Te Arawa Lakes Trust's wananga 'highlights need to stay connected'

Representatives from Te Komiro o Utuhina talked about their clean-up work at Utuhina Stream at the Te Arawa Lakes Trust's kaitiaki wananga on Sunday. Photo / File

The Te Arawa Lakes Trust's kaitiaki wananga on Sunday left organisers with a resounding message that the wananga are useful and more should be held around the rohe.

The trust's environment manager, Nicki Douglas, said whanau from Ngati Whakaue, Ngati Rangiwewehi and Tuhourangi all turned out.

"We were thrilled to have our koeke present."

She said a presentation from representatives from Te Komiro o Utuhina about their clean-up work at Utuhina Stream was also well received.

Ms Douglas said the wananga highlighted a need for hapu to stay connected to learn from each other and share the progress everyone was making.

"Our love for our lakes and whenua, and commitment to their health and wellbeing, underpins our role as kaitiaki. We have the knowledge from our tupuna and responsibility to our mokopuna to engage in the restoration of our lakes and waterways."

Ms Douglas said it had been great to hear more from the group about their expectations of the trust - including championing for hapu, advocating to both local and central government and co-ordinating the provision of information and expert advice and support for hapu and iwi.

The trust has plans to host wananga with Pikiao Tupuna rohe and Tuhourangi Tupuna rohe between now and next June, and has also been invited to present in Maketu.

Details about upcoming events can be found on the Te Arawa Lakes Trust Facebook page.