Taupae Pia Haerenga
Last month our Taupae Pia graduates embarked on a haerenga (journey) to Whanganui, Te Hāwera, and New Plymouth to gain some insight into Māori Land Court hearings and owners meetings.
On 21 April, our graduates Mihikeita Ngata, Hinerangi Mahara and Queenisha Davis (pictured) set out on their first haerenga to gain insight into what their mahi looks like beyond the walls of the office in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. This was a great opportunity for them to experience first-hand a Māori Land Court hearing, a meeting of owners and visit some of the land blocks Te Tumu Paeroa administers, to truly understand the importance of their mahi.
They set off on their journey by first visiting Whanganui to meet with Novena McGuckin, Mātanga Tuarā Taiao - Trust Specialist, at the Whanganui office. It was great for the graduates to meet the Whanganui staff and hear about their mahi.
The following day, they travelled to Hāwera with Novena and Amiria Paranihi, Kaiwhakataka - Administrator, to attend Māori Land Court hearings for a number of blocks. They also visited sites of historical significance for Māori and some of the whenua we administer.
“At the Māori Land Court we watched Judge Layne Harvey and Novena in their element. A few tears were shared when witnessing whānau succeeding to the whenua. After the hearings we had a long korero with Judge Lane Harvey, providing us with a unique opportunity to learn and ask questions,” says graduate Queenisha Davis.
Their next stop was New Plymouth to sit in on the first meeting of owners that afternoon for one of the farms. On their way there they also stopped into a few dairy farms and attended two land block meetings. During their downtime they headed out to a farm, which had been one of their case studies they had been working on together as Taupae Pia.
By attending these meetings, it challenged the group to consider how we can work on better engaging with our owners to ensure they are part of the decision making that happens on their whenua.
Highlights from their haerenga included experiencing Nanny Novena’s and Amira’s incredible manaakitanga and being in their presence, building their whakawhanaungatanga with Taupae Pia and their special korero with Judge Lane Harvey.
Tawhiowhio ana te rere o mihi ki a koutou nga kaiwhakahaere, nā koutou i tautoko mai i tenei o nga haerenga. He mihi maioha tenei kia Nanny Novena me Amiria mō ta korua manaaki, tiaki pai i a matou ngā Taupae Pia. Kua kikī te kete mātauranga, kua hua mai te hiahia kia whakapeto ngoi i roto i ou matou mahi.
Taupae Pia was launched last year to help aspiring young leaders develop skills for the wider benefit of Māori. To learn more about this programme visit www.taupaepia.tetumupaeroa.co.nz