On 22 April 2017, a van load of Kāti Māhaki members travelled to Weheka to tautoko the opening of their new community facilities. A wonderful effort by locals to achieve such a wonderful facility! Ka mau te wehi koutou!
ANZAC DAY SERVICE 2017
Te Tauraka Waka a Maui Marae, Mahitahi, April 25th at 10.30am.
Te Runaka o Makaawhio invites everyone wanting to participate, to come and join is at out marae, where we will once again be hosting our annual commemorative ANZAC Day Service.
Bring a plate for a share meal and come and help us share memories and stories about family/whanau members who fought in the wars, remember, acknowledge and celebrate their sacrifice and the contribution made by our brave service men and women.
Nau mai, haere mai, tauti mai!
This project will be over the next 18 months and will research our precious resource.
Those who would like to be involved need to lodge their interest with Susan Wallace, Tumuaki, before 13 March 2017
Mōrena koutou
For those of you who have seen the letter to the Editor in this morning’s Hokitika Guardian, which reports the pounamu we have gifted to the Hokitika Westland RSA as stolen, I have sent a response to the Editor which I hope is received in time to be oriented tomorrow. It is unfortunate that rather than checking his facts, James Mason Russell chose to go directly to the paper, however, it has offered the opportunity to share more widely the colourful history of Ka roimata o totoweka (even if only in a brief way!)
If you have questions about its provenance, I can assure you that the Pounamu that has been gifted in aroha by Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio to the RSA is not stolen. Mr Landaus, who was prosecuted for breaching the Crown Minerals Act when he illegally removed pounamu from the Cascade Plateau, did not remove all of the boulder and following the passing of the Ngāi Tahu Pounamu Vesting Act 1997, we worked with Ngāi Tahu to extract the remainder of the pounamu. Kā roimata o totoweka Tears of Totoweka, the name our people gave to the extracted pounamu, is an example of not only the restoration of mana pounamu but also the first time we exercised that mana under the new Act which vested the ownership of pounamu back to the tribe and its management in our rohe to us.
The sister piece, which was stolen, had been purchased in good faith by the NZ Army, who were unaware that it had been illegally obtained, and used by them to create the Pounamu Memorial Wall, Tears on Greenstone-Roimata Pounamu. Although the situation did not sit comfortably with us, it was considered that the link formed with every Iwi, Hāpū and Whānau and indeed across all New Zealanders through collective loss during the many wars, was apparent and agreed that although the memorial had been created with illegally taken pounamu, it should not detract from the honourable and meaningful purpose for which it had been created and erected. Finally in 2001 following discussion with the Army, a bus load of Kāti Māhaki whānau travelled to Waiouru to meet with the NZ Army and to settle all of the grievances associated with the pounamu. Justice restored, the link to He ara roimata – Trail of tears was symbolically restored by placing a piece of the extracted pounamu at the base of the memorial wall, and through the gifting of a Mere Pounamu carved from the same stone to the Army’s Tumatauenga Marae.
He ara roimata– The trail of tears became a physical expression of sorrow and pain.
Our people had felt the heavy impact of world War 1. More than half of our eligible young men went to war and some did not return. The rūnanga acknowledged that all Kāi Tahu paid a heavy toll and pieces of “Kā roimata o Totoweka” were gifted to each of the other 17 Kāi Tahu rūnaka. Each received a taoka roimata (Tear drop pendant)- a symbol of past losses and as a memorial to all Kāi Tahu men lost during the wars, the lost generation/s of leaders and a reminder of our interwoven whakapapa and a raw piece of stone-acknowledgement of Pounamu Vesting Act and Ngāi Tahu ownership, and the restoration of Mana Pounamu. In completing the gifting of these pieces, a symbolic “trail of tears” throughout Te Waipounamu, which commemorated all Kāi Tahu’s war dead, was created. The anchor stone remains with this rūnanga in recognition of our kaitiakitaka relationship to “Kā roimata”. Today, the trail encircling the South Island and northward to “Tears on Greenstone-Roimata Pounamu” Memorial Wall continues to grow. Another link in the trail will be added at a dawn ceremony to open the Hokitika Westland RSA and dedicate the new Kōhatu Mauri on Saturday 25th February 2017 at 6.00am.
As I have written in the letter to the editor – “The story of Kā Roimata o Totoweka has been shared with every piece gifted, including the Hokitika RSA. The provenance of this pounamu is ours, as is the kaupapa which continues to grow as each new mauri kōhatu touchstone is unveiled. Just as the rain (Kā roimata The tears) fell nearly twenty years ago, as we extracted each piece of totweka, we continue to shed tears for those who had been lost. Ka maumahara tātou ki a rātou.”
Mauri ora!
Susan Wallace, Tumuaki
Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio
These scholarships are open to Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio registered students attending Secondary Boarding school (especially Māori Boarding Schools) and agreeing to a set of criteria aimed at demonstrating commitment to kaupapa Māori, our rūnanga, hapū and iwi. An application pack can be accessed via the rūnanga office.
Applications close 31 March 2017.
This year we have a shortened application period so that we are able to consider and advise applicants of the outcome as early as possible next year. The actual scholarship will be awarded to successful recipients on verification of enrolment at the Secondary Boarding School and confirmation that Te Reo Māori is one of the core subjects being studied.
Komiti Matauraka wishes to announce the Secondary Schools Grant 2017 is now open. These grants are to assist with school related expenses such as school and examination fees, field trips, uniform, stationary and other equipment etc used in school by the rakatahi.
Forms are available online via the rūnaka website or via the Makaawhio office by phoning to request form/s be posted to you 03 755 7885
Criteria – Open to Yrs 9 – 13 with proof of attendance to a secondary school, registration to Runaka or application to be processed, must whakapapa to Te Runanga o Makaawhio and a bank verified account must accompany all applications.
Closing date is the 17th February 2017.
These grants are kindly financed by Kati Mahaki ki Makaawhio Ltd and administrated by Komiti Matauraka Te Runanga o Makaawhio.
Secondary School Grant - Annual Secondary School Grant to assist with school related expenses, such as examination fees, field trips, uniform, stationary and other equipment. Grants are available for Year 9-13 students, and for second chance learners returning to secondary school, or completing NCEA Level papers who meet registration and application criteria.
On Wednesday 1st February 2017, Te Runanga o Makaawhio will launch our official “Makaawhio Aotea” and “Makaawhio Pounamu” sales website FOR WHANAU MEMBERS ONLY !!
All Makaawhio taonga is authenticated on the Authenticated Ngai Tahu Pounamu system.
Authentic Ngāi Tahu Pounamu prominently displays both a mark of authenticity and a unique traceability code.
When your unique code is entered online this code identifies the origin and whakapapa of the stone. It will describe how it was extracted and processed and tell you who the artist was that carved it. It will explain that the stone has been treated according to the customary respect and carved with every possible care.
Only licensed individuals or businesses can use this mark. This means, provided they follow the specific rules and regulations, that these businesses can purchase raw Pounamu from Ngāi Tahu for carvings.
Due to the lovely wild West Coast weather, the racing club has cancelled the Kumara Races, so I guess we will all see you there next year !!!
A fantastic time was had by all on our Annual Whanau Xmas Pool Party.
Yummy BBQ kai was cooked while big and little tamariki/moko played around in the pools, splashing up a storm and having so much fun.
We even had a visit from Hana Koko …….
Xmas Pool Party 2016
Xmas Pool Party 2016
Xmas Pool Party 2016
Xmas Pool Party 2016
Xmas Pool Party 2016
Xmas Pool Party 2016
Xmas Pool Party 2016
Xmas Pool Party 2016
Xmas Pool Party 2016
Kia ora whanau
Welcome to the newly updated Te Runanga o Makaawhio website.
Te Tauraka Waka a Maui Marae – July 2016
