Preserving and protecting Māori-owned land

Mike Mohi - Ngā Whenua Rāhui Consultant. Photo / Supplied

Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated has new neighbours at their 304 Fitzroy Ave office.

Earlier this month they welcomed Ngā Whenua Rāhui into their new premises. It was a great opportunity to find out about who they are and what they do.

Ngā Whenua Rāhui - Who are we and what do we do?

Ngā Whenua Rahui is a contestable ministerial fund that was established in 1991 to preserve and protect indigenous ecosystems on Māori-owned land while honouring the rights guaranteed to Māori landowners under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The fund is administered by the Ngā Whenua Rahui Committee and serviced by the Department of Conservation.

The Ngā Whenua Rahui Committee consists of founding members, (chair) Tā Tumu Te Heuheu – Ngāti Tuwharetoa and (deputy chair) Kevin Prime – Ngāti Hine, also Mavis Mullins – Ngāti Rangitane, Ngāti Ranginui, Te Ātihaunui o Pāpārangi, Piriniha Prentice – Ngāti Hineuru, Ngāti Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Kahungunu, John Paki – Ngāti Wai, Ngāti Whatua, and Paki Nikora – Ngai Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu.

Ngā Whenua Rāhui offers two types of funds:

1. The Ngā Whenua Rāhui Fund provides protection for Māori landowners through a 25 year renewable kawenata/covenant. Applications are open from July 1 to September 30 each year.

2. The Mātauranga Kura Taiao Fund seeks to preserve the customs, history and stories associated with whenua Māori and tikanga. Applications to this fund are open all year round.

The mission of Ngā Whenua Rāhui is to enable Māori landowners tino rangatiratanga associated with their land and to achieve specific biodiversity outcomes. Presently the Ngā Whenua Rahui has 271 agreements with Māori landowners.

Ngā Whenua Rāhui has five offices spread throughout the country. The main office is in Opotiki, with smaller offices in Gisborne, Turangi, Whakatane and Heretaunga. In Kahunungu ki Heretaunga the Ngā Whenua Rāhui office recently moved from the Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga offices on Orchard Rd where they have been for the past 10 years.

The kaimahi at the new tari are Barbaletta Aranui, Ana Te Whaiti, Ernest Hurinui, Ranginui McKay, Jenny Nelson-Smith, Noreen Mako and Mike Mohi. The work rolled out by these kaimahi involves monitoring the funding applications, checking information is legal and also monitoring field work to ensure the protective mechanisms are in place.

Mike Mohi has been with Ngā Whenua Rāhui since its inception as the executive officer in 1991. His role has changed over time. He is now a consultant for Ngā Whenua Rāhui. During his time with the organisation Mike has been instrumental in signing up over 150 hectares of Māori land for legal protection. Jenny Nelson-Smith is employed by the Department of Conservation as the Pou Tairangahau or operations manager for the lower North Island.

This year Ngā Whenua Rāhui will celebrate 30 years of existence. Like anything, the purpose of an organisation evolves as the needs evolve. The next stage is to encourage and empower landowners to take more responsibility for their own land.

For more information contact Noreen Mako Manutaki (Team Lead) M: 027 245 9518 https://www.doc.govt.nz/ngawhenuarahui.