Our Stories - Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu

Strategic wetland returned to iwi ownership

Awarua rūnaka has turned the clock back on land lost to the Crown with the strategic purchase of a pivotal 404-hectare sheep and beef farm in the heart of the internationally-recognised Awarua/Waituna wetlands, widely regarded as one of the last remaining expanses of relatively unmodified wetlands left in Aotearoa.

A human compass: Ruby Mae Hinepunui Solly on finding her way

With an impressive array of creative tools in her kete, ruby is adamant she is Kāi Tahu before anything else. Poet, writer, cellist, taoka puoro practitioner, doctoral candidate, artist, music therapist: every part of Ruby is informed by her Kāi Tahutaka.

As a country, as South Islanders, as Ngāi Tahu, we all face huge challenges: we must face them together, by Kaiwhakahaere Lisa Tumahai

As the chair of Te Runanga o Ngāi Tahu, which represents South Island iwi Ngāi Tahu, I welcome healthy informed debate about the future of the Crown-Māori relationships. These debates must however avoid fear-mongering and vote-chasing. They must be informed by fact, and include the history of our country, and include the reality of iwi…

Budget 2021: ‘What is good for Māori is good for all of Aotearoa’

Budget 2021 recognises that what is good for Māori is good for all of Aotearoa, with more investment being made specifically to address problems disproportionately faced by Māori. There will no doubt be some ugly backlash against this from people who don’t want to see equity, but this is the future – a future for all people of Aotearoa.

Waitangi Day Address by Dr Michael J. Stevens, Awarua 2021

Dr Michael J. Stevens (Kāti Rakiāmoa me Kāi Te Ruahikihiki; nō te whānau Metzger ki Awarua) Waitangi Day Address – Ngāi Tahu Treaty Commemorations Te Rau Aroha Marae 6 February 2021 A few weeks ago Tā Tipene asked me if I would like to compose and deliver a Waitangi Day Address – and by asked,…

Ngā Hau e Whā
From the Editor

Humble, selfless, courageous and humanitarian are just some of the words that spring to mind when reflecting on the subject of our cover story for this issue of TE KARAKA (page 10). Therefore, it came as no surprise to learn that Aroha Reriti-Crofts was made a Dame in the Queen’s Birthday honours earlier this year for her lifetime of service to Māori and the community. It is no exaggeration to say Dame Aroha is an extraordinary wāhine whose work has always been dedicated to her iwi, hapū and whānau, with a particular focus on the wellbeing of wāhine and tamariki.

From the CEO
The New Normal

As we race towards the end of 2020, this past decade has been marked by several devastating events right on our doorstep, and our vulnerability is once again being tested as we navigate the ongoing impacts of a global pandemic. We are so used to watching CNN thinking that what makes world news is often far from home, and now the long-term lingering presence of COVID-19 everywhere has shown us just how small this world is and that we are very much a part of it.

Whenua

Te Awa Whakatipu (the Dart River) flows from its headwaters in Kā Tiritiri-o-te-Moana (the Southern Alps) and the Dart Glacier, into the northern end of Whakatipu Waimāori (Lake Whakatipu).

He Whakaaro
Media Revolution

The rumblings of a potential revolution in our media landscape have occurred with Stuff – the publisher of The Dominion Post, Taranaki Daily News, The Press, and a number of other regional newspapers – opening its online news coverage today (November 30 2020) with the headline: “Our Truth, Tā Mātou Pono: Over three centuries we’ve failed to represent Māori fairly.” Stuff then issued a formal apology to Māori titled: “Nō mātou te hē: We are sorry.” And promised to rebuild trust by saying it was adopting: “… a multicultural lens to better represent Māori and all people of Aotearoa, supported by Treaty of Waitangi principles.”

Enough is enough
Why Ngāi Tahu is suing the Crown over its waterways

We all know that something needs to be done about the water quality in our rivers and lakes in the South Island. Our natural environment is in a bad state and despite promises from elected officials for many years, action is long overdue. That is why Ngāi Tahu has notified the Government that we are going to court to force these matters to be addressed.