Category: Te Ao Māori

Source: Radio New Zealand

A partnership between Torere Macadamias Ltd and the Riddet Institute is aiming to grow the presence of Māori in agribusiness.

Torere Macadamias Ltd is an organic macadamia nursery, orchard and nut company based in the small settlement of Torere in eastern Bay of Plenty.

General manager Vanessa Hayes said the partnership began with a PhD research project by Faruk Ahmed, supervised by Riddet Institute scientist Ali Rashidinejad, to investigate macadamia husks, shells and leaves for bioactive compounds that could be used in functional food products or pharmaceutical supplements.

Hayes said her interest in the husks was sparked by an observation of some of the local animals.

“The cows on our neighbouring property kept pushing the fence over to eat the husks of our macadamia nuts when they were harvested and in bins. So I knew that they were highly attractive to the cows who just couldn’t stop eating them.”

The results of the research project to date had demonstrated that macadamia husks contain major phenolic compounds (a potent source of antioxidants) with considerable potential for future applications.

Hayes said the results had been so significant that Riddet were keen to continue the partnership for another five years.

There had also been interest in research on using macadamia shells for smoking food, in the same way that manuka wood chips would be used, but Hayes said macadamia shells had a “light smoke flavour” that did not overpower the food.

“There’s so many exciting things that we can use from our macadamia. So that’s the husks, the shells, the oil and the kernels. We haven’t got to the leaves yet.”

Hayes said getting more Māori involvement in agribusiness had been another goal of hers for years.

“I wasn’t any different then just leasing out my block for maize to pay the rates. And that doesn’t give you any empowerment to use your own block for probably better food production that, you know, Māori are all good at growing food, or used to be. So taking back ownership of our land and utilising areas and just gradually building from there is what I’ve been trying to encourage our Māori landowners to do.”

The overall strategic plan was to involve Māori groups of growers under collectives. At this stage, they already had one set up, based at Waihau Bay and Raukokore, she said.

Through the partnership with Riddet she hoped to establish career pipelines for rangatahi Māori into agribusiness.

“So that’s the first step, is to basically train and get our Māori participants to learn about growing macadamias, get them qualified, make them feel confident in what they’re doing. We also, through the Riddet Institute, have a relationship with the Pūhoro STEMM Academy and they do more than just the agribusiness.”

The Riddet Institute is an internationally recognised Centre of Research Excellence in food science and related disciplines, hosted by Massey University in Palmerston North.

The Institute’s acting director, Distinguished Professor Paul Moughan, said the Riddet Institute was delighted to collaborate with Torere Macadamias Ltd to explore new frontiers in high-value food and ingredient development.

The partnership would promote local expertise and indigenous know-how, together with cutting-edge science, he said.

“This strategic partnership is a powerful example of how indigenous enterprise and advanced food science can work together to generate real economic and social impact.

“Macadamias present exciting opportunities for future foods and bioactive ingredients, and we are extremely proud to support the aspirations of Torere Macadamias Ltd and Māori capability building through research projects that connect young rangatahi to meaningful careers in food science.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The national Māori radio network, Te Whakaruruhau o Ngā Reo Irirangi Māori o Aotearoa, is considering litigation over a potential loss of government funding which it says threatens the survivability of iwi radio stations.

Chairperson Peter-Lucas Jones (Ngāti Kahu, Te Rārawa, Ngāi Takoto, Te Aupōuri) – who was also chief executive of far North iwi broadcaster Te Hiku Media – told current affairs series RUKU Māori radio is a right under Te Tiriti o Waitangi, not a government handout.

Recent and proposed actions targeting iwi stations, implemented primarily through Te Māngai Pāho (TMP), disregarded the treaty and exposed the Crown to credible legal risk, he said.

“This issue is not about resisting change, iwi radio stations have themselves funded transitions to digital platforms and new media without Crown support.

“The issue is whether the Crown can, through an intermediary, dismantle a treaty remedy without Māori consent.”

There were more than 20 iwi radio stations across New Zealand, from Te Hiku in the North to Tahu FM in the South.

Stations received funding through Te Māngai Pāho to promote Māori language and culture.

TMP currently had $16 million of time-limited funding, equal to almost 25 percent of their total annual funding, which was due to expire on June 30.

While 2026/27 appropriations would not be confirmed until the Budget announcement in late May, Te Māngai Pāho said the impact of this funding loss would be felt across the whole Māori media sector.

“Te Māngai Pāho is consulting with the Māori media sector, including iwi radio, on the future of our funding allocations. We have requested feedback to understand how any reduction of funding will be felt across the sector.

“Feedback will inform the board’s final decisions around funding allocations. We understand that the stability of iwi radio stations and content creators is threatened by this funding cut.”

Jones said iwi stations unanimously agreed at a special general meeting they would not accept any decrease in funding and would consider legal action in response to any cutbacks.

“Decisions taken by TMP that materially affect iwi radio funding, structure or autonomy remain Crown actions for treaty purposes.

“The Crown cannot discharge its Treaty obligations by delegation and then rely on that delegation to insulate itself from responsibility.”

The iwi radio network said it had been grappling with a wide range of issues including, rapidly changing audience expectation and emerging technologies, numerous siloed media outlets and an inadequate investment in workforce development affecting the ability to grow and retain a skilled workforce.

Minister for Māori Development Tama Potaka said Māori media, including iwi radio, played a critical role in supporting te reo Māori revitalisation and connecting whānau and communities across Aotearoa, shaping public understanding by sharing Māori stories and te reo directly with whānau.

He said no final decisions had been made through the consultation between TMP and the Māori media sector and it was premature to confirm impacts on funding levels, services, or jobs, including claims about specific percentage reductions.

“Earlier financial support of $16 million in time-limited funding was put in place under the previous Government and is now coming to an end. The current consultation process is focused on how best to manage that transition within existing funding.

“As Minister, I do not direct or intervene in Te Māngai Pāho’s operational funding decisions. Those are matters for the board.”

Potaka said the Crown’s role was to ensure a strong and sustainable system for te reo Māori revitalisation.

“I expect the consultation process to reflect the importance of Iwi radio and the role it plays in communities across the country, while ensuring funding is used effectively to deliver high-quality content on platforms that meet audience preferences.

“Māori media entities continue to adapt to changes in funding and audience behaviour, and I expect decisions to prioritise value for money while supporting strong te reo Māori outcomes.

“Any organisation is entitled to raise concerns or seek legal advice. However, there is an established independent process underway, and it is important that process is allowed to run its course.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

ASB Polyfest, the largest Pasifika secondary school festival, is into its second week and for the first time it has been split in two, with this week dedicated to Māori performance.

Now in its 51st year, the annual festival sees thousands of visitors and performers come through the Manukau Sports Bowl, with more than 80,000 expected this year.

Te Paparewa Māori event director Tracey Watkinson told Midday Report the Māori stage had grown so much that the decision was made to move indoors to the nearby Due Drop Events Centre.

“We had outgrown the Manukau Sports Bowl, or Te Paparewa Māori had, that the greyhound area that we were in which was the biggest area of the Manukau Sports Bowl was unavailable to us anymore.”

The name Te Paparewa was given by pou tikanga Hemi Tai Tin and basically translates to “Māori stage,” she said.

Te Paparewa Māori runs from Monday until Thursday and Watkinson said with 62 groups representing 72 kura across Auckland it is one of the biggest stages in the country.

“It’s one of the busiest first days that I’ve been involved in in the last 15 years, thank you to our whānau for coming out to support those kura,” she said.

Te Paparewa Māori is also a qualifying event for the national secondary schools kapa haka competition and Watkinson said there is a buzz from students and their whānau.

“It’s fabulous out here today, from our stall holders, to our stakeholders, to our whānau, to our rangatahi that are coming in and performing there’s a real buzz and a vibe here.”

Wehenga 3 (division 3) are competing on Monday and Tuesday, followed by Wehenga 2, with Wehenga 1 rounding out the competition on Thursday, she said.

“Our sessions on Wednesday and Thursday have already sold out, so that tells you the kind of volume of whānau and community that we have coming through.

“We’re grateful, as an event we’re grateful to our Pasifika and Diversity whānau for their support of us and I think we support them in this journey but to cope with growth this is sort of it for us.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A kaupapa Māori housing and support provider is warning proposed move-on powers could push vulnerable whānau further away from help, rather than addressing the root causes of homelessness.

It comes after hundreds of people across the motu protested on Sunday, opposing the proposed orders – including an overnight vigil in Wellington cathedral.

Ki Tua o Matariki urged the government to reconsider changes to the Summary Offences Act, which would allow police to move on rough sleepers or people displaying disorderly behaviour.

It would also apply to people who were obstructing or impeding someone entering a business, breaching the peace, begging, or displaying behaviour indicating an attempt to inhabit a public place.

Under the proposal, breaching a move-on order could result in fines of up to $2000 or up to three months’ imprisonment.

The powers could apply nationwide and potentially affect rangatahi as young as 14.

Ki Tua o Matariki Chief executive Zoe Witika-Hawke said the approach risks criminalising hardship.

“Punishing people who cannot afford necessities such as housing, food, or transport does not reduce homelessness, it deepens fear and mistrust,” she said.

Witika-Hawke said from what she sees on the ground, homelessness is not a choice.

“We’re not seeing that people choose homelessness… what we’re seeing is people really wanting their lives to be better.”

She said trust was critical in supporting whānau into stable housing and wellbeing.

“For whānau to engage in support, trust must come first. Pushing people further into the criminal justice system moves them away from the very support that enables long-term wellbeing.”

Ki Tua o Matariki provided housing and wraparound support for mātua taiohi (young parents), hapū māmā and their whānau, including mental health services, education pathways and kaupapa Māori wānanga.

Witika-Hawke said the proposed changes risk sending the wrong message.

“What does that tell our whānau? What does that tell our communities? Are we trying to push people to the corners of society where they become more unwell?”

She said the inclusion of rangatahi raised serious concerns.

“A 14-year-old homeless and moving them on and potentially punishing them with a fine or imprisonment is just unfathomable to us.”

“What we’re seeing is rangatahi who want tautoko (support), but also want to trust the people that are giving the tautoko. And I think once that trust is built, things do change. A 14-year-old on the street does not choose to be homeless.”

The organisation said Māori were disproportionately affected by homelessness, with 2023 census data showing Māori were over-represented in rough sleeping and insecure housing.

Māori women were particularly impacted, with a study by Ihi Research in 2024 finding four out of five homeless women in Aotearoa were Māori.

Hineraukura Martin, a founding member of Māori maternal mental health advisory group Hine Ki Te Wheiao, said the proposal assumed people sleeping rough had somewhere else to go.

“It prioritises public comfort over addressing the structural drivers of homelessness, including inflation, rising living costs, and housing insecurity,” Martin said.

“Treating homelessness as a behavioural issue rather than a systemic one risks ignoring the economic realities many whānau are facing. We believe the focus must shift toward practical, compassionate solutions that respond to the real pressures impacting our communities”

Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith previously said move-on orders were not about criminalising homelessness.

“Only people who refuse those orders will face prosecution. A move-on order is not a criminal charge,” he said.

Goldsmith said the policy was about ensuring public spaces were safe and accessible.

“This is about reclaiming our streets and our city centres for the enjoyment of everybody who visits, works and lives there.”

He said police had “the expertise to connect people with the support services they may require”.

“New Zealanders are fair-minded people, and our culture is one where we seek to help those who are in need, but that doesn’t mean we should accept our city centres, particularly our showcase tourist spots, becoming places of intimidation, and dysfunction,

Police Minister Mark Mitchell previously said officers would use discretion and aim to connect people with support services where needed.

“We’ve got something that will formalise it, that will actually hopefully get them engaging with those services and actually fix those issues, and at the same time we won’t have people living on our streets. I don’t think any fair-minded Kiwi in our country wants to see people out living on our streets.”

But Witika-Hawke argued without investment in housing and support, enforcement alone would not work.

“Targeting the root issue requires investment… more social support, more health support, more opportunities for our whānau to be navigated into homes.”

She said the current climate including rising living costs was already placing pressure on communities.

“People are feeling hopeless. People are feeling like they can’t see an end to the struggle,” she said.

“If you create an environment where you make the struggle harder… then that hope in people’s mental health is going to suffer.”

“I think care, over a punitive approach, is actually what’s going to make the best difference in this moment.”

Ki Tua o Matariki was calling for a shift toward prevention and kaupapa Māori-led solutions.

“Maybe it’s a time to pause and think about developing policies that benefit those that are struggling in the current climate and design things for them rather than the other way around,” Witika-Hawke said.

“Our communities deserve public policy grounded in manaakitanga, not punishment.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarships continue to uphold the values of the Battalion even after the death of its last surviving member, Sir Robert “Bom” Gillies.

The recipients of the Scholarships were announced on Thursday in Parliament.

The scholarships were established in 1945 to assist Māori achievers to succeed in education and to contribute as leaders in New Zealand and overseas. Over 300 of them have been awarded.

Past winners include Willie Apiata VC, Professor Whatarangi Winiata, Hekia Parata, Dr Patu Hohepa and Dr Monty Soutar.

Ngarimu scholarship board member and past winner Dr Kahurangi Waititi told Māpuna the scholarships are about honouring the legacy of the 28th Māori Battalion and Te Moananui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu VC.

“Now that we have lost our last mōrehu (survivor) they actually become really important. They’ve always been really important and it was beautiful in the time where the soldiers and the widows were on this board selecting.

“I was selected for one of my scholarships in that time. And so I think with them all gone now, it becomes really important that we remember what their key and core values were. But more so, how do we carry those values forward in the application of these scholarships? How do we remember? And what’s it going to look like in 50 years when there’s that degree of separation from our soldiers?”

Waititi’s father Major John Waititi, also known as “John the Major,” was the last surviving commanding officer of the Battalion and a former scholarship board member, he died in 2012.

“He absolutely loved this board, which is why I said yes when I was asked to come on. I know this was a heart kaupapa for him, and I could do nothing else but say yes to it when I was asked,” she said.

Waititi described her father as a “weaver of people” and there was some pressure stepping into a role with the board.

When she first applied for the scholarship there were still veterans and widows of veterans on the panel that she had to present to.

“They will ask the questions, they will interrogate you if possible. Yes, it was such a scary, scary situation for me. But I think my whole premise there was that at the time we were making stories, short stories about my father through video and through film. And so I actually had a really good visual presentation to give them and by the end they had tears,” she said.

This years applicants are really pushing the envelope and establish stories for their own time, she said.

There are scholarships available for Doctoral, Masters, Undergraduate and Vocational training, as well as the Ngarimu Video and Waiata competitions which Waititi said gives people different methods to express the stories of the 28th Battalion.

“There’s something about [Battalion soldiers] wanting a better future and them wanting their people to thrive. And I think that’s a key tenant within these scholarships as well. And so, yeah, in terms of the legacy, I think I’m actually excited to see where it goes in the future in terms of how we express and how we retell these stories.

“As scary as it is to have them all gone now, I think we’re in control of, you know, not over-romanticising, understanding the whakapapa of the trauma that came into our communities because it had nowhere else to be processed,” she said.

Doctoral scholarship recipient Uenuku Jefferies credits his koro as the reason he is receiving the scholarship and the reason he speaks te reo Māori every day.

His rangahau, or research, is centred around tikanga, especially around pre-colonial ceremonies and traditions and weaving that with his work as a filmmaker.

“So the main pātai is how might a Māori approach documenting pohoro or tāmoko alongside the reclamation of pre-colonial ceremonies and traditions.”

In May 2022 Jefferies said he was fortunate enough to reclaim his puhoro, tattoos on his legs, thighs and back.

“Just like my practice as a filmmaker, decolonising narratives is a big thing. But not only just narratives, but also our beliefs.”

As part of his PhD, he will create four short documentaries.

“There are so many aspects in a documentary that create beauty. And that may be that that footage, or the kōrero that is captured is actually given back to the haukāinga. It may be that my whānau took place within the production, or the economic value of the project went back to the people and so that’s how we measure success… we can’t just think inside the box and I know that the 28th Māori Battalion did that.”

The 2026 Ngarimu VC and 28th (Māori) Battalion Memorial Scholarship recipients:

Doctoral:

• Uenukuterangihoka Tairua Jefferies (Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Awa, Te Whānau a Apanui, Ngāti Maniapoto)
• Arna Whaanga (Ngāti Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Te Wairoa)

Masters:

• Xavia Tuera Connolly (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngā Rauru Kītahi, Ngāruahine, Mōkai Pātea, Ngāti Whakaue, Whakatōhea, Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa, Ngāti Whātua)

Master of Education Research:

• Tiffany Radich (Ngāti Awa)

Undergraduate:

• Temaea Teaeki (Ngaiterangi, Kiribati)
• Isla Mariana Fellows (Ngāti Mutunga ki Taranaki, Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri)
• Hinerangi Nicholas (Tūhoe, Ngaiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui, Kuki Airani)

Vocational Education and Training:

• Tūī Mārama Keenan (Ngāti Porou)
• Tiffany Daphne Shirtliff (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Porou)
• Janine Aroha Tito (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manu, Ngāti Mahuta)

Ngarimu Video Competition:

• Skyla Storm Ngawaki Te Moana (Te Whānau a Apanui)
• Florence Kararaina Ngā Mata O Manaiawharepu Grace (Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti Tarāwhai, Te Whānau a Apanui)

Ngarimu Waiata Competition:

• Hineata Durie-Ngata (Ngāti Porou, Rangitāne, Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Whakatere, Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Awa)
• Mahaki Chambers (Ngāti Porou)

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

An estuary near Maketu in Bay of Plenty has had its original name Te Heriheri restored as part of an iwi-led project to restore the health of the entire wetland ecosystem.

Te Wahapū o Waihī – the collective of Ngāti Whakahemo, Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Mākino, Ngāti Pikiao and Tapuika – was established by the iwi and hapū of Waihī Estuary to restore and protect the health and mauri of the wai.

The collective works with a range of organisations, including Bay of Plenty Regional Council, the Ministry for the Environment, local landowners, the Waihī Drainage Society and community members.

Project lead Professor Kura Paul-Burke (Ngāti Whakahemo, Ngāti Mākino, Ngāti Awa) told RNZ one of the factors that contributed to the poor condition of the estuary was the four freshwater contributors, which once were rivers, were now straightened canals carrying polluted sediment loads straight from the land and human activities into the estuary.

“We purchased 30 hectares of dairy farm to convert to wetland and salt marsh. And the reason we did that was we wanted to build a korowai of wetlands around our estuary, because our estuary, Te Wahapū o Waihī, is one of the top five most degraded estuaries in the country. It does not meet safe swimming guidelines. It has permanent public health warning signs for our kaimoana, our shellfish.

“High nitrogen, phosphorus loads enter the estuary with E. coli levels consistently exceeding safe food consumption levels. So it’s in a very, very poor condition.”

Converting 30 hectares of dairy farm into wetland involved 160,000 native plants and fencing off 16 kilometers of waterways for riparian planting, she said.

It also involved working with local farmers to establish environmental plans in the upper catchment, she said.

Paul-Burke said all work to do with the environment was ongoing, but this part of the project ended in June of this year, and the hope was to then start building more wetlands around the estuary.

“The power of this project has been the five iwi coming together, working together alongside the Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Ministry for the Environment. But this project is led by iwi.”

Last Friday iwi members and stakeholders gathered at the wetland to commission a new pump station and unveil a new sign which restored the area’s original name, Te Heriheri.

“We had farmers, the ratepayers association, the drainage society. We had Minister Tama Potaka, representatives from all of the five iwi and local communities because it’s better when we all work together and all of us have worked together,” Paul-Burke said.

She said it was a beautiful ceremony and a chance to acknowledge the original name of the area.

Paul-Burke said Te Heriheri was a seasonal settlement where Ngāti Whakahemo would stay in the spring and summer months to harvest resources for the coming winter.

“So for us Ngāti Whakahemo, we were once known as the net makers, and Te Heriheri or this wetland played a major role in our trading economy with our neighbouring other iwi or tribes.”

It was also an ecologically significant area in terms of the range of native species, including plants, birds, tuna and inanga, she said.

While the 30 hectare wetland and salt marsh restoration was ongoing, restoration projects within the estuary had started, including with tuangi or cockles, pipi, and seagrass, Paul-Burke said.

“What we used was for a baseline for those kaimoana species, we use mātauranga Māori and/or the intergenerational transmission of environmental knowledge from our ancestors through to today. And so we interviewed kaumātua, and they have all since passed on, unfortunately.

“But we interviewed them and asked them, when you were young, where did you use to go to collect your pipi and your tuangi? And they talked about when they were children, which meant that someone older took them, their nanny, their koro, their parents, etc., which then traversed different generations of knowledge.”

With that mātauranga as a baseline and they mapped and surveyed the entire estuary. Standard marine surveys had only identified 16 hectares of pipi and tuangi in the estuary, the surveys based on mātauranga identified 30 hectares plus, she said.

“The power and importance of that intergenerational knowledge has identified that there were actually more kaimoana in our estuary than modern science has been able to access by over 50 percent.

“So we are hoping to develop a new way of surveying and monitoring pipi in particular alongside tuangi so that anyone, any whānau, hapū, iwi or communities across the motu, across the country, can do surveys themselves using this Mātauranga Māori approach.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

With the goals of building marae “bench strength” and improving water safety, King Country iwi Ngāti Maniapoto is launching a freediving course for its descendants.

Sam Mikaere is the group Chief Executive of Te Nehenehenui, the post settlement entity for Ngāti Maniapoto. He said when the iwi reached its settlement in 2022 one of their aspirations was to create courses that uplift whānau who were suffering inequities, in for example housing and education, but also courses focussed on “Maniapoto mātauranga.” https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu-korihi/480111/ngati-maniapoto-describes-apology-by-the-crown-as-a-fresh-start-for-relations

“We have this huge coastline from Mōkau up to Kāwhia. And if you’ve ever been out on the West Coast, it can be a little tumultuous, the moana at times. And so part of our kaupapa is around our ngāhere, our moana and our awa.

“So in the past, we have run river safety courses with our pakeke and our taitamariki and we’ve also done other things like housing and financials, but one of the other parts that was really important to us, especially, is the piece around safety in our spaces.”

Te Nehenehenui have partnered with Waitā Freediving to provide a training course for ten iwi members at the end of April, with graduates earning their Scuba Schools International (SSI) Freediver certification.

Waitā has previously run courses with Te Aupōuri, Ngāti Ranginui, Tūaropaki, and Rotoiti Trust. The group is made up of three Māori SSI Instructors, Rangi Ririnui, Ra Rātapu and Caleb Ware.

Mikaere said gathering kaimoana (seafood) for hui or tangihanga is a key part of the work of many marae and hapū so it was simple to step into providing training for the next tranche of divers.

“It’s all about building your bench strength for your marae and making sure that our whānau within the rohe have the people that can go out. You know, I do hope that they understand that once they get the ticket, we’re telling all of their marae and be like, hey, if you need something, this one’s your boy, he’ll go out or she’ll go out.”

Part of the course will include strengthening the divers role as kaitiaki of the environment through practical and cultural knowledge, he said.

This first course will act as a pilot program, but the iwi hope that once everything is in place it can be run a few more times, he said.

“We always wanted to support our marae. That was the intent when we got into this, is to create the skill sets on the ground so that we can strengthen our base and hopefully this will be something that our participants go through and then they can share that with their whānau and we can run it again and continue to fill these courses because it’s an integral one that is important to those that live within the marae area or those that come down from outside of the rohe back to their marae to be able to contribute.

“It’s something to be said about supporting your marae through your mahi on the ground and we just look forward to this, unlocking that potential for our whānau back in Maniapoto. Not that they haven’t got divers already, but you can never have too many in there.”

The course will also have a heavy focus on water safety. Mikaere said given the region is known for its rough conditions building diver confidence is key.

“A lot of our people are naturally swimmers. You know, we all grew up doing manus off the local wharf or wherever we come from, so we could all swim. But when you’re diving, you know, you really need to have your wits about you and make sure that you understand the way the water works. So there’s an absolute commitment here to improve mindfulness and focus in the water, to ensure that we’re building confidence in their swimming capabilities and in making sure there’s safe dive conditions, they understand what’s a safe condition to dive in.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

Pioneering Māori broadcaster and journalist Moari Stafford, who cultivated opportunity and empowered generations of Māori journalists for more than 20 years, has died.

He was 74.

Hailing from Waikato, Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Apakura and Ngāti Te Wehi, Stafford spent much of his life in Kawhia situated on the east coast, under the shadow of Maunga Pirongia – the tallest peak in Waikato.

Stafford grew up speaking te reo in a community that recognised the language as a tāonga that must be preserved and protected.

He joined Te Karere as a reporter in 1987, the year te reo Māori was recognised as an official language in New Zealand.

At a pivotal time in history, he became part of a generation that championed Māori journalism through challenging times.

Veteran broadcaster Tini Molyneux worked closely with Stafford for many years in broadcasting and said it was a challenging time but his dedication to te reo was relentless.

“He didn’t pursue a career in broadcasting but had a calibre of reo that was becoming hard to find at the time, so he was encouraged to get involved,” Molyneux said.

“Throughout his career he prioritised te reo in his decision making which created opportunities for people who didn’t fit the status quo of mainstream journalism.”

Stafford was appointed editor of Te Karere in 1991 and over the next 20 years he played a vital role in launching the careers of award-winning journalists and broadcasters.

Māori broadcaster and journalist Mihingarangi Forbes remembers Stafford as an “incredible boss” and respected figure in the newsroom.

“I started at Te Karere in 1994, we were the last of the cadetships for Te Karere… we were so excited and we had a whakatau in the marae there at Māori and Pacific programmes. There would have been about 50 people who worked there at the time,” Forbes said.

“Moari was an incredible boss, so supportive: mātanga reo, mātanga tikanga, mātanga kawa. He had a huge heart, he believed in people.

“He would always see something in us. He would guide us through our hapa and our mistakes that we made which, when you work at Te Karere and Te Ao Māori, making a mistake can be fatal. He would always guide us through that and pull us out the other side.”

Forbes said Stafford would travel between Kawhia and the TVNZ office in Auckland weekly – a distance of around 200 kilometres.

“He was an amazing family man”, she said.

“He’d always bring us kai Māori, rewana bread or a boil up or any kind of Māori kai that he’d bring from home, kai moana, and he’d share it with everybody.”

“I’ll dearly miss him. I’ll miss his texts. He kept in touch with me for my last 32 years, encouraging me every time he saw me out there or doing something good, he’d let me know.”

Another veteran Māori broadcaster to work under Stafford was Julian Wilcox who, alongside Māori media mogul Bailey Mackey, joined Te Karere as a reporter in the late 1990s.

Wilcox told RNZ Stafford was a “quiet and humble” man whose time working manual jobs gave him a dogged work ethic.

“Moari just was worried about filling the half hour that we had on Te Karere… but he got into the gig because of, I found out later on, the encouragement of one of the great tohunga of Tainui, Henare Tuwhangai, who was a main orator for Te Arikinui Te Ataarangikaahu in his time, and one of the great tohunga of Māoridom,” he said.

“It was always about doing the gig, filling the half hour, making sure you had a kaupapa, and turning that kaupapa into a story, filling it out for two and a half minutes – which I know is a long time in news – but that was the average story length for Te Karere… he had that kind of discipline.”

Wilcox said Stafford was always interested in the voices of those the mainstream would leave out of the regular 6pm bulletin.

“How I figured out to please Moari was that if I could get kaumātua and kuia that people often didn’t see in news, particularly in mainstream, talking about news of the day, whatever it might have been at that time, the happier he’d be.

“I’d always turn up to work, and he would always say, ‘What’s your story?’ and I would tell him, ‘Well, I’ve got this kuia…'”

“He’d say ‘Kapai! Go get it’,” Wilcox said.

Stafford was part of a cohort of some of the first Māori broadcasters and journalists to appear regularly on New Zealand television screens like Hinerangi Goodman, Martin Rakuraku, Whai Ngata, Derek Fox, Tini Molyneux and Hirini Henare.

Wilcox remembers them all as “icons”.

“These were people who grew up watching… he was a cool, lovely, lovely man and [without] him I probably wouldn’t have a media career. We owe him a lot and we’re going to miss him.”

Former Te Karere journalist Dean Nathan joined Te Karere in the early 2000s. He told RNZ he met Stafford much earlier life as boy when Stafford worked in Forestry around the small, isolated town of Te Kao in the Far North.

“Who would have thought you would have met a forestry manager in television, right? Editing a national programme and obviously with turning over news it’s a demanding job and the team’s got to be out there and, you know, on the ball every day,” he said.

“I remember him as a really supportive editor and producer, a beautifully natured man.”

Nathan said Stafford gave him huge work opportunities.

“I’m grateful for Moari because he supported me and that was pretty much the starting of my career in television. He was the first editor to send me to repot internationally in America and North America, Canada and Hawaii and all over the South Pacific.

“Those are opportunities that really broadened my my skills and ability and I’m really grateful for that. I love Moari,” Nathan said.

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Source: Radio New Zealand

A pre-harvest karakia at a Kerikeri kiwifruit orchard reflects growing recognition of tikanga Māori in the country’s horticulture industry, a Northland iwi leader says.

About 100 people – including workers, shareholders and business leaders – are expected at Friday’s blessing at Pukerau Orchard, which has been owned by Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust since 2018.

Trust chairman Pita Tipene said the karakia was a way of giving thanks for the coming harvest.

“I observed it when I was a child. I would see my father take the first fruits of each season and bury some at the foot of the trees, and then utter some words. It’s like Thanksgiving. We stop and we show our gratitude for all of these blessings and the fruits of the harvest.”

Tipene said many people were involved in growing kiwifruit – from pruners to pickers, managers to scientists – but they rarely met.

“Not often do we come across each other. We all go into the orchards at different times, and we don’t really know each other. But we’re all human beings. It’s important that we connect and enjoy each other’s company in the first instance, but also learn about how we can do better.”

The karakia would also help ensure the safety of workers and a good harvest.

Tipene said he had been in contact with the chairman of Zespri, the national kiwifruit marketing body, who was keen to embrace the tradition for all orchards around the country.

Tai Tokerau (Northland) was well placed to kickstart a national harvest karakia, because its crop was the first to be ready for picking.

In future, however, the karakia could be held in the Bay of Plenty or any other kiwifruit-growing region.

Tipene said business leaders who planned to speak at the event included the chair of regional development organisation Northland Inc, Suzanne Duncan, and the head of Northland’s Joint Regional Economic Committee, Geoff Crawford.

Tipene said the gathering would also be a chance to celebrate Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust making the finals of the coveted Ahuwhenua Trophy, awarded each year for the nation’s best Māori farming and horticulture business.

The trust had been diversifying away from pine and now had six orchards in the Kerikeri area, totalling 34 canopy hectares and producing 13-14,000 trays of gold kiwifruit per hectare.

Horticulture firm Seeka was contracted to manage and pick the crop, while Zespri was responsible for marketing and sales.

The trust had also bought two dairy farms in the Maromaku area.

The Ahuwhenua Trophy was established in 1933 by Sir Apirana Ngata and Lord and Lady Bledisloe.

Last year’s winner was Whangaroa Ngaiotonga Trust, which runs a bull-fattening farm near Whangaruru, north of Whangārei.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

Source: Radio New Zealand

A kura kaupapa Māori in Te Tairāwhiti is calling for urgent safety improvements outside its school, saying students, whānau and kaiako are being put at risk crossing a “hectic” and “unsafe” road every day.

Tauira from Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri o Māui say traffic outside the kura has become increasingly dangerous during peak drop-off and pick-up times, with “near misses daily.”

Student board representative Malea Procter told RNZ the kura decided to speak out after repeated requests for a safe crossing failed to gain traction.

She said tauira regularly witness dangerous situations while crossing the road.

“Sometimes we see our teachers standing in the middle of the road trying to slow the cars down,” she said.

“It’s almost a 50-50 chance that cars will slow down for us.

“It’s hectic, very unsafe. Even for our kaumātua and our parents walking our kids back to their cars- into the school too, its really unsafe.”

She said many drivers did not slow down, even though the road runs directly past the kura.

“Us kids get hōhā with the cars just going way too fast,” she said.

“There’s a school here. There are tamariki here. But it’s almost become normal that we just get annoyed about it.”

Procter said tauira had witnessed numerous near misses.

“Maha – with whānau, with tamariki,” she said.

“We’ve seen many unsafe situations.”

Tumuaki (principal) Jodi Smith said safety concerns at the kura were not new.

“In the past we’ve actually had tamariki hit by cars while crossing that road,” she told RNZ.

“That’s when teachers first started to stand in the middle of the road to slow traffic down.”

She said the kura was determined to prevent another accident from happening.

“It’s not about when for us, because as I said, it’s already happened. But it’s about trying to prevent it happening again.”

Smith said traffic volumes were particularly heavy during peak school hours, partly because the kura sits close to other schools in the area.

“We have large trucks coming down that road, and because we’re close to other kura, the traffic volume becomes really high at those peak times.”

The kura serves 240 students from years 1 to 15, with many whānau travelling to the school each day.

“Our kura is growing,” she said.

“And with our Māori tamariki come their grandparents, parents and whānau of all ages who come to pick them up.

“So it’s not just about our students – it’s about keeping our whole whānau safe.”

Procter alongside her father Rāniera Procter, chair of the school board, recently posted a video on social media highlighting the risks students face crossing the road.

The response from the community had been overwhelmingly supportive, Procter said.

“People understand that our main goal is haumaru (safety) for our tamariki and our whānau.”

Smith said the kura, along with whānau, had contacted the council to begin discussions about installing a crossing but had repeatedly been told funding was unavailable.

“At this stage myself and parents have contacted the council to try and start the process,” she said.

“All the replies have come back saying there is no funding.”

Despite this, she said the kura remained open to working collaboratively on a solution.

“We’re even just asking for a sit-down hui,” she said.

“As Māori, he iwi kōrero tātou – we believe in sitting down together and talking things through.

“Our kura would be willing to contribute if that’s what it takes. We just want to work out a plan together.”

‘We don’t want to wait any longer’

The kura would ideally like to see a marked pedestrian crossing installed outside the school.

“But we would honestly take anything that helps keep our tamariki safe,” Smith said.

“If that means barrier arms or another safety measure, that would still be better than what we have now.

“Something that means our teachers don’t have to walk into the middle of the road to stop traffic.”

Procter said the call for a crossing was not about criticising council spending, but about ensuring the safety of the community.

“Our main goal is haumaru mō ngā tamariki me ngā whānau,” she said.

“We’ve reached the point where we’re done waiting.

“We don’t want to wait until something bad happens again.”

Smith echoed that kōrero, saying the kura did not want another accident to be the catalyst for change.

“We don’t want another incident before something is done…That could be a catastrophe for one of our whānau,” she said.

“And we’re not willing to wait until that happens.”

Ensuring that students and whānau can cross the road safely every day is their top priority.

“Our main goal is haumaru mō ngā tamariki, mō ngā whānau. And I feel council have heard that,” she said.

“We’ve come to a point that we’re done waiting, and we don’t want to wait any longer.”

Council response

A spokesperson for Gisborne District Council said the council had received five requests for a pedestrian crossing outside Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Ngā Uri a Māui, but funding constraints meant the project could not proceed at this time.

Journey infrastructure manager Dave Hadfield had previously assessed school safety needs across the district.

“In 2018 council carried out a district-wide survey of schools for safety measures,” Hadfield said.

“Schools were prioritised based on criteria including the size of the school, posted speed limit, traffic volumes and the surrounding environment.”

Hadfield said council had undertaken planning work in 2022 and developed recommended safety improvements for the site, including parking changes, a crossing and new footpaths.

However, he said those plans were put on hold after Cyclone Gabrielle shifted regional transport priorities.

“Regional transport funding is now focused on cyclone recovery and maintaining and renewing the existing road network,”

He added that keeping children safe around schools was a shared responsibility.

“Council works to support safe road environments around schools through road design, traffic management and education,” Hadfield said.

“Keeping tamariki safe around school gates is a shared responsibility between schools, the Ministry of Education, police, parents, caregivers, drivers and the wider community.”

“As a result, council is not currently in a position to commit funding toward new crossing infrastructure at this location.”

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