by Andr? Hueber
A kiwi chick named after late Ngatiwai kaumatua Pona Matenga has been released on Whangarei's kiwi creche, Limestone Island.
Mr Matenga, (also known as Pona Martin) died on January 4 and was a leading kaumatua who represented his tribe nationally, Tohunga Te Warihi Hetaraka said.
He was kaumatua for the
Northland District Health Board and Whangarei police and part of a team of Maori advisers who worked with the Department of Conservation's Pataka Komiti group.
Mr Matenga and his wife Lizzie received Queen's Service Medals in 2005.
"Because the bird is endangered its naming after Pona can be seen as an honour to him and his family. The naming of the bird implies Ngatiwai and Maori need to focus on this type of conservation work," Mr Hetaraka said.
DoC Kiwi ranger Paul Cornille said he had already been monitoring kiwi on Grant Fallon's farm at Marlow Road in Riponui for some time before he came across the egg that contained Pona.
"We discovered a nest after New Year with an egg and a chick. We backed off and revisited it the next day knowing the father would probably abandon the nest."
Even if the nest was abandoned immediately the egg would be okay for at least 24 hours, Mr Cornille said.
"I contacted Grant and he carried the egg in a chilly bin while I drove to Robert Webb's incubator at the Whangarei Native Bird Recovery Centre."
Mr Webb said Pona hatched on January 14 and has "rocketed past his hatch weight" since being born.
"Pona has nice dark feathers and now weighs 395g."
Mr Webb said he named the kiwi after Mr Matenga because he was a special Maori elder to lots of people in Northland.
"I thought it would be nice that the kiwi could carry on living for another 40 years with Pona's name attached to it. Kiwi are held in high regard amongst Maori and it's a way of saying thanks to Pona. As one life ceases another starts," Mr Webb said.
Mr Cornille said Pona was being sent to pest-free Limestone Island so he could spend the first year of his life without the threat of predators like stoats.
The rangers on the island would keep Pona in a garage until it was dark and cool before letting him go, he said.
"It will give him time to adjust and by the morning he'll be settled in."
