Rongowhakaata Taiao Team: Te Ngahuru Tikotikoiere
As tangata whenua, the taiao is a marker of our wellness and identity. The Rongowhakaata taiao team; Te Ngahuru Tikotikoiere is currently a team of seven led by Kevin Hare (Fieldwork Supervisor) and Damian Whaanga (Taiao Team Lead).
As part of the Iwi Trust’s Tūranga Waewae Pākura programme, we are developing sustainable practices across our different iwi spaces to grow our tribal footprint from the past, into a thriving future. The team elevates environmental and indigenous leadership by growing mātauranga alongside modern science for the regeneration, and preservation of ecosystems across key sites of cultural & historical significance.
The integration of mātauranga is pivotal for restoring health and vibrancy to our landscapes. Our commitment to inter-generational planning strengthens the interconnections of our people and places. This strategic approach is fundamental for the preservation and revitalisation of the whenua.
Some of the activities of the taiao team include:
Ecological restoration and eco-sourcing to create corridors of native landscapes across our key sites.
Identifying traditional names, whakamārama and kōrero for our wāhi and rohe to inform our iwi narratives.
Active kaitiakitanga programs to grow understanding for the value of te taiao through direct engagement.
Practicing leadership and asserting our voice in local and central government.
Pest and weed management.
Native planting and plant maintenance.
Wānanga.
Te Ngahuru Tikotikoiere team is funded through the Jobs for Nature programme and has a solid record of delivering the requirements of their contract. Plants are sourced from the Native Garden Nusery in Makaraka contributing to the circular Rongowhakaata economy.
Our team operates from the Gisborne EIT Rural Studies Unit on Stout Street. Here, we've set up an irrigated nursery hosting around 5000 plants, cultivated for skill development and specialized planting projects.
We believe the steps we take today will have both short-term and long-lasting impacts. Our goal is to embrace indigenous practices, with full integration of expertise from Rongowhakaata uri in the protection and management of the taiao. With a vital Rongowhakaata taiao we nourish the people physically and spiritually.
Working within the rhythm of the maramataka our work program follows the seasonal cycle across key sites including; Pakowhai, Pipiwhakao, Whatatuna, Opou, Rākaukākā, Te Ārai te Uru, Te Wai-o-Hiharore, Waikanae, Te Wherowhero and Te Kōwhai.
