Te Kaahu o Tuawhenua

Issue December 2020

E ngā pakiaka haere whenua, tēnei te tangi kōrihi a Te Tuawhenua me Manaaki Whenua ki a koutou katoa kia rarau mai ki ōna pūrongo mo tēnei tau 2020.”

Well what a year! 2020 with Covid-19 lockdown and economic turmoil affecting everything we do. It couldn’t have ended more badly or sadly with the passing too of our trustee Korotau Tamiana. Korotau became a trustee over 20 years ago and was instrumental in the forest and matauranga research we have delivered over these years. We posted when Korotau passed away:

Unmatched in your knowledge of Te Urewera, unwavering in your guidance and support for Tuawhenua, undone when you could no longer get to the bush you lived for. Korotau, te totara haemata o te waonui a Tane, ka mau tonu o korero matauranga me o tohutohu, a ka ngau tonu hoki te mamae mou kua hinga nei. Never another like you. Already missing your fearlessness, your straight up the guts, your aspirations and inspiration, your stories, your mischief, your wicked sense of humour, even your bawdy jokes and songs, your generosity, your love of life that you lived to the hilt. Your strident views and yes even the feisty debates. You sure never did things in halves Korotau. In your photo here (credit Phil Lyver) you’re in your element, in the bush, teaching others bush knowledge of yesteryear. Tuawhenua salutes you! Thank you for our 100-year Tumanako o Tuawhenua that slipped so easily off your tongue one day some years ago: “Kua tau te iwi me te whenua”. Seemingly simple but substantial. Like you.

Tūhoe Tuawhenua Trust in 2020

Who’s Involved

Trustees of the Tuawhenua: Richard Tūmarae (Interim Chair), Hekenoa Te Kurapa, Tāne Rua, Brenda Tahi (Executive Trustee)

Te Kaupapa o Te Tuawhenua

The Trust is towards the end of its third strategic plan that takes us to 2020. We remain focused on our long term goals of Te Iwi me Te Whenua (developing our land and people); Kaitiakitanga (protection and enhancement of Tuawhenua ecosystems); Te Mātauranga me te Tūhonohono (Knowledge and Networks).

Most of the past year has been focused on dealing with the impacts of Covid-19 but some key goals were also advanced:

• Creating new roles and training new and current staff into these roles.
• Publishing the documentaries on kereru – Te Kura Huna o Te Urewera
• Partnering in a number of research projects with research agencies and institutes
• Gained funding to build a new food production hub that will be focused in the initial stages as a packhouse for the honey.
• Contributing where we can to networks in research and other endeavours, locally, nationally and overseas.

The People: Job Creation & Training

Our researcher Puke Tīmoti continued his studies this year and research with Manaaki Whenua. He now works half-time with Manaaki Whenua, whilst maintaining his link with the Tuawhenua.

In the office, Karioi White is now full-time learning inventory control, orders, logistics and design for her role. Karioi also supports Te Whare o Rehua programme. Marama Huiarangi moved into digital marketing for her development. And Jim Tahi is developing as a project manager for the building of our packhouse.

And based in Christchurch Donna Hatcher has come on board to focus on marketing for Manawa Honey.  

Networking and Contribution

Puke Tīmoti has continued to contribute to policy development through varous Ministerial appointments and policy initiatives.

Puke was a key contributor to the development of Te Mana o Te Taiao: Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy 2020, and was recently appointed to the New Zealand Conservation Authority. These are outstanding achievements that recognise Puke’s background, his knowledge and his ability to be effective in policy-making processes.

With Covid-19 limiting travel, more networking was done by webinar in 2020 than ever before. In November, Brenda Tahi presented Manawa Honey and the Tuawhenua Trust to The Hirshberg Enterprise Institute of the US that covened by webinar. Leads emerging from this opportunity are now under followup.