Our Stories - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu

Ngā Hau e Whā
From the Editor

And so the seasons are changing once again as winter draws to a close and we move into spring. However, as the impacts of climate change kick in, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to distinguish between the seasons – here in Ōtautahi the daffodils in Hagley Park are blooming earlier each year. Where it really hits home is the changes to Te Ao Tūroa – to our coastlines, our rivers, our landscapes, and, most importantly, our mahinga kai.

From the CEO

In 1951 more than 90 women delegates gathered in Wellington and became the founding branches of the Māori Women’s Welfare League. The late Princess Te Puea Herangi became patroness, and Whina Cooper (later Dame Whina) was elected President. Over its almost 70 years, the movement has cascaded to all corners of our country and has become a dynamic institution that has been embedded throughout our whānau generations. Today there are more than 3000 members, and the growth continues with the uprising of the “juniors” within some branches.

Whenua

Taramakau The Taramakau River rises in Kā Tiritiri-o-te-moana (the Southern Alps) and flows into Te Tai-o-Rehua (the Tasman Sea) south of Greymouth. The upper reaches of the Taramakau are renowned as a source of pounamu, with several significant pounamu working sites located at the river mouth.

Debating the Treaty

The treaty has a historically inconsistent role in New Zealand’s constitution and remains on uncertain ground. We need to understand its constitutional role in the colonial era, and the period of change from 1975 to 1985 that has so heavily influenced our Ngāi Tahu world today.

Māori victims of crime

A lack of education, poor life, financial and social skills, hand-in-hand with poor parenting, are at the root of crime. The solutions involve support to the parents of at-risk kids. We must ruthlessly address these issues early, and, as whānau, demand the resources to keep these kids at school, and even, if necessary, to keep their parents away from them.

Cultural Connection – a personal journey

Aoraki Bound is a 20-day cultural and personal development programme. My hīkoi was everything I hoped it would be – a chance to immerse myself in my culture, walk in the footsteps of my ancestors, and gain a greater sense of my identity. The course culminates on the shores of Lake Pūkaki, in the presence of our Maunga Ariki, Aoraki. I parted ways with my rōpū, wiping tears of gratitude from my cheeks, knowing that my life had changed forever.

Kendall Flutey
Tech entrepreneur

“I’ve had a few careers that didn’t stick,” she says from a meeting room at GreenHouse, a Christchurch business incubator. Banqer, the company she co-founded and is now the CEO, uses a nearby co-working space in the Christchurch CBD. On Twitter, Kendall calls herself “a reformed accountant on a mission”. That mission is educating Kiwi kids about finance. Her product, Banqer, is an online tool for primary and intermediate schools (years 2 to 8) to teach students about money. Earlier this year Kendall was named Young Māori Business Leader of the Year at the University of Auckland Aotearoa Māori Business Leaders Awards.

Ki Te Hoe
Innovating into the future

For generations, Māori have been increasingly disadvantaged in New Zealand society, a fact reflected by disproportionate representation of Māori in low-paid, unskilled professions, and in the criminal justice system. While the settlement of the Ngāi Tahu claim allowed the iwi to re-establish their economic base and build political clout, it was never equipped to reverse the effects of 200 years of colonisation. Twenty years on from settlement, Ngāi Tahu are now in a position to address the social inequities that confront our whānau, and Tokona Te Raki: Māori Futures Collective is paving the way with social innovation.

He Rautaki mō te Huringa Āhuarangi

The physical and biological effects of climate change are already being felt around the world, and we are at a critical juncture as the window of opportunity to mitigate the impact of these changes is closing. In response to this, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu has developed the Ngāi Tahu Climate Change Strategy to address the complex and varied challenges that face the iwi.

Holistic Healing

Tanya Filia had a successful career in education when a serious illness forced her into early retirement. When doctors gave her just months to live she turned to te ao Māori, rongoā Māori, and the principles of Te Whare Tapa Whā.