Posts Tagged ‘Arihia Bennett’

From the CEO
Big plans ahead for me!

I know you are supposed to be discreet about your age but it’s a bit late for that now as I move closer towards that gold card than most others around me in the workplace. As a child it seemed to take forever for my birthday to roll around each year, knowing that a present would arrive from my grandmother in the form of a card with 20 cents inside the envelope. Of course once this landed in my lap, I was straight down to the corner dairy to buy a bag of lollies. This event marked another year older.

From the CEO
Haea Te Awa

With the government’s Wellbeing Budget now announced, we can get on with our own future planning. For the past 18 months we have been working on turning our attention to better positioning our papatipu rūnanga to lead their own wellbeing, environment, and economic aspirations. The idea of regional development has created a groundswell of interest across our rūnanga, with a number readying themselves to lead the way into local investment opportunities. The thought of creating local employment with our own whānau in our own businesses in our own regions is certainly something to get excited about.

Oranga Tamariki
Where to from here?

In April 2017, the statutory care and protection agency for Aotearoa (formerly Child, Youth and Family – CYF) re-established themselves as Oranga Tamariki, committing to a five-year transformational plan to overhaul the culture and practice of the entire organisation. In November last year, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Oranga Tamariki entered into a Strategic Partnership, in keeping with the government agency’s intention to work more closely with iwi to improve outcomes for Māori.

From the CEO
Health is wealth

Another year has rolled around and it seems like it happened quicker than ever – maybe it’s just what happens to your perception as you get older, noting that the clock is ticking. Or perhaps it is a reflection of the number of activities I am trying to cram into my life. We are surrounded by so many cautions to take care of our wellbeing: watch what we eat, watch our blood pressure, become vegetarian, become vegan, get plenty of sleep, exercise, walk, yoga, meditate, mindfulness – the list goes on.

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!