Mānawa maiea te kāhui o Matariki.

Kua tau ngā waewae o Hinetakurua, kua rewa a Matariki ki te pae o te rangi, ka waiwai ngā kamo i te hunga kua wehe, kua riro atu. Tahuri mai ki a tātou ki ngā mahuetanga o rātou mā, e whakapiripiri ana, e whakakotahi ana ki te whāngai i te hautapu, ki te tangi i ngā mate, ki te whakanui i ngā mahi ā kui, ā koro mā. Ko ngā whakaaro nui, ko ngā hua nui o te wā ki tēnā, ki tēnā o tātou.

This past weekend was an auspicious moment, a home-coming, gathering for our Hautapu ki Ōmaru. Gathering at Ōmaru, we felt the weight and the mana of every tupuna who sacrificed, advocated, and endured so that this day could happen. Their efforts carried us here, and it was humbling to stand on that whenua and know we are only just beginning to repay what they gave.

This milestone also marked the launch of Te Huanui Taurikura, Ngāti Pāoa’s 150-year strategy, anchored by 25-year and 5-year action plans that will guide our iwi’s path for generations to come.

It is a long horizon by design, because the work of resurgence within iwi is not measured in years, but in generations. Together, these two milestones point to the same kaupapa: bringing our whānau home to their whenua, practising our traditions and tikanga, and living in ways that are authentically Pāoa.

This is the beginning of that journey and we’re only getting started. We have many exciting kaupapa on the horizon to share with you all.

Nāku, me ngā manaakitanga o te tau hou,

nā Steph

Te Amokura

See Te Huanui Taurikura Strategy here

Ōmaru Hokinga Kāinga

Pāoa ki uta

Pāoa ki tai

Pāoa hokinga kāinga

Ngāti Pāoa ki tua o te pae o Matariki!

Tēnei te mihi nui ki a koutou i tae tawhiti, i tae tata mai ki te hautapu ki Ōmaru! On Saturday, 18th July, we gathered at Ōmaru to bring in te tau hou, to remember those who have passed and set our intentions as an iwi for the year ahead. The inaugural Hautapu ki Ōmaru was witnessed by many who travelled from both far and close to come together and for some, return home to Ōmaru for the first time.

Ōmaru is a significant site for Ngāti Pāoa, as it was dedicated to cultural redress in our recent treaty settlement. Ōmaru sits on significant whenua in the Kohimarama block, an integral part of our footprint in Tāmaki Makaurau. It is here where our new marae and papakāinga, Pāoa Whanake and Hine-nui-o-te-pāua, have been proposed and are underway in planning.

The hautapu was symbolic in welcoming this new space in for Ngāti Pāoa as we will continue to whāngai i te hautapu (feed the gods and whetū) forever. The hautapu is important in keeping intentional and strong relationships with the whenua, our taiao, the whetū and atua Māori.

This was an intimate and special moment for Ngāti Pāoa whānui to come together, strengthening our ties by creating moments of whanaungatanga and building cultural capability and understanding across Ngāti Pāoa.

E kore e mutu ngā mihi ki ngā kaitaunaki o te kaupapa nei, arā, ki a Maungakiekie-Tāmaki Local Board, ki a Te Puni Kōkiri, ki a Ki tua o Matariki ki Ngāti Tamaterā Settlements Trust hoki.

He mihi anō ki ō tātou whanaunga, ki ngā mema hapori, ki ngā pakihi o te takiwā nei i tā rātou āwhina, arā ki a Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, ki a Tāmaki Regenration Company, ki a Programmed Services, ki a Waipuna Hotel and Conference Centre hoki.

Graduation: Me He Kuaka Reo o te Kāinga

Thirty two tauira from near and far graduated from the Level 1 and 2 Te Reo Māori programme on 18 July at Te Poho o Tāmaki Marae, following our inaugural Hautapu ki Ōmaru and a Whīkoi Whenua. Reconnecting with whakapapa, whenua and iwi history was a strong motivation for tauira to persevere with their journey.

A special moment was six-year-old Āria confidently sharing her pepeha beside her māmā, Alisha Castle, at the graduation. A powerful reminder that this kaupapa is about passing on Ngāti Pāoa knowledge to the next generation.

All the very best to Katie Thompson, who has been teaching in our Level 2 programme for the last 3 years, as she pursues the next steps in her teaching career as the Deputy Principal of Lytton High School. We look forward to her return in due course.

Taiohi Tūhoruhoru : Supporting culturally resilient leaders

The Taiohi Tūhoruhoru programme, developed in partnership with the Ministry of Education, taiohi, and their whānau, aims to nurture culturally grounded and resilient future leaders.

Grounded in whakapapa, whenua, reo, tikanga, and identity, the programme takes taiohi and their whānau on a series of wānanga exploring tūtohu whenua across our rohe from Makomako and Pūkorokoro to Tāpapakanga, Waitawa, sites throughout Tāmaki, and Waiheke.

Whānau participation across all three wānanga was fundamental to the success of the programme. We acknowledge Westlake Girls College and Glendowie College who participated in the programme. The collective involvement from whānau and kura strengthened intergenerational learning, providing valuable opportunities for the sharing and transmission of our history.

One whānau member shared their gratitude, saying, “Ngā mihi to Drina and whānau for delivering such an incredible opportunity of learning for our taiohi. I wish I had access to this when I was that age! To be a part of this experience as a pakeke was amazing and we felt truly blessed to be surrounded by our Pāoa whanaunga here on Te Motu Arai-Roa”.

We recognise the ongoing support of Westlake Girls High School, which received the Ministry of Education's top award for Excellence in School Leadership. Our shared partnership was mentioned in the school's acceptance speech.

Vacancy: Whare Pōti Māori - Tāmaki

Ngāti Pāoa is opening up a Kaupapa Māori Voting Station at Te Whare Piringa in Glen Innes, Tāmaki Makaurau! Kaupapa Māori Voting Stations are initiatives that offer a more Māori experience when voting, with reo Māori-speaking staff and options to vote in both Te Reo Māori and English.

This November, we are working with the Electoral Commission to set up our very own kaupapa Māori voting station in our rohe. We are looking for kaimahi to work the station over the election period. We are looking for an organised and personable kaimahi to be available from 29th-31st October and 5th-7th November.

As this is a kaupapa Māori voting station, it is important that kaimahi can converse in at least basic te reo Māori, with at least one strong te reo Māori speaker on site.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, apply through the link below!

Apply here