Latest news with #KāiTahu
Otago Daily Times
22-07-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Public feedback sought on Harbour Cone management plan
A freight train through Blanket Bay in 2020 has Hereweka/Harbour Cone on the Otago Peninsula as its backdrop. A management plan for the area is to be revised. PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY Management of a distinctive landmark on the Otago Peninsula is set to be reviewed. The Dunedin City Council is seeking public feedback about the future of Hereweka/Harbour Cone. The council bought the 328ha property in 2008 "to protect its significant landscape, ecological, heritage and cultural values and in recognition of its potential recreational and tourist values". It is looking to update a 2012 management plan. The property includes a hiking track to the cone summit, pasture cover and historical ties to nearby Larnach Castle. A 2008 report described the property as having potential to offer Dunedin citizens and tourists "a glimpse of an intact historic landscape typical of 19th- and early 20th-century settlement on the Otago Peninsula". Kāi Tahu have also had a long association with the area. In 2015, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the council and a management trust board. The council said in a report last month a comprehensive review would ensure the plan was relevant regarding issues, opportunities, technology and best practices. The property is not classified as a reserve, but the council is using a process described in the Reserves Act. "This will maintain consistency with other management plans and ensure a robust public consultation process," the council said. The initial consultation period runs until August 18.
Scoop
19-07-2025
- Business
- Scoop
'Thriving' Māori Economies Revealed In New Report
16 July 2025 , Henare te Ua Māori Journalism Intern The Māori economy is "thriving", recent statistics have revealed, but a new report shows Māori businesses do not always measure their success monetarily. According to the prior Te Ōhanga Māori 2023 report, Māori entities grew from contributing $17 billion to New Zealand's GDP in 2018 to $32 billion in 2023, turning a 6.5 percent contribution to GDP into 8.9 percent. The Māori economy asset base has grown from $69 billion in 2018 to $126 billion in 2023 - an increase of 83 percent. Released on Wednesday by the Wellbeing Economy Alliance Aoteaora, the Amplifying Māori approaches: The transformative potential of Māori economies report from lead author Matthew Scobie (Kāi Tahu) and co-author Tayla Forward (Ngāpuhi), suggests Māori economies revolved around "taonga with labour organised through mahi and reciprocal exchanges based on utu", or repayment. Forward, a researcher in economics and political economy based in Tāmaki Makaurau, said the Māori economy was "big, thriving and active". "But what that captures is sort of different. Are we thinking about Māori businesses that are operating in the usual dominant economic system, or are we talking about something that takes place according to Māori logic? "Considering there's parts of the economy that are taking place on a different logic in the dominant system, that's the Māori economy that we're most interested in unleashing, that's the part that is an expression of mana motuhake Māori." There was not much that separated the Māori economy from the contemporary setting; it was just an umbrella-term used for authorities, businesses, and employers who self-identified as Māori. But it was more than that. While an economy revolved around the production and consumption of goods and services and the supply of money, Māori businesses often built off tikanga, or Māori lore, to help their communities - such as iwi and hapū, and beyond. "We talk a lot in this report about the ways that those pursuing pakihi Māori (Māori business) have to take on these hybrid strategies to strategically navigate the dominant system," Forward said. "Instead of just aiming to increase our share in the dominant system, we take up a demand to change the shape of the dominant system, and those things that currently sit beneath the surface of the dominant system can be unleashed." There were four case studies prominent in the report - each an example of "Māori logic" combined with old and new ways of business, providing perspectives on housing, food sovereignty, trading and iwi authority, respectively. "They strike up against the system, they strike up against pūtea, and the need to sort of go between worlds all the time." Does Māori logic work? A case study by Danielle Webb focused on Kelly Francis' Whenua Warrior charitable trust. In 2017, Francis left her corporate job to grow an edible garden accessible to every New Zealander and feed the community. The not-for-profit organisation used hua parakore (kaupapa Māori framework) and matauranga Māori (Māori knowledge) for mahinga kai, community engagement, environmental conservation and preservation. Within two days of Francis' first project under Whenua Warrior, 132 gardens cropped up across South Auckland. "The world is our oyster anyway, so we can do what we should be able to do," Forward said. The report stated Francis viewed waged labour as something that can potentially rob people of time that could be spent nurturing te taiao (the natural world), fundamental to food sovereignty. "We should be able to have particularly Māori responses to decisions about what we're creating together and how we resource each other and the things that we create together, and if that keeps having to be mediated by pūtea, that's not in our control," Forward said. "We have to make all these strategic allowances to navigate towards whatever ends we're trying to pursue with our economic activity. If we want to have this very whenua-oriented and whakapapa-oriented economic ends being served by our economic practices, then we need to engage with the system that generates the constraints." An economy of mana - what is it? The report broke the Māori economy into subsections - economies of mana, tribal economies, and diverse and community economies. "These have created necessary interventions to assert Māori perspectives as valid to national and international audiences," the report said. In simple terms, economic decisions were influenced by "mana-enhancing" interactions between people and the environment. Furthermore, there were two sides to this conversation. How did Māori organise their economies, and what framings of the economy did not align with Māori values? It stemmed from the perspective of measuring wealth by how much passes through one person's hands, rather than how much accumulated, and it allocated resources and undertook activities to generate adequate profits, Forward said. "It doesn't have to be profit-maximising, but you know, you need profits in order to survive otherwise you'll fall apart." Tribal economies: an example of iwi success History was deeply rooted in this topic and specific to iwi and hapū organisations. "Tribal economies move from how things were organised to the institutions that enable or constrain these ways of organising today," the report said. "This includes not just direct breaches of Te Tiriti, or the failure to honour purchase deeds, but the systematic exclusion of Māori from decision-making around how the economy is designed." An example of a tribal economy was Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, which was established under the Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement Act 1998 and the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Act 1996. "Collective settlement assets are managed by Ngāi Tahu Holdings, separately from the bodies that spend and distribute the income earned from those assets, The Office," the lead author wrote. The Ngāi Tahu Claims Settlement of $170 million had grown into net assets valued at NZ$1.66 billion. Assets included businesses like Queenstown's Shotover Jet and Fiordland's Hollyford Wilderness Experience. "Typically, any surplus generated by activities from settlement resources is appropriated by the Ngāi Tahu Charitable Trust and distributed to the wider iwi. But these resources only exist because of the intergenerational struggle for the Ngāi Tahu claim and are intended for future generations." In 2024, each of the 18 papatipu rūnanga (authoritative tribal council of a specific tribal area) in Te Wai Pounamu received $574,334 with a total direct distribution since settlement of $17.2 million. Today, the wealthiest iwi contributed to improving the wellbeing of 80,000 tribal members. 'Thriving and diversifying' Diverse and community economies used economic activities, both paid and unpaid, beyond formal market transactions. They included gifting, sharing, volunteering, and caring as legitimate economic actions. Although some challenges had been identified - such as resourcing rangatiratanga, financialisation, no time for kaitiakitanga (guardianship), and balancing obligations. The report also stated it also required pushing beyond limited Crown recognition, and exploring diverse forms of labour, enterprise, transactions, property and finance to achieve diverse and community economies. Forward explained it in terms of the "Matike Mai sphere" - the sphere of influence. "Of course [Māori] are a firm, at large, and empower the rangatiratanga sphere, but I think we see in our in our case studies what the kāwanatanga is doing does strike us, though we resist and though we're in defiance of their idea that they have a sole claim to authority sometimes. "We have to navigate strategically and that's what we take up - a new strategic navigation in which the kāwanatanga diverts us and say no more. That there are things that we can do in the relational sphere between those two spheres to demand a different shape rather than just a greater share."
Otago Daily Times
16-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Panels reflect ORC building's new name
A feature panel is now secured to the side of the Otago Regional Council's new premises, reflecting the building's new name — Aonui. PHOTOS: GERARD O'BRIEN Two feature panels being installed on the side of the Otago Regional Council building this week hold clues to the name of the new premises. The Maclaggan St building, owned by Port Otago and leased by the ORC, is to be called Aonui — a prestigious name that encapsulates Kāi Tahu identity throughout time. Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou ūpoko Edward Ellison said the name had "great mana and significance" in both te ao Māori and in Kāi Tahu tradition, and had the endorsement of mana whenua from across the region. "Given ORC's important role in achieving the sustainable use and management of our environment, and their commitment to partnering with mana whenua, we are delighted to share such a prestigious name for their building." Mr Ellison said Aonui related to the pursuit of knowledge in the natural world, and it was the son of Rehua in the celestial world — also known as Antares in Western astronomy. The waka Āraiteuru, which is synonymous with the Otago coast, had a crew member named Aonui, who sought fresh water and found it at Mata au (Clutha River), and is remembered by the tall basaltic pillar named Aonui (Cooks Head) just north of the Tokomairaro River on the Āraiteuru coastline. The name and panel designs were provided by mana whenua cultural experts Dr Megan Pōtiki, Paulette Tamati-Elliffe and Mr Ellison. The pūhoro patterns on the panels were created by Kāi Tahu artist Ephraim Russell, under the guidance of Aukaha's Mana Ahurea design team, and depict the rivers and streams that run through Dunedin — in particular, the awa Toitū that flows down MacLaggan St. Kāi Tahu shares a deep, cultural connection to fresh water, recognising its vital role in traditions, practices and its symbiotic relationship with the land. Fresh water holds importance as a taoka (precious resource), influencing traditional practices of mahika kai, and fostering a sense of respect, reciprocity and kaitiakitaka (stewardship). The location of the build is significant to mana whenua, with the Toitū awa (stream) next to the site of the building, as well as the location of the old Māori hostel nearby. Otago Regional Council chairwoman Gretchen Robertson said Aonui reflected the council's dedication to mana whenua and to the environment. "We are delighted that mana whenua have endorsed this prestigious name that is solidified in the Otago landscape and pulls together all aspects of the environment, from freshwater to salt water and to air. "It really highlights the importance council places on our relationship with mana whenua and our joint environmental priorities and aspirations." Other councillors' opinions were mixed. Cr Gary Kelliher denounced the whole $54.5million building as a "burden" on ratepayers. "This building continues to be a huge blight on the ratepayers and a huge cost to everyone except iwi, who get paid for their involvement and now get a mythical name that doesn't really resonate with the wider Otago community." Cr Tim Mepham described Cr Kelliher's comment as "a redneck rant". "Accepting the name Aonui, given by Ngai Tahu for the new building, reflects not only the maturing of relationship between Ngai Tahu and the council, but a growing acceptance within New Zealand that Maori and Pakeha are working together to create a positive future that will distinguish this country from the rest of the Western world." Cr Kelliher also criticised the decision to use synthetic carpet in the building instead of more environmentally friendly wool carpet, which he said was "one of the biggest kicks in the guts" for Otago farmers. "This building will burden Otago for generations, and is a prime example of why major changes are needed in regional government." Cr Michael Laws described the new headquarters as an official "up yours" to every ratepayer in the region. "It's a building in search of an empire." Cr Alexa Forbes and Cr Mepham said those who were concerned about the rates should have a close look at the funding mechanisms for the building — the sale of existing property, an existing building fund and what would normally be paid in rent. "The actual impact on ratepayers is minor," Cr Forbes said. Cr Kate Wilson, Cr Alan Somerville and Cr Forbes said they were all happy with the new name.
Otago Daily Times
15-07-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
ORC reveals name of new building
Two feature panels being installed on the side of the Otago Regional Council building this week hold clues to the name of the new premises. The Maclaggan St building, owned by Port Otago and leased by the ORC, is to be called Aonui - a prestigious name that encapsulates Kāi Tahu identity throughout time. Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou ūpoko Edward Ellison said the name had ''great mana and significance'' in both te ao Māori and in Kāi Tahu tradition, and had the endorsement of mana whenua from across the region. ''Given ORC's important role in achieving the sustainable use and management of our environment, and their commitment to partnering with mana whenua, we are delighted to share such a prestigious name for their building.'' Mr Ellison said Aonui related to the pursuit of knowledge in the natural world, and it was the son of Rehua in the celestial world - also known as Antares in Western astronomy. The waka Āraiteuru , which is synonymous with the Otago coast, had a crew member named Aonui, who sought fresh water and found it at Mata au (Clutha River), and is remembered by the tall basaltic pillar named Aonui (Cooks Head) just north of the Tokomairaro River on the Āraiteuru coastline. The name and panel designs were provided by mana whenua cultural experts Dr Megan Pōtiki, Paulette Tamati-Elliffe and Mr Ellison. The pūhoro patterns on the panels were created by Kāi Tahu artist Ephraim Russell, under the guidance of Aukaha's Mana Ahurea design team, and depict the rivers and streams that run through Dunedin - in particular, the awa Toitū that flows down MacLaggan St. Kāi Tahu shares a deep, cultural connection to freshwater, recognising its vital role in traditions, practices and its symbiotic relationship with the land. Freshwater holds importance as a taoka (precious resource), influencing traditional practices of mahika kai, and fostering a sense of respect, reciprocity, and kaitiakitaka (stewardship). The location of the build is significant to mana whenua, with the Toitū awa (stream) adjacent to the site of the building, as well as the location of the old Māori hostel nearby. Otago Regional Council chairwoman Gretchen Robertson said Aonui reflected council's commitment to mana whenua and to the environment. ''We are delighted that mana whenua have endorsed this prestigious name that is solidified in the Otago landscape and pulls together all aspects of the environment, from freshwater to salt water and to air. ''It really highlights the importance council places on our relationship with mana whenua and our joint environmental priorities and aspirations.''
Scoop
15-07-2025
- General
- Scoop
'Prestigious' New Build Name Solidified In The Otago Environment
As the first of two feature panels are installed on Port Otago's new build this week, the name of the building, to be leased by the Otago Regional Council (ORC), has been revealed. Aonui is a prestigious name that encapsulates Kāi Tahu identity throughout time, Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou Ūpoko Edward Ellison says. 'The name Aonui has great mana and significance in both te ao Māori and in Kāi Tahu tradition and has the endorsement of mana whenua from across the region. Given ORC's important role in achieving the sustainable use and management of our environment, and their commitment to partnering with mana whenua, we are delighted to share such a prestigious name for their building,' Mr Ellison says. Aonui relates to the pursuit of knowledge in the natural world. In the celestial world, Aonui is the son of Rehua, known as Antares in western astronomy. The waka Āraiteuru, which is synonymous with Otago coast, had a crew member named Aonui, who sought fresh water and found it at Mata au (Clutha River) and is remembered by the tall basaltic pillar named Aonui (Cooks Head) just north of the Tokomairaro River on the Āraiteuru coastline. Otago Regional Council Chairperson, Gretchen Robertson, says Aonui reflects Council's commitment to mana whenua and to the environment. 'We are delighted that mana whenua have endorsed this prestigious name that is solidified in the Otago landscape and pulls together all aspects of the environment, from freshwater to salt water and to air. It really highlights the importance Council places on our relationship with mana whenua and our joint environmental priorities and aspirations.' The name and designs have been derived from matauraka (knowledge) provided by mana whenua cultural experts Dr Megan Pōtiki, Paulette Tamati-Elliffe and Edward Ellison. The new name is in line with the installation of the first of two large feature panels being installed along Maclaggan Street and The Broadway this week. The panels, designed by Kāi Tahu artist Ephraim Russell, under the guidance of Aukaha's Mana Ahurea design team, depict the awa (rivers and streams) that run through Dunedin, in particular the awa Toitū that flows down MacLaggan Street. Kāi Tahu share a deep, cultural connection to freshwater, recognising its vital role in traditions, practices, and its symbiotic relationship with the land. Freshwater holds importance as a taoka (precious resource), influencing traditional practices of mahika kai, and fostering a sense of respect, reciprocity, and kaitiakitaka (stewardship). The pūhoro patterns (a traditional motif in Māori design) represent the water's movement and speed as it journeys across the whenua. Aukaha is a mana whenua owned organisation that delivers cultural design integration, environmental and social services across the Otago and South Canterbury region. Led by Aukaha Design Lead Aroha Novak, Aukaha's design team includes Kāi Tahu artists Kate Stevens West, James York, and Ephraim Russell, who have worked with architects GHD in a co-design process to weave mana whenua values and narratives into the building design. The location of the build is significant to mana whenua, with the Toitū awa/stream adjacent to the site of the building, as well as the location of the old Māori hostel nearby.
