFORM FOR IWI TO PROMOTE WAIATA THAT BEST REFLECT THEIR RESPECTIVE REGION, A MEANS FOR TRADITIONAL WAIATA TO THRIVE.”
Matariki is a time of renewal and celebration that begins with the rising of the Matariki star cluster heralding the Māori New Year. To celebrate this special occasion, the annual Taikura event was held at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington, where a haka stage was reserved for kaumātua throughout the country. Ngā Taikura o Ngāti Tūwharetoa are a kapa of more than 40 kaihaka made up of Tūwharetoa Kaumātua who have been performing together for two years. They are no strangers to the Taikura stage as this is the second time they have performed at this event. Held from Saturday 22 to Sunday 23 June, the event saw groups representing iwi throughout the motu, including te haukāinga, Te Upoko o te Ika, Ngāti Kahungunu, Tauranga Moana, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti
Hauā and Taranaki ki te Tonga, to name a few. All groups performed twice over the two-day celebration of haka and waiata from around Aotearoa. The auditorium was full of Ngāti Tūwharetoa supporters, including those who had travelled down from home, and our whānau who live in Pōneke, Wellington. The MC Mabel Wharekawa-Burt introduced Te Taikura o Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and paid homage to Te Kīngitanga and Te Whare Ariki o te Heuheu. Matua Tuatea Smallman gave a short mihi before the kapa opened their performance with the Tūwharetoa classic “Kua tae mai nei mātou”. Ngā Taikura o Ngāti Tūwharetoa rocked the stage to showcase and perform waiata special to ngā uri whakatipu o Ngāti Tūwharetoa.
Taikura Kapa Haka has been recognised as a platform for iwi to promote waiata that best reflect their respective region, a means for traditional waiata to thrive. Our Tūwharetoa kapa took full advantage of this, singing waiata that represent our rohe “Ko Tongariro te maunga, ko Taupō te moana”, and anthems such as “Nōu nei te reo” and te haka “Tuwhare”. There were wonderful moments of nostalgia and creativity with beautiful singing, long poi choreography and smooth kanikani moves to boot. On the Sunday our kapa gave a near flawless performance before returning to te haukāinga on Monday. If you missed out on the performances, they are still available for viewing online via the Te Papa website and Facebook page. E kore e kore, he rawe tēnei kaupapa mō ngā kaumātua katoa. N O V E M B E R
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te ahurei
TAIOPENGA FESTIVAL D E M O N S T R A T E S
P R I D E ,
The Tūwharetoa Taiopenga Festival continues to grow and thrive with Tūwharetoatanga pride and unity on full display at this year’s celebration. 2019 saw a record total of 77 rōpū perform Kapa Haka over three days from 17 to 19 September. This celebration of Tūwharetoa culture continues to be a cornerstone event providing the ideal platform for all haka enthusiasts to take to the stage to showcase their skills in Māori performing arts. Whānau of all ages and ethnicities took to the stage, from our tamaiti nohinohi in Kōhanga Reo and early childhood centres, to our Tūwharetoa Taikura Kapa consisting of Kaumātua. Waiata and haka rippled through the Taupō Events Centre as the region’s rangatahi exhibited their love for Māori performing arts. Ngā kura ā iwi o Ngāti Tūwharetoa qualified for the National Secondary Schools’ Kapa Haka Competition and clearly showed us why with a riveting performance. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakarewa i te reo ki Tūwharetoa caught the crowd’s attention when water from the Hue they were holding showered the stage as they emphasised the importance of our main water sources in Ngāti Tūwharetoa, and our role as kaitiaki.
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Audience members were entranced by the fierce haka of Te Āwhiorangi, as well as the multi-layered harmonies of senior group Te Ahi Tipua. Kaiwhakahaere Henerata Ham believes the goal is to have all schools participate in next year’s festival: “Tokorima o rātou, kāore anō kia tū”. She was also impressed with the calibre of performances: “Kua hikina te kounga o ngā mahi haka.” The Festival is also Para Kore – where waste is sorted there so that as little as possible goes to landfill. This is a dedicated programme of work aimed at supporting community events to reduce waste and educate whānau on recycling and reducing plastic use. Kapa Haka is the cornerstone of Te Taiopenga o Ngāti Tūwharetoa, but the event also includes plenty of kai, including Keto friendly options. Tūwharetoa Health were present promoting suicide awareness among our rangatahi, the Trust Board sold merchandise, Te Tari o Te Ariki promoted registrations for the Tūwharetoa Kura Reo, and the Kaumātua area was very popular.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO: • THE RINGAWERA WHO KEPT OUR KAUMĀTUA COMFORTABLE AND WELL FED. • ORGANISERS TE KURA O HĪRANGI WHO CONTINUE TO SEEK NEW AND INNOVATIVE WAYS TO PROMOTE THE FESTIVAL. • AUDIO VISUAL PEOPLE WHO PROVIDED THE SOUND SYSTEM, BIG SCREENS AND LIVESTREAM. • WHĀNAU SECURIT Y FOR KEEPING OUR WHĀNAU SAFE. • TŪWHARETOA FM WHO BROADCAST THE EVENT LIVE ON AIR. • THE STUDENTS OF TE KURA O HĪRANGI WHO ASSISTED WITH MC DUTIES.
NEI RĀ TE MIHI KI A KOUTOU KATOA. WITH CONTINUED SUPPORT FROM THE IWI, THIS EVENT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT MILESTONE FOR TŪWHARETOA LONG INTO THE FUTURE.
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TŪWHARETOA K A U M Ā T U A
D I N N E R
Another successful Tūwharetoa Kaumātua Dinner was held at the Great Lake Centre, Taupō on 12 October with more than 400 kaumātua in attendance, representing 34 marae. The event is a joint initiative between the Trust Board, Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust (TST) and the Ngāti Tūwharetoa Fisheries Charitable Trust (NTFCT). This year NTFCT funded our Tūwharetoa Ki Kawerau Marae (Hahuru, Oniao, Umutahi and Tohia o te Rangi) to attend. The event is to celebrate and acknowledge our Kaumātua who uphold the tikanga and kawa of our marae. Our marae nominate their Kaumātua to attend. It’s a night where our Kaumātua are the focus and they get to catch up with whānau and friends and have a good time. As always, our Kaumātua looked amazing! ‘Elegance’ characterised the night with a black and gold colour theme, star lanterns on the roof and crystal glass chandeliers. The beautiful harakeke flower table centrepieces lit by fairy lights were designed by Paretuiri Simeon, our whanaunga from Korohe. The evening kicked off with an introduction from the MCs, Trust Board CEO Topia Rameka, and TST Chairman Rakeipoho Taiaroa, who entertained our Kaumātua throughout the night with waiata and jokes. Our Tūwharetoa Pakeke group (kapa haka), led by Les Owens also entertained us and had Kaumātua join in. The Brown Brothers and their Motown Band, led by Russell Harrison had our Kaumātua take to the dance floor on the first song. Each year, our Kaumātua are gifted a small token of appreciation - this year they received a hot/cold vacuum drink bottle which supports our Para Kore Marae initiatives. Tūwharetoa Ki Kawerau thanked the sponsors and organisers: “Our Kaumātua had an awesome time and they were so boogied out, the bus was very quiet on the way home! Staff looked after everyone and the night was just awesome!” We’d like to give our special thanks to all those involved in making the evening a success and sharing in the whanaungatanga and manaakitanga of the night. Ngā mihi to all our Kaumātua who make it so special.
“OUR KAUMĀTUA HAD AN AWESOME TIME AND THEY WERE SO BOOGIED OUT, THE BUS WAS VERY QUIET ON THE WAY HOME! STAFF LOOKED AFTER EVERYONE AND THE NIGHT WAS JUST AWESOME!”
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TAUPŌ WAKA AMA T E
W H E K E
R E G A T T A
On Saturday 13 April, the Taupō Waka Ama Club hosted their annual ‘Te Wheke Challenge’ regatta, launching from the Yacht Club beachfront area. The event attracted 282 competitors comprising of 47 teams from all over Te Ika a Māui. The event had three races: Race 1 (21 km) - Mens W6 (made up of crews in the Open Mens and Master Mens categories) with 17 teams competing. Race 2 (7 km) - Novice and Junior W6 crews, with 15 teams entered. Race 3 (21 km) - Womens and Mixed W6 crew, with 15 teams (made up of crews in Open Womens, Master Womens, Open Mixed, Senior Masters Mixed and Golden Masters Mix – with two of their paddlers over 70 years old). The weather conditions in the first race were relatively good with only few a small waves in Tapuaeharuru Bay. These however got bigger beyond Rangatira point to the rock carvings with large swells and wind flipping a few waka. Throughout the day, the weather conditions continued to bring stronger wind and waves. Out of concern for people’s safety, race officials changed the distance and route for Race 3 from 21km to 18km, by-passing the leg to the rock carvings, and turning off at Rangatira point and heading straight to Wharewaka point. Taupō Waka Ama crews were well-represented in the regatta with teams entered in all races. Taupō Waka Bros (Taupō Open Mens crew) finished second overall in their race and second in their category coming in approximately 1 minute 20 seconds behind a very sharp Haeata Mens’ crew from Napier, who won the race overall and the Open Mens’ category. The Taupō Senior Masters Mixed team – ‘Tia’ – came third in their race with a time of 1.38.30 winning the Senior Masters Mixed category.
Taupō Waka Ama Club is always open to new members and after daylight savings will be practising Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5.30pm, and Saturdays at 9am, from the Waka Club on Ferry Road. On 16 November, Taupō Waka Ama in partnership with the Trust Board held ‘Te Hokinga ki te Wai – Return to the Water’, a community and corporate regatta to encourage the wider community to reconnect to Lake Taupō.
For more information, please email: taupowakaamaclub@gmail.com or info@tuwharetoa.co.nz
OPEN MENS TEAM FROM TAUPŌ WAKA AMA, TAUPŌ WAKA BROS (TWB) REACHING THE HALF WAY POINT AT THE ROCK CARVINGS.
TWB ON THE HOMESTRETCH TO TWO MILE BAY.
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TE ARAWA WAKA S E C O N D A R Y K A P A H A K A
S C H O O L S ’ R E G I O N A L C O M P E T I T I O N
More than 3,000 spectators took to the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua for the bi-annual Te Arawa Waka secondary schools regional Kapa Haka competition. Months of hard work and wānanga came to a head as a total of 10 kapa, mai Maketū ki Tongariro, battled it out to be crowned Te Arawa Waka regional champions. Tūwharetoa supporters celebrated three groups at this year’s competition: Te Āwhiorangi from Taupō nui a Tia college; Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Te Puku o Te Ika ā Māui, a kapa that includes students from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakarewa i te reo ki Tūwharetoa; and Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Ngāti Tūwharetoa, consisting of kaihaka from both Te Kura o Hīrangi and Te Kura o Ngāpuke.
All three rōpū showcased their unique talents, and at times, varying interpretation of Kapa Haka, including a solid ‘no-nonsense’ approach with strong haka foundations, an unwavering consistency onstage across all items from Te Puku, and a high falsetto in the Poi and raw power in the haka from Te Āwhiorangi. Te Kura ā Iwi o Ngāti Tūwharetoa brought a unique flare to their performance with a few risks that proved to have the judges on side. The goal for rōpū at regionals this year is to finish within the top four in order to qualify for the Secondary Schools Nationals in 2020. Aramoana Mohi-Maxwell, a member of the organising committee, commented in the Rotorua Daily Post that the competition was a chance for Māori students
“AS THEIR TUTORS, WE CAN’T HELP BUT BE PROUD OF OUR RANGATAHI, AND WE’RE HUMBLED TO BE ONE OF FOUR RŌPŪ REPRESENTING TE ARAWA WAKA AT THE NATIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS’ KAPA HAKA COMPETITION.”
to show who they were. She highly commended the hard work that had been put in by the schools: “It’s about pride in being Māori, and being Te Arawa”. Ngā Kura ā-Iwi o Tūwharetoa Kaihaka Waipapakura Bailey was ecstatic at the announcement that they had made it to the nationals before reality sunk in: “I was so happy we got through, until I realised that we have to train more for nationals”. Tutor Flavian Kingi was really pleased with how the kapa represented Tūwharetoa: “As their tutors, we can’t help but be proud of our rangatahi, and we’re humbled to be one of four rōpū representing Te Arawa Waka at the National Secondary Schools’ Kapa Haka competition.”
A big congratulations to all four kapa. We look forward to seeing you represent Te Arawa Waka at the National Secondary Schools’ Kapa Haka Nationals in 2020.
1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH
Raukura Te Wharekura o Nga-ti Rongomai Nga- Kura Kaupapa Ma-ori o Te Puku o Te Ika a- Ma-ui Nga- Kura a--Iwi o Tu-wharetoa N O V E M B E R
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karahipi
STEM SCHOLARSHIP R E C I P I E N T S E T S S I G H T S O N F R E S H W A T E R B I O D I V E R S I T Y
P R O T E C T I N G
A desire to protect and enhance the quality of the awa and moana of Aotearoa is the driving force behind the recipient of the inaugural Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust (TST) STEM scholarship. Third year University of Waikato Bachelor of Science student Shaun Toroa Te Rire McNeil is the first rangatahi awarded a $10,000 grant to further his development in his focus area of cellular and molecular biology and chemistry. Shaun, whose whakapapa is to Ngāti Turangitukua and Hīrangi Marae, plans to pursue postgraduate study as a natural products chemist upon attaining his degree. A genuine desire to make a difference in the preservation of freshwater biodiversity in Aotearoa made him stand out as the successful scholarship recipient. Natural product chemistry is an area that provides practical applications to support the sustainability of waterways. Shaun will be able to look at what biomolecular pathways our native species use to survive, learn where they may be vulnerable to attack, and then develop ways to protect them. When a river becomes polluted and the life within it begins to struggle, science will look for the specific biomolecular pathway that is affected by the pollution and find ways to protect them while work is done to stop the pollution. TST Chairman Rakeipoho Taiaroa said that the Trustees were impressed with Shaun’s dedication to an area of science that is important to our people. “The awa and moana are fundamental to our way of life and protecting the biodiversity of our waterways is key to ensuring they stay healthy for future generations to enjoy and we are thrilled to be able to support Shaun in his studies,” said Rakei. Shaun notes his thanks to the Trust for awarding him the grant. “It feels great knowing that my iwi supports my studies. University life can be very busy and difficult, so help like this can make it all a bit easier and lets me focus on learning,” said Shaun. “I hope to make everyone proud and do my part towards protecting the whenua, awa and moana.”
AS PART OF ITS COMMITMENT TO PROMOTING AND ADVANCING THE EDUCATIONAL ASPIRATIONS OF ITS PEOPLE, TST ACKNOWLEDGES THE IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) IN THE FUTURE OF THE IWI AND THE COUNTRY. THE TST STEM SCHOL ARSHIPS ARE OPEN TO REGISTERED MEMBERS OF THE IWI WHO RESIDE IN AOTEAROA AND ARE IN THEIR THIRD YEAR OR HIGHER OF UNIVERSIT Y STUDY. APPLICATIONS OPENED ON 1 NOVEMBER.
SHAUN TOROA TE RIRE MCNEIL
HOLE IN ONE C A D E T S H I P
TE ARIHI LEAF
P R O G R A M M E
Te Arihi Leaf, of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, is the first cadet to complete the Lake Taupō Hole In One Cadetship Programme and is in the final stages of achieving an NZQA Level 3 Tourism Visitor Experience Certificate through Service IQ. The cadetship programme is part of the Te Puni Kōkiri Cadetship Initiative Fund that supports businesses to hire Māori rangatahi between the ages of 16-22 years, in a full-time position with a structured and tailored mentoring programme with NZQA qualification advancement. The goal is to enable Māori to achieve their potential in the workplace
and where whānau become more resilient, wealthier and better connected to the labour market. Operations Manager Renée Kiwi said the initiative aligns well with TMTB’s core values and business strategy by utilising Hole In One as a vehicle to employ Māori in tourism while they get qualified on the job. “I am proud of the achievements of Te Arihi. She has shown commitment and selfdetermination to complete the cadetship programme and I believe that she will be a great role model for our future cadets that we employ,” said Renée.
Lake Taupō Hole In One turned twenty-six on Labour weekend, while November marks the second anniversary since the Iwi purchased the business in 2017. The business performs exceptionally well and growth aspirations on the horizon mean a stable and future-proof business model for Hole In One and Māori tourism in the region. “I AM PROUD OF THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF TE ARIHI. SHE HAS SHOWN COMMITMENT AND SELF-DETERMINATION TO COMPLETE THE CADETSHIP PROGRAMME.” N O V E M B E R
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maunga RUAPEHU A P L I N E
L I F T S
G O N D O L A
I N V E S T M E N T
On 26 July, we were pleased to all come together to celebrate the opening of the Ruapehu Alpine Lifts (RAL) Sky Waka. The special event saw more than 300 guests come together including local iwi, DOC, Councils, staff and suppliers.
While there were a number of closed dates over the winter season, the business case allowed for this. We were conscious to ensure that our pūtea is invested wisely, and this investment guarantees us some safe returns.
The event was a special acknowledgement of the many years of work that went into the creation of the $25 million gondola, which has replaced the chairlift between the Top of the Bruce and Knoll Ridge café.
We are also confident that our strong and direct relationships with the various partners involved in the RAL Gondola will ensure benefits for Tūwharetoa well into the future.
Eight Ngāti Tūwharetoa commercial entities, which form the Tūwharetoa Gondola Limited Partnership, today collectively hold $9.5 million of bonds in the new Mt Ruapehu RAL Sky Waka Gondola. The bond holding ensures a guaranteed minimum return and a share in the upside of any increase in passenger numbers.
Year-to-date visitation Since its opening, the Sky Waka has seen 18,000 paying sightseeing customers, in addition to the traditional winter visitors comprising of day skiers/ snowboarders, season and life pass holders.
The opening of the Sky Waka is a significant milestone and creates opportunities for Ngāti Tūwharetoa to have more involvement with the mahi around this important maunga in our rohe. Performance to date So far the investment is performing well. This is despite some challenging weather conditions over the past few months, including the second warmest July weather on record, and then storm cycle after storm cycle, and significant rime ice.
RAL is forecasting approximately 44,000 sightseeing visitors by the end of November 2019. Currently there is an average of 402 sightseeing visitors per open day, a great result for this new feature to the maunga. Looking ahead We are committed to working with all partners to seek out opportunities for further, more active involvement long-term. We look forward to providing you with more detail on this investment at upcoming AGMs.
WE ARE CONFIDENT THAT OUR STRONG AND DIRECT REL ATIONSHIPS WITH THE VARIOUS PARTNERS INVOLVED IN THE RAL GONDOL A WILL ENSURE BENEFITS FOR TŪWHARETOA WELL INTO THE FUTURE.
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TŪWHARETOA MĀORI T BOARD PARTNERSHIP W I T H
C H R I S
J O L L Y
O U T D O O R S
KARAKIA LED BY OUR KAUMĀTUA FOR OUR JOINT VENTURE WITH CHRIS JOLLY OUTDOORS.
On 30 August the Trust Board, through its company Taupō Moana Group Holdings Ltd, entered into a partnership with the region’s premier outdoor experience operator Chris Jolly Outdoors. The acquisition supports the Board’s strategic aspirations to be more actively involved on our taonga, Lake Taupō. Chris Jolly Outdoors has been a successful tourism operator on Lake Taupō for four decades. Set on and around the lake, in a location that represents the rich cultural heritage of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Chris Jolly Outdoors boasts an array of offerings; from scenic cruises on Lake Taupō, private charters and corporate functions to hunting and fishing trips, with some of the region’s most experienced guides.
Ultimately, the desire of Tūwharetoa is to have a stronger Māori offering on Lake Taupō whilst providing benefit to our people in the form of employment opportunities. This announcement came at a time when tourism in the region is showing significant growth year on year. May 2019 data from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment reported the region as the top performer nationally, with total visitor expenditure for the region up eight per cent to $679 million, compared with national growth of four per cent. Simon Jolly said he is thrilled to be able to bring the family business into the Ngāti Tūwharetoa whānau.
“Our experience in the tourism industry, coupled with the rich history and passion of the Iwi for this lake, will help us enhance our already significant offering,” he said. “The ability to deliver authentic Māori offerings, including guided hunting experiences, will allow visitors to establish a deeper connection with the region.” Chris Jolly Outdoors was established in 1989 and is the largest outdoor tourism activities provider in the Taupō District. Gold Qualmarked with a summer staff of 25 and 20 contractors, they provide activities such as private charters, scenic cruises, guided biking, hiking, flyfishing and hunting. An exclusive relationship with Huka Lodge and more than 200 wholesalers worldwide, the company is motivated to develop cultural tourism locally.
he noho
TRUST
To start to work on this vision, the partnership has joined forces with Te Puni Kōkiri, to hire four Māori cadets to assist in our mahi in this space over summer. The programme provides a free NZQA educational pathway, alongside full-time employment. The four Tūwharetoa cadets will be employed for a six-month period and specialise in tourism with their studies. They will be mentored by people within the business and learn many aspects of Chris Jolly Outdoors’ operations. The goal for the cadets is to also strengthen their te reo Māori during this time. Following the cadetship, they will have the option to move on to further education, or employment within the industry.
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“ULTIMATELY, THE DESIRE OF TŪWHARETOA IS TO HAVE A STRONGER MĀORI OFFERING ON L AKE TAUPŌ WHILST PROVIDING BENEFIT TO OUR PEOPLE IN THE FORM OF EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES.”
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HEEMI BIDDLE AND TAKATARAKA LOUGHLIN.
MARAE E M E R G E N C Y
S E R V I C E S
The first Marae Emergency Services Training was held at Papakai Marae on Saturday 11 May. This was a full-day workshop with Fire and Emergency NZ, Waihereora Ltd and Civil Defence delivering emergency training to prepare our marae as first responders and to take charge in the early stages of an emergency or natural disaster. More than 20 representatives from Papakai, Otūkou, Hikairo ki Te Rena and Mokai Marae attended the training. The focus was on encouraging and teaching our marae to take on the leadership role until the emergency services arrive. These included the responsibilities of the Medical, Civil and Fire Wardens. Waihereora Ltd provided Mass Casualty Training where marae learned about the essential information to pass onto emergency services in a major event, setting up a casualty collection point and the triage of patients. The group identified the challenges our marae face in emergencies, including poor phone reception, assessing the situation, decision-making and delegating roles and responsibility.
T R A I N I N G
Fire and Emergency NZ talked about fire safety, awareness and evacuation. This included fire extinguisher training where our marae learnt to use the different types of extinguishers to put out a small fire in a controlled environment. Following an unexpected fire drill, it was identified that marae should include regular fire drills as part of their monthly routine, so they are well prepared if an actual fire was to occur. Civil Defence covered ‘Marae Preparedness’ and demonstrated the importance and cost-effective way of preparing survival kits. Participants learned about how to set up their marae and what resources are needed. It was also identified that every marae and individual should have a pre-packed bag of necessary items that is ready to ‘grab-and-go’ in an emergency or natural disaster. In the afternoon, Fire and Emergency Services NZ initiated a surprise disaster scenario. The scenario was used to assess reaction times and provide participants with an opportunity to use the skills they learned in the morning session. Thank you to all who took part and helped facilitate this important exercise.
MARAE REPRESENTATIVES DURING THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER TRAINING DEMONSTRATION AT PAPAKAI MARAE.
TRUST BOARD STAFF LEARNING ENGINE TRICKS.
motoka DEFENSIVE D R I V I N G
C O U R S E
Imagine a world with zero-harm on our roads and where vehicle accidents became a thing of the past. On 10 July, our staff undertook a Driver Training programme with TrackTime Driving Academy to enhance their driver skills.
Advanced safety technologies helped staff realise this vision, with intelligent systems designed to reduce the risk of accidents, by maximising the range of conditions on which a vehicle can be safety operated. These technologies perform at their best when paired with safe driving practices and good decision-making to assist drivers in recognising potential hazards and minimising the severity of accidents when they are unavoidable. Getting your driver’s licence is the last driver training most people do. TrackTime’s own statistics show that those who have undergone its driver training courses have fewer accidents, causing less damage and resulting in fewer insurance claims for their companies.
KIM READY TO ROLL.
Key training on the day included driving the office cars and understanding their capabilities, developing control of the car, driving safely in slippery conditions, learning skid recovery and developing better understanding of defensive driving principles. All staff enjoyed the practical side of getting on the driving track and being able to test their skills in a safe environment. Staff completed the training feeling considerably more confident as drivers and safer on our busy Aotearoa roads.
TIME TRIALS.
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whakaora COMPLETION O F
M A R A E
C P R
T큰wharetoa M훮ori Trust Board partnered with Waihereora Ltd and Monash University recently to deliver free Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training to 26 T큰wharetoa marae. When a cardiac arrest occurs on our marae or in the surrounding community, the location of T큰wharetoa marae from ambulance stations and hospitals leads to significant delays in emergency treatment. The Trust Board and Waihereora Ltd recognise the
A N D
A E D
T R A I N I N G
importance of providing marae with an AED and associated training to increase the chances of survival while waiting for emergency services to arrive. In 2016, the pilot programme was delivered to eight marae, and a further 14 marae were trained in 2017 and 2018.
This year, the final four marae Kauriki, Hikairo ki Te Rena, Te Tikanga and Te Haroto Marae - were trained. As part of the programme, participants also completed a
refresher course before receiving a free AED and storage cabinet worth more than $2,000 for their respective marae. Marae are reminded to do a monthly AED and First Aid Kit check and to practise regularly to ensure the information is retained. The Trust Board would like to acknowledge the trainers, Teresa Chapman and Janet Curtis of Waihereora Ltd for the tremendous work they did with our marae in preparing and training them for an emergency event.
A GREAT TURNOUT FROM TE TIKANGA MARAE WHO RECEIVED A DEFIBRILL ATOR AFTER THEIR TRAINING IN JULY.
TE HAROTO MARAE PICTURED WITH THEIR DEFIBRILL ATOR AFTER COMPLETING THE CPR & AED TRAINING IN AUGUST.
A COMBINED TRAINING WITH HIKAIRO KI TE RENA AND KAURIKI MARAE. BOTH RECEIVED A DEFIBRILL ATOR.
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WEBSITE LIVE N E W T Ū W H A R E T O A W E B S I T E I S L I V E !
S E T T L E M E N T
T R U S T
If you’ve visited the TST website lately, you’ll notice it is sporting a fresh look and new content that better reflects TST’s mahi and kaupapa today. Launched in September, the new website is a repository for all the information you need on TST. We encourage you to check it out now and read about our marae and hapū, available grants and scholarships, TST’s organisational structure, and Strategic Plan through to 2020. You can also update your details and register through the site. Visit www.tst.maori.nz
TŪWHARETOA SETTLEMENT TRUST H O U S I N G
U P D A T E
Housing is an area impacting many of our Tūwharetoa whānau. TST recently conducted a survey amongst its registered beneficiaries to enable it to more fully understand whānau needs in relation to housing and what their expectations are in this space. TST General Manager Greg Stebbing says whānau feedback will help inform TST’s mahi over the coming months. “We have received some great feedback over the past few weeks, which has built our understanding
of the precise needs of whānau when it comes to housing, including factors relating to tenure types, volume, location and affordability,” says Greg. “At the same time, we are undertaking detailed assessments of what other iwi are doing in housing, including an exploration of Papakāinga housing models and implications of leasehold versus freehold land, and we are also discussing with other interested Tūwharetoa entities on this.” “We thank all those who participated in the survey and we look forward to communicating with you in due course on our housing plans for the future.”
TŪWHARETOA C O M M U N I T Y
C L O U D
In our previous edition of Te Kōtuku, we informed you about our new joint database for Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board (the Trust Board), Tūwharetoa Settlement Trust (TST) and Ngāti Tūwharetoa Fisheries Charitable Trust (NTFCT). It is now easier for Tūwharetoa beneficiaries to register or update their details with one or all entities. This has reduced the turnaround time for registrations, grant applications and disbursements. It also brings into line the requirements of registration for each entity aligned to the Legislation, Trust Order or Constitution. The final phase of the project was to build a community portal for our members. The Tūwharetoa Community Portal is an online platform which is open to all members who are registered with the Trust Board, TST and NTFCT.
U P D A T E
It enables members to easily access and check their own information, apply for grants, check the status of their current grant applications, check grant history, update generic details or contact us. We will be rolling this out to our members in the near future, so make sure to make the most of this tool! Accessing our Tūwharetoa Community Portal To receive access to our Tūwharetoa Community Portal, you will be sent an email with instructions on how to login. Each person who wishes to access our Community Portal must have an email address. For all new registered members, a username and password will be issued to you once your registration application has been processed and approved. For already registered members, you will receive an email with instructions on how to login.
MEET OUR STAFF T R E D E G A R
H A L L
Tredegar Rangiatea Delamere Hall has whakapapa to all of Te Hikuwai Hapū but is particularly proud of his Rauhoto-a-Tia affiliation which has seen him called upon to help at Rauhoto Marae. While at University (a few years ago) Tredegar was an intern at the Trust Board working with both Tina Porou and Topia Rameka in their younger years with the organisation. In 2012, Tredegar completed his Master’s Thesis entitled ‘Restoring the flow: Challenging the existing management frameworks to integrate Mātauranga Māori’. His thesis focused on water management and the Waikato River and co-management agreement as a case study at the time of its development. Not long after graduating, Tredegar worked with the Trust Board before embarking on his tipi haere ki tāwahi (OE) which he describes as “an accidental five-year intrepid travel experience”. He first headed to London where he worked in the New Zealand embassy and also became one of the kaiāwhina and leaders of Ngāti Rānana (the London Māori Club). This saw him perform kapa haka and teach te reo and haka workshops throughout Europe.
tu taki Some of his London highlights include performing haka with Jonah Lomu and the All Blacks at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, performing in Iraq, being selected as a New Zealand representative at Commonwealth Day and the 33fifty Commonwealth Youth Leadership Conference, and representing the UK at Rio in the 2014 Waka Ama World Sprint Championship.
After his time in London, he volunteered and backpacked throughout Europe, the Middle East and South East Asia, swam in the River Nile and climbed Mt Sinai in Egypt, trained horses and did sword fighting in Switzerland, hiked to Mt Everest Basecamp in Nepal and lived in an Ashram (temple) in India. Tredegar now returns to the Trust Board working with the Ngā Kaihautu o te Awa (Waikato River Committee), an opportunity to reapply and refresh his Master’s study.
ON HORSEBACK TO THE EGYPTIAN PYRAMIDS OF GIZA.
TREDEGAR PERFORMING THE HAKA WITH ALL BL ACK LEGEND JONAH LOMU. N O V E M B E R
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tirohanga
GENESIS ENERGY P O U T U
T U N N E L
I N S P E C T I O N
In May 2019, Genesis trialled a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) to inspect the condition of the Poutu Hydro Tunnel. Historically, these inspections have been completed by draining the tunnels of water, making the tunnels as safe as possible for a work party to walk through and inspect the condition of the tunnel. The ROV, if successful, would reduce safety risk by avoiding the need for people to enter the tunnel.
The Poutu Tunnel is approximately 3.1 km long, starting from Poutu Intake (located off Kaimanawa Road) and transporting water from the Tongariro River through to the Poutu Canal for power generation at Tokaanu Power Station. The tunnel is six metres in diameter, has a very gentle gradient, is lined with concrete and is typically only partially full of water, depending on the natural flows of the Tongariro River.
Genesis partnered with an ROV company and trialled a device that floated on the surface to collect data above and below the waterline. Laser and video imagery was captured above the waterline and sonar captured below the waterline. The trial resulted in great learnings with the data above the water line proving successful. However, the sonar data below the waterline needs improvement before this technology can be used more widely. Genesis is applying the learnings and trialling again on a different tunnel in early 2020. The Poutu Tunnel is just one of many tunnels that Genesis operates across its Renewable Schemes. If a suitable technology solution can be achieved, it would significantly reduce the safety risks associated with the tunnel inspections, as well as ensure high quality data is collected.
POUTU TUNNEL CAMERA IMAGING.
POUTU INTAKE.
tuwhera
MARAE RANGATAHI FUND
A P P L I C A T I O N S
O P E N
Applications are open for the Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board Ngā Uri Whakatipu – Marae Rangatahi Fund. The fund is available for wānanga held on Tūwharetoa marae for rangatahi aged 15-25 years. The wānanga must be supported by the marae, be focused on leadership development, include a taiao component, and kōrero from the hau kāinga i.e. hapū mātauranga and sights of significance.
Applications Due
31 January 2020 | 30 April 2020
Applications Assessed & Paid
February 2020 | May 2020
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT THE PROJECT COORDINATOR ADRIANA FLETCHER ON +64 7 386 8832 OR EMAIL ADRIANA@TUWHARETOA.CO.NZ
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te para wai WASTEWATER SPILL
On 5 July, the Trust Board announced a rāhui over Tapuaeharuru Bay down to Aratiatia following the significant failure of Taupō District Council infrastructure at the corner of Lake Terrace and Story Place in Taupō. The collapse of a wastewater pipe resulted in an estimated 800,000 litres of wastewater spilling into the lake on Tuesday 2 July. Monitoring Plan While the rāhui was in place, our marae and the Trust Board set up a monitoring plan for the bay. This monitoring plan included both ecological monitoring and cultural monitoring. The cultural monitoring framework, based on tūpuna kōrero, focussed on eight sites from the lake front to Waikato River, where field assessments were undertaken by marae members who were familiar with these sites and their mauri. Important components of the field assessments included knowledge of the area, karakia and tūpuna kōrero. The cultural field assessments were also compiled with assessments of E.coli in soil on shore, E.coli in lake bed material, E.coli in water, source tracking, kōura sampling for E.coli, sewage-related rubbish – shore and lake bed checks from the lake front to the Pu au i Nukuhau. All of these assessments allowed a better understanding of the health of the overall environment with a specific focus on mahinga kai species. The information produced from these assessments were the key pieces of information for lifting the rāhui. Since the initial spill, the Taupō rohe luckily experienced cold temperatures, high wind and rainfall, which stopped the spread of germs,
as well as naturally moving and filtering the contaminants in the water. Council had suggested options such as applying chemicals into the water and dredging the lake front which would have resulted in contaminated material left on hapū land (Parakiri) to drain before it is to be taken to the dump. Due to the increased risk of environmental, ecological and cultural damage to the water and hapū lands, the Trust Board, in conjunction with our Hikuwai marae, agreed to pursue the option that presented the least risk to cause further damage. The cultural monitors visited the sites weekly and were able to record notable differences at each site, including the large amount the rubbish and plastic going into the lake and Waikato River from storm water drains and urban areas. Further plans to protect Taupō head waters The cultural monitoring also highlighted further aspirations and restoration work to be pursued to remedy and protect the Taupō head waters. These include: • Stormwater pipes going into the lake need to be redirected or improved to stop the amount of pollution flowing from these pipes into the lake. • The Gates Park area is the home of Mātāwhero - this area should be named appropriately to reflect its cultural significance and native restorative planting. • Native erosion planting along Te Pu au area, the lake front and Hot Water Beach. • Restorative planting and landscaping for Te Pu Au i Nukuhau.
Rāhui lifted Following a thorough analysis of cultural data, water and sediment sampling which showed that Tapuaeharuru Bay had returned to normal, the rāhui was lifted on 30 August with a karakia. Chief Executive Topia Rameka said when the spill occurred, one of the first priorities was to put in place an environmental and cultural monitoring plan, driven by Tūwharetoa mātauranga, that would inform kaitiaki about the state of the moana and awa. “We worked alongside our marae representatives to oversee the infrastructure remediation work,” said Topia. “We also implemented our monitoring plan which pulls together cultural data, water sampling, sediment sampling from the shore and lakebed, and mahinga kai sampling”. The restriction over the immediate construction site remains in place until the final remediation work has been completed. “At the outset, we were clear that our moana and awa are very resilient and in time would heal themselves. We are so pleased with this outcome and wish to acknowledge our marae and kaumātua for their leadership during this time,” said Topia. Both the Contact Energy spill and lakefront spill are the worst man made events to occur in our Taupō waters, not only for its physical damage but also to the mana and wairua of water. As kaitiaki for our rohe and taiao we all need to try our best to be aware of how our behaviours affect the world around us and need to work collaboratively to reduce the risk of further spills happening in the future.
“WE WERE CLEAR THAT OUR MOANA AND AWA ARE VERY RESILIENT AND IN TIME WOULD HEAL THEMSELVES. WE ARE SO PLEASED WITH THIS OUTCOME AND WISH TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR MARAE AND KAUMĀTUA FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP DURING THIS TIME.”
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CONTACT ENERGY S P I L L
I N T O
W A I P U W E R A W E R A
On 19 February a holding pond owned and operated by Contact Energy failed which resulted in a significant amount of sediment and geothermal fluid entering into the Waipuwerawera stream and making its way into the Waikato Awa. Waikato Regional Council have charged Contact Energy for the incident, and at the Court sitting on 16 October, Contact Energy entered a plea of guilty. The Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board, Ngā Kaihautū o te awa o Waikato and Waikato Regional Council will now work through a process of restorative justice. As part of the immediate restoration work, the first of the restoration planting was undertaken by the Trust Board, Ngā Kaihautu o te awa o Waikato (River Committee) and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Whakarewa i te reo ki Tūwharetoa at the Waipuwerawera Stream culvert on Huka Falls Road on 3 September. Approximately 30 people attended the planting, which included tamariki aged five to eight years from the kura. The session started with karakia lead by the tamariki for both the planting and environmental assessment mahi being undertaken. More than 150 plants were put onto the banks of the stream by the tamariki and volunteers to provide bank stabilisation and native regeneration. All species planted were native to Aotearoa which included Whauwhau (5 finger), harakeke, Tōtara and Kahikatea among others. The karakia and planting was a beautiful start to the day and the first step in restoration projects to heal the Waipuwerawera stream following the spill.
WHĀNAU FROM TE KURA KAUPAPA MĀORI O WHAKAREWA I TE REO KI TŪWHARETOA PL ANTING ON THE BANKS OF THE STREAM.
THE TŪWHARETOA MĀORI TRUST BOARD IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THE RETURN OF
TA U P Ō - N U I - A -T I A
MATUA
INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM OF 3 AGE 18+
SWIM
CYCLE
RUN / WALK
600m 20 km 5 km
OR TEAM OPTION:
300m
S AT, 2 1 M A R C H 2 0 2 0
RANGATAHI
INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM OF 3 AGE 13-17
300 m 10 km 2 km
TAMARIKI
INDIVIDUAL OR TEAM OF 2 AGE 5-12
100 m 1 km
www.tuwharetoa.co.nz/tauponuiatia
www.ironmaori.com
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WAIKATO RIVER M O N I T O R I N G R E P O R T : A L L Y O U N E E D T O K N O W
SINCE SEPTEMBER 2018 Ngā Kaihautū o te awa o Waikato (the Waikato River Committee) has been undertaking water monitoring along the Waikato River.
E. COLI E. coli (Escherichia coli) is a type of bacteria commonly found in the guts of warm-blooded mammals (including people) and birds.
The aim of the monitoring programme is for Ngā Kaihautū to build their own dataset that will be used for both western science and Mātauranga Māori to help measure the holistic health of te awa o Waikato. With 12 months worth of data collected, Ngā Kaihautū will be analysing the data to indicate where their focus should be in terms of restoration projects.
Common sources of E. coli bacteria include untreated human wastewater discharges, stormwater run-off and animal waste. E. coli survives outside the body and can survive for up to four to six weeks in fresh water making it a useful indicator of faecal presence and disease-causing organisms in a river or lake. Faecal concentrations are typically higher in pastoral streams but even near-pristine streams are not totally free from E. coli due to faecal deposition by birds and wild animals.
On sampling days, the Trust Board’s River Project Coordinator Tredegar Hall and Ngā Kaihautū members travel to each of the five monitoring sites, and collect water samples alongside undertaking a Cultural Health Assessment. These sites are: • Hipapatua/Reid’s Farm • Aratiatia • River Road • Atiamuri • Whakamaru Water sampling included taking measurements of E. coli, Total Suspended Solids, Total Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus, and pH. The cultural monitoring included giving a score to land use change, vegetation, river banks and margins, river bed, river channel, water quality, habitat variability, sound and water flow, as well as listing birds, trees, known mahinga kai values and known customary practices at each site. This initial report is displaying the overall total scientific scores across all sites. The cultural monitoring data and site-specific data analysis will be added once completed. In the future, Ngā Kaihautū hope to widen their sampling to include the tributaries (the small blood vessels that feed the main artery that is the Waikato River). A complete report will be made available to the Ngā Kaihautū committee with data further analysed.
TOTAL SUSPENDED SOLIDS Total Suspended Solids (TSS) are particles that are larger than two microns found in the water column. These solids include anything drifting or floating in the water, from sediment, silt and sand, to plankton and algae. Organic particles from decomposing materials can also contribute to the TSS concentration. As algae, plants and animals decay, the decomposition process allows small organic particles to break away and enter the water column as suspended solids. Even chemical precipitates are considered a form of suspended solids. Total suspended solids are a significant factor in observing water clarity. The more solids present in the water, the less clear the water will be. CONDUCTIVIT Y Conductivity is a measure of the ability of water to pass an electrical current. Conductivity in water is affected by the presence of inorganic dissolved solids such as chloride, nitrate, sulphate, and phosphate anions (ions that carry a negative charge) or sodium, magnesium, calcium, iron, and aluminium cations (ions that carry a positive charge). Organic compounds like oil, phenol, alcohol, and sugar do not conduct electrical current very well and therefore have a low conductivity when in water. Conductivity is also affected by temperature: the warmer the water, the higher the conductivity.
FAECAL COLIFORMS Total coliform bacteria are a collection of relatively harmless microorganisms that live in large numbers in the intestines of humans and warm-blooded and coldblooded animals. They aid in the digestion of food. A specific subgroup of this collection is the faecal coliform bacteria, the most common member being E. coli. These organisms may be separated from the total coliform group by their ability to grow at elevated temperatures and are associated only with the faecal material of warmblooded animals. The faecal coliform group includes all of the rodshaped bacteria that are non-spore forming, gram-negative, lactose-fermenting in 24 hours at 44.5°C, and which can grow with or without oxygen. Faecal coliform by themselves are usually not pathogenic; they are indicator organisms - they may indicate the presence of other pathogenic bacteria. Pathogens are typically present in such small amounts and it is impractical to monitor them directly. TOTAL NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS Nitrogen and phosphorus in river waters are one of five indicators that provide an overview of New Zealand’s river water quality and how it is changing over time. Both are an essential nutrient for plants. Small amounts are a natural component of healthy rivers, but agricultural and urban land use, and infrastructure such as waste water treatment plants, can add more nitrogen and phosphorus to waterways. Too much nitrogen and phosphorus can lead to excessive growth of algae, which can deteriorate river habitats. In very high concentrations, nitrate-nitrogen and ammoniacal nitrogen can be toxic to aquatic life. PH IN FIELD pH is a determined value based on a defined scale, similar to temperature. This means that pH of water is not a physical parameter that can be measured as a concentration or in a quantity. Instead, it is a figure between 0 and 14 defining how acidic or basic a body of water is along a scale.
The lower the number, the more acidic the water is. The higher the number, the more basic it is. A pH of seven is considered neutral. The logarithmic scale means that each number below seven is 10 times more acidic than the previous number when counting down. Likewise, when counting up above seven, each number is 10 times more basic than the previous number. As pH levels move away up or down from this range it can stress animal systems and reduce hatching and survival rates. The further outside of the optimum pH range a value is, the higher the mortality rates. The more sensitive a species, the more affected it is by changes in pH. In addition, extreme pH levels usually increase the solubility of elements and compounds, making toxic chemicals more “mobile” and increasing the risk of absorption by aquatic life. Aquatic species are not the only ones affected by pH. While humans have a higher tolerance for pH levels (drinkable levels range from 4-11 with minimal gastrointestinal irritation), there are still concerns of impact. pH values greater than 11 can cause skin and eye irritations, as does a pH below four. A pH value below 2.5 will cause irreversible damage to skin and organ linings. Lower pH levels increase the risk of mobilized toxic metals that can be absorbed, even by humans, and levels above eight cannot be effectively disinfected with chlorine, causing other indirect risks. In addition, pH levels outside of 6.5-9.5 can damage and corrode pipes and other systems, further increasing heavy metal toxicity (Environmental Learning Centre 2019).
REFER TO GRAPHS OVERLEAF FOR E.COLI, TSS, CONDUCTIVIT Y, FAECAL COLIFORMS, TOTAL NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS AND PH FIELD AND L AB DATA ACROSS THE SITES.
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MITIGATION C O M M I T T E E S
The Ngāti Tūwharetoa Genesis Energy Committee and the Ngāti Tūwharetoa Mercury Development Group have completed their 2018-2019 financial year. 105 applications were approved, totalling $769,000. A breakdown of all our information was reported back to the hapū at the Mitigation Committees’ Annual General Hui held at Otukoū Marae on Tuesday 12 November 2019. Every year an Environmental Workshop is held to provide information for whānau who are looking at applying to the Mitigation Committees for funding.
This year, Korohe Marae hosted the workshop, and we were fortunate to again have some great guest presenters, who not only talked about their projects and how they are going, but also how to go about compiling project plans and budgets. We also had Moira Loach who talked about Health and Safety plans, providing whānau with resources, as well as demonstrating how easy it is to complete. The Committees meet every two months to assess applications. If you have any pātai, please contact our project coordinator, Lauren Fletcher lauren@tuwharetoa.co.nz / 0212248268.
WAIHI W E E D
M A N A G E M E N T
Stage One monitoring completed In July, we saw the completion of the Trust Board’s year-long monitoring for Waihi Bay. The purpose of the monitoring was to increase our collective understanding of the holistic health of Huritaniwha in order to understand the current environmental state of the bay. This data will provide us with a baseline of information so we can start to undertake lake weed management trials and ensure there are no unintended consequences once the trials begin. We set our tau kōura in June, and every six weeks we gathered our water monitoring, and kōura samples, measuring length, male, female, as well as female in berry, hard or soft shell, and colour. The numbers and size indicate a good population, especially in the deeper waters even though there is a lot of weed in those areas. This year, we will replenish the wakaweku every 18 weeks, as opposed to leaving them for the year. Water monitoring was also undertaken and all of our data will be presented to the hapū so they can identify, and agree the next steps for weed management. A big mihi to our kaimahi, Matt Spence and Ray Brown, as well as the Lake Rotoaira Trust Ranger Willie Marshall and the Department of Conservation for the use of their boats and drivers for this project. The water and kōura monitoring will continue alongside the weed management options for the 2019-2020 year.
KEEP YOUR KETE UP-TO-DATE AND FULL OF NEWS We currently have 2 1 , 0 0 0 registered members. Approximately 3 , 0 0 0 don’t have an address. 5 , 0 0 0 over the age of 18 have an email address. Stay up-to-date with marae, whānau, pānui, events and news from around Ngāti Tūwharetoa. To register online or download a form, visit www.tuwharetoa.co.nz
Tūwharetoa Māori Trust Board PO Box 87, Town Centre, Tūrangi 81 Horomatangi Street, Taupō +64 7 386 8832 (Tūrangi) +64 7 376 5086 (Taupō) info@tuwharetoa.co.nz www.tuwharetoa.co.nz
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