New Tuhoronuku leadership duo takes on a team approach   8 Jul 2015

New Tuhoronuku leadership duo takes on a team approach to the Ngapuhi settlement

Sam Napia and Moana Tuwhare have cast out a new net and strategy in an attempt to unite the iwi behind a concerted push for negotiations of the Ngapuhi settlement.

Said Acting Chair, Sam Napia: “Traditionally as Ngapuhi, our strength has stemmed from a confederated approach to iwi and hapu business, where the mana of each constituent hapu is honoured and empowered, which is embodied in our most famous whakatauki for our iwi ‘Ngapuhi Kowhao Rau’.

Ngapuhi needs to return and come together under this principle around the negotiations and settlement of our claims”.

Deputy Chair Moana Tuwhare, who has been active throughout the Waitangi Tribunal hearings supporting hapu claimants, believes the Tuhoronuku Independent Mandated Authority (Tuhoronuku IMA) is now well positioned to respond to the aspirations and future development needs of Ngapuhi at both a hapu and iwi level.

“We have turned a new page in the way the Tuhoronuku IMA intends to work with our people. We have always had a strong hapu structure, but now we have opportunities to build a base of active hapu participation and support to help build the vision around our settlement.

“At the end of the day the settlement belongs to the people, not us, and how we share the benefits and decision making powers that settlements bring is absolutely key to gaining the trust and support of our Ngapuhi people.”

Sam said among the group of Tuhoronuku IMA Trustees, Negotiators, Hapu Kaikorero and project team members, there is a great mix of skills and experience available to advance the negotiations towards a positive and constructive settlement for Ngapuhi in the near future.

“As the Tuhoronuku IMA we have got a great crew of passionate and experienced Ngapuhi people in the haukainga, in settlements, and in iwi and hapu development. The exciting opportunity is that if we need to, Tuhoronuku can and will bring on more skilled and knowledgeable Ngapuhi people to help push our settlement forward in the near future.

“I am convinced the potential for Ngapuhi is huge now, but we have to take the right team approach, which is supportive and inclusive of our hapu and claimants. If our people are involved I believe we can achieve anything we put our collective minds to.”

New round of Hapu Kaikorero nominations close at noon on Friday 10 July The Tuhoronuku IMA has another round of Hapu Kaikorero nominations closing at noon on Friday, 10 July.

Moana encourages more Ngapuhi to consider supporting this approach.

“Hapu and whanau that want to join us on this journey should seriously consider putting forward their best people for the job. However it is important that they realise their responsibilities and are up for the task at hand. There is a lot of work that collectively we have to do to get this settlement right, and it is not going to be simple or easy, so whoever steps forward needs to be ready to put their shoulder to the wheel and put in some hard yards.

“But it is an exciting time for Ngapuhi when you consider what we can achieve and where this may potentially lead for the generations yet to come.”

ENDS

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