Ruby Red Development at Ngakauroa

Ruby Red Development at Ngakauroa


Me upoko pakaru tātau te iwi o Ngāti Awa mō te whenua te take, kai kīia tātau he iwi manawa kiore!

We, Ngāti Awa, must persevere for our land, lest our nation is said to have the heart of a rat!

A desire to ensure whenua collectively owned by Ngāti Awa, through Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa and its subsidiaries, is being used in the most effective way has prompted the development of a Ruby Red Kiwifruit orchard at a farm near Te Teko.

In 2022, following a feasibility and detailed assessment, the owners of Ngakauroa Dairy Farm agreed to convert 10 hectares into a Ruby Red Kiwifruit orchard. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, through its Ngāti Awa Farms Limited company, owns the farm with partners Ihukatia Trust, Moerangi Kereua Ratahi Trust and Kiwinui Trust. Feasibility work was funded by New Zealand Trade and Enterprise through its Strategic Investment Fund.

The orchard comprises of two internal blocks on the farm, which have been called Te Waiwhero and Te Wai-o-Koroahu based on ancient names of nearby sites.

Tracey Hook, Chief Executive of Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Limited, which manages Ngāti Awa Farm Limited, said following a tender process Southern Cross Horticulture was selected to undertake the development.

“The industry expertise across our orchard board, and within Southern Cross Horticulture means that we are well placed to mitigate any risk.  Furthermore, this development will add value to the existing land and is expected to provide higher returns than dairy.”

In 2022, kiwifruit industry licensing body, Zespri, allowed for a maximum of 10ha bid for the orchard development and the licence was granted in April of that year.

Construction on the orchard commenced with a karakia and turning of the first sod on June 20, 2022. The first plants were established at the site on December 19, 2022, and the milestone was celebrated by hapū representatives, members of the Rūnanga board, NAGHL, kaimahi and partners.

Ms Hook said construction of the orchard was almost complete with the development of a pond that would be completed in May, 2023.

First Iwi-led Predator Free 2050 project gets go ahead

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa has welcomed the announcement and funding of its Korehāhā Whakahau predator eradication project.

Funding was confirmed today by the Minister for Conservation Eugenie Sage and Under Secretary for Regional Economic Development Fletcher Tabuteau at Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae in Whākatane.

The $5.6 million-dollar project will be led and delivered by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa. Initial funders include Predator Free 2050 Limited, providing $2.4m through the Provincial Growth Fund, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Awa Group Holdings and Department of Conservation.

The project will benefit from $2.5 million announced today from the Department of Conservation’s Jobs for Nature programme, which will also support other, yet-to-be announced Ngāti Awa taiao projects.

Korehaha Whakahau initial aim is to get rid of predators, starting with possums, across a 4,700ha area covering Whakatāne and Ōhōpe, benefitting biodiversity and boosting regional development and tourism. Exact boundaries are still being determined at this early stage of the project.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa Manahautū, Leonie Simpson, says the project will connect Ngāti Awa people with the taiao, support kaitiakitanga amongst the Iwi and help them to reach their aspirations to care for and restore the taiao.

“This project is our first Iwi workforce development initiative post COVID-19. We will develop a group of kaimahi with transferable skills that not only support their whānau but also enable kaitiakitanga for our hapū and Ngāti Awa now and into the future.

“Our relationships with the taiao will continue beyond the project term and we are aiming for long term outcomes that are intergenerational.”

Ed Chignell Predator Free 2050 Limited Chief Executive says they are excited by the opportunity for new learning as Ngāti Awa brings its knowledge and connections to the Predator Free 2050 kaupapa.

“We will be sharing the latest trapping and detection methodologies to enable the project team to permanently remove possums from the project area and build their capacity in predator control operations.”

The Korehāhā Whakahau project covers both private, public and Ngāti Awa owned land. The funding will enable Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa to employ more people and continue to engage with other landowners to get the operational side of the project underway.

Leonie Simpson says Korehāhā Whakahau is an important part of a kete of mahi that Te Runanga o Ngāti Awa is developing post Whakaari and Covid 19. 


“Our suite of projects, which we have called POUA, encompasses existing and future projects like Kāinga (a new visitor hub at the Whakatāne Army Hall), a new commercial boat harbour led by a Ngāti Awa Lands Trust, riverside revitalisation and other taiao projects. POUA represents, Pou whenua (foundation posts) which signify our commitment to our rohe, our people and our future.

New POUA projects will be announced in the coming months as they are approved.”

Korehāhā Whakahau is the first iwi led ‘path finder’ project to receive Predator Free 2050 Limited funding.

For more information contact:

Michal Akurangi, Taiao Manager at Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, michal@ngatiawa.iwi.nz

Tim Higham, Predator Free 2050 Limited Communication and Business Support Manager, timh@pf2050.co.nz

For more information about Predator Free 2050 Limited and its current projects see www.pf2050.co.nz.

Ngāti Awa Rāhui on Whakatāne River

media

Status: For immediate release

Date: 7 January 2020

Subject: Ngāti Awa Rāhui on Whakatāne River

Heke tonu atu ngā roimata o Ngāti Awa me Mataatua i ngā mate ohorere o te wā. E tangi ana mātau ko ngā whānau o ō mātau uri, ko ngā whānau o ngā manuhiri o te rohe.

Ngāti Awa tōhunga (spiritual leaders) and kaumātua have placed a rāhui (temporary ritual prohibition) over the Whakatāne river as a result of a drowning near the river mouth this afternoon.

Ngāti Awa kaumātua attended the scene with the deceased, the whānau pani (bereaved family), and the rāhui karakia (prayers) were held at 5pm today.

To respect the rāhui, people are asked not to gather seafood, catch fish, and undertake water activities in the Whakatāne river from Turuturu Roimata (Statue Rock near river mouth) to Taneatua until the rāhui is lifted at 5am, Friday 10 January.

Ngāti Awa tōhunga and kaumātua ask that the two-day rāhui is respected to acknowledge the tragic event, the deceased and the whānau pani.

Before undertaking activities on the Whakatāne River during the rāhui, Ngāti Awa tōhunga and kaumātua ask that people reflect on the absolute tragedy of losing a loved one so suddenly, the suffering of the whānau pani at this very difficult time, and the length of the rāhui.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa extend our sincere and heartfelt condolences to the whānau pani who are left grieving and heartbroken as a result of this afternoon’s tragic events.

Ngā manaakitanga o te waahi ngaro ki runga i a tātau katoa i tēnei wā pouri.

END
For further information:
William Stewart
Mauriora Marketing and PR Ltd
(021) 220 8015

Ngāti Awa Rāhui Lifted

media

Status: For immediate release

Date: 28 December 2019

Subject: Ngāti Awa Rāhui Lifted

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa advises that the Ngāti Awa rāhui (temporary ritual prohibition) that has been in place since the Whakaari eruption was lifted at 1pm today (28 December 2019).

Following discussions this morning between senior Ngāti Awa kaumatua and cultural experts, the appropriate karakia (prayers) were performed by Ngāti Awa tohunga at 1pm today, lifting the rāhui he placed in the late afternoon following the Whakaari eruption.

Consequently, temporary prohibitions on marine activities undertaken within the Ngāti Awa rohe moana (customary coastal territory) – including fishing and the gathering of seafood – have now been removed.

The Ngāti Awa rohe moana encompasses the Whakatāne, Ōhope and Ōhiwa coastlines, and Rurima, Moutohorā and Te Puia ō Whakaari islands.

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa acknowledges residents, visitors and the general public for their respect and support of the rāhui following the eruption of Whakaari.

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

William Stewart
Mauriora Marketing and PR Ltd
(021) 220 8015

PM pays tribute to Ngāti Awa

media

Status: For immediate release

Date: 13 December 2019

Subject: PM pays tribute to Ngāti Awa 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has acknowledged Ngāti Awa for their role as tangata whenua (people of the land) in leading and caring for affected whānau (family members), following the Whakaari / White Island eruption and recovery operation earlier today.

Ngāti Awa kaumātua (elder) Joe Harawira says it is the responsibility and privilege as tangata whenua (people of the land), to support the families and our guests during this difficult time.

“Protocols determine our behaviour as a people and one of those is to show absolute respect to affected whānau (families).  This is a time for us to come together and wrap around all of those who have been affected by this tragedy.”

Ngāti Awa kaumātua led a visit to Whakaari / White Island for family members of those who remained on the island, accompanied by members of NZ Police, the NZ Defence Force and Australian High Commission before the recovery operation officially started.

Twenty-eight passengers, including some family members of those remaining on the island and four crew members, gathered for karakia (prayer) on the wharf before heading out just at 4.30am this morning.

As the group made their way out towards the island, the NZ Police launch ‘Deodar’ acknowledged family members by flashing their lights, before escorting them towards the island.

Once positioned, at a safe distance off the coast of Whakaari, further karakia were offered and family members were given an opportunity to say a few words.  After some quiet reflection time together, the group made its way back.

“This was about providing an opportunity for family to acknowledge their loved ones and share in their grief,” says Joe.

The recovery operation is ongoing and Ngāti Awa remain closely involved to ensure all related activity is consistent with ngā tikanga o Ngāti Awa (the customs of Ngāti Awa).

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Diane Berghan dberghan@gmail.com 021 221 5332

Ngāti Awa Research & Archives releases first online catalogue.

Ngāti Awa Research and Archives Trust was created to preserve, store and utilise the large amount of research and historical documents, which were compiled to support the WAI46 Ngati Awa Waitangi Tribunal Raupatu claim.

Research began more than 30 years ago in the 1980s, led by Sir Sidney Mead with the assistance of many other dedicated individuals. Over the years, the team of researchers collected a significant amount of supporting documentation that was uniquely linked to Ngāti Awa. Manuscripts, private collections, photographs and whakapapa provided a rich and colourful history of our past.

This collective knowledge is now available for the first time in its entirety. Whether you are an inquisitive Ngāti Awa uri, a dedicated researcher or just a history buff – you can search the online catalogue by text and literally find out anything you want to know about our story.