Posts Tagged ‘Arihia Bennett’

From the CEO

It is hard to believe that Christmas is just around the corner once again. As we fast approach the end of another year, I find myself looking back and reflecting on these past 12 months with mixed emotions. On a personal level, 2018 has been tinged with sadness and a huge sense of loss, with the passing of my mother a few months back, and the adjustment to a new normal for our whānau without our beloved Pani. Professionally, it is with a sense of pride at the achievements and progress we have made in the delivery of meaningful outcomes for whānau on many levels.

He wāhine, he manawa tītī: ngā rangatira o Ngāi Tahu

Our Ngāi Tahu wāhine have organised, petitioned, and created change at hapū, iwi, and national level. They are knowledgeable, adaptable, and resilient; taking on the government, the Native Land Courts, leading the Māori Women’s Welfare League, working as cabinet ministers – all while raising the future generation. These are some of their stories.

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.

From the CEO

Chief Executive Officer, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Arihia Bennett My Mother – a personal story This year Mother’s Day was significantly different for me, as it was exactly one week after my mother passed away. On this day I walked down the road to the urupā to visit my Mum, and as I stared…

Te Kāika

When Donna Matahaere-Atariki (Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Rauru, Te Ātiawa) was growing up in rural Southland, she was told she had “ideas above her station in life”.

Donna says that professional assessment was absolutely right. Rather than taking offence at a cultural slap in the face, she has used it as motivation to carve a career path as a powerhouse for social change.

From the CEO

Giving our pēpi the best start possible is a no-brainer, and we should be throwing all our resources into growing our tamariki wherever we can. The return on investment has to be positive. If we’re lucky, our tamariki may even take care of us in our twilight years!

From the CEO

As 2017 draws to a close, it’s time to take a moment to reflect on the year. For me there has been much to celebrate over these past 12 months, and as we look ahead we can now anchor ourselves for the next three years. We recently welcomed Lisa Tumahai as Kaiwhakahaere and Matapura Ellison as Deputy Kaiwhakahaere. Already we have heard clear messages that there will be a new leadership style, with a focus on collaboration and unity to take us forward. This means extending beyond the corporate institution and taking ourselves back to the hapū, to ensure we are embracing and reflecting the intergenerational intent of what our tūpuna intended. I am quite invigorated by what lies ahead, especially noting that there is an intent to partner alongside our haukāinga.

Kaumātua care
A Kaupapa Māori model

Our tribal philosophy, For us and our children after us, summarises the forward-looking perspective that sees the iwi focus on development for our tamariki, rangatahi, and young families; on creating opportunities that ensure that the future looks ever brighter for generations of Ngāi Tahu to come. But with an ageing population, there is also a growing need to ensure we support our kaumātua, the very people who have enabled our iwi to continue to thrive.

From the CEO

Recently I met the 20 Ngāi Tahu rangatahi preparing to head off on the trip of a lifetime to Silicon Valley. The room was buzzing with chatter until they all broke into a waiata rendition of Manu Tiria. Meeting these rangatahi took me way back to a similar experience as a 13-year-old. The only difference was that we were preparing to head to Wellington to visit Parliament and our waiata was the Anglican school hymn. Roll forward many decades and our young people are international travelling ambassadors for our iwi.

From the CEO

So whose responsibility is it to build engagement? Members themselves? Or should Te Rūnanga widen its net? It’s a debate that has been around for a while, as we have our ahi kaa who are religious volunteers protecting and practicing the kaitiakitanga responsibilities of tikanga on the marae, while at the other end of the spectrum we have our whānau who live away, and over the generations some have become further disconnected. The overwhelming feedback from our road shows is that whānau are motivated to be involved, and they are hungry for more information.