about us
Our History
The last three decades has seen concerted efforts to unify the iwi and advance them into a world of promise, held in perpetuity, when chiefs of Ngati Paoa signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 on the Waitemata Harbour, Karaka Bay in Glendowie and at Coromandel.
Establishment
With the establishment of the Ngāti Paoa Trust Board in November 2004 as the mandated iwi representative, hope and optimism emerged to balance the loss of kaumatua and kuia who had long been the pataka korero, kaipupuri o te mauri and tuara of the iwi.
From the Waiheke Island tribunal case in the 1980′s, to the participation of waka taua Kotuiti Tuarua in the 150th Anniversary celebration of the Treaty in Waitangi 1990, to the Maori Land Court Section 30 Iwi representation case in 1995, to marae DIY at Waiti in 2008 Ngati Paoa has maintained its presence along the Tikapa Moana coastline and inland to Tahuna, Waiti.
We Have a Long and Successful History
Recently the Trust Board has again sought to enforce its mandate and uplift the mana of Ngati Paoa through its involvement in cases where Ngati Paoa were previously being deprived proper representation and the interests of Ngati Paoa and our cultural values at risk of being sold off risking the future of Ngati Paoa and our future generations.
Our Responsibilities Include:
Kennedy Point
Proposed Marina
The Trust Board has now lodged its objection to the marina proposed at Kennedy Point Bay on Waiheke Island to ensure that Ngati Paoa’s cultural values are not undermined, and to ensure that we protect important foreshore and seabed space that once belonged to our ancestors. While a separate entity proposed to support the marina, the Trust Board understand from our iwi that it is not in the interest of Ngati Paoa to be giving away its rights to this important foreshore and seabed area, and to have potentially wahi tapu areas developed over.
WILDLIFE PERMITS
Our Environment office is actively engaged in responding to all wild-life permit requests in our rohe.
As maori, we are kaitiaki and we need to be actively engaged with these duties
Panuku Development
America’s Cup Development
The Trust Board has joined as a party to the Panuku Development proceedings to ensure that the America’s Cup Development includes participation by the mandated representative of Ngati Paoa to ensure that Ngati Paoa’s cultural and Maori values are considered, respected and preserved – and to allow any commercial opportunities to also benefit Ngati Paoa (provided they do not pose a threat to the other interests of Ngati Paoa)
Waiheke Island
The Waiheke Station
The Trust Board has requested that the Crown take out the Waiheke Station (being one of the last cutltural historical land holdings of Ngati Paoa) from the Draft Deed of Settlement. While our mandated negotiator had proposed to give this property to the Crown, the Crown has in the most recent settlement negotiations agreed to the Trust Board’s request to take the Waiheke Station out of the Settlement Deed and maintain ownership of the Waiheke Station with the people of Ngati Paoa.
HUNUA Ranges
Stop 1080 Use
Aerial drops are against our kaupapa. Our people let us know they did not want the 1080 drop over the Hunua ranges to happen. Our Environment officer joined as co-applicant with Friends of Sherwood trust and succeeded in getting 2 temporary injunctions against the drop, before the case was lost and the drop occurred. The plan is to now go to full hearing and have cross examination of the crown experts. We will continue to fight for 1080 drops to cease happening in our rohe, and for our people to be involved in poison free management of our whenua.
Towards a Predator Free Waiheke Island
Te Korowai o Waiheke
The legal entity (soon to be registered charity) formed to receive funding for a community led initiative, bought about by the Waiheke Collective in 2017. The aim is to eradicate mustelids and rats from the island by 2025. It involves a wide range of interest groups such as Forest and Bird, DOC, Waiheke Resources Trust, Ngati Paoa and other local conservation organisations, localised initiatives and individuals, working together to enhance the biodiversity of Waiheke. Our Environment officer Karla Allies is on the Board of Trustees
CULTURAL MARKERS
Our people were once renowned carvers. Our Environment office aims to install pou across our rohe, carved by Paoa people
Kauri Die-Back
Our Environment office is currently negotiating with Auckland Council to put 40-60 Kauri die back ambassadors and compliance officers in and around the Hunua ranges this summer to save our precious taonga, the largest kauri forest in Aotearoa unaffected by Kauri die back
Join us! It will only take a minute
The Trust Board has also initiated a Long Term Plan as a road map towards
A Strategic Position Based On The Key Aspects
The Trust Board and the iwi is currently on the threshold of new challenges that continually press us towards kotahitanga, a unified sense of purpose that redefines our enduring commitment to our Ngati Paoatanga. The Trust Board is the most appropriate representative for Ngati Paoa and to ensure that its cultural values and interests are protected and preserved for future generations.
– GOVERNANCE
– Whanau – HAPU – IWI (Us)
– Tikanga me nga kawa
– Environment
– Resources
– Policy
– Distribution
– Liability
– Investment
At the same time Ngati Paoa’s shared understanding of the values of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and Whakapapa that connect our past, present and future keep us in step with our destiny as we strive towards Treaty settlements at a wider level, while enhancing our marae for the well being of our people at a place called home – te hau kainga.
The Long Term Plan is set to grow another life of its own with a new energy, and dynamics that are driven from within the hearts and minds of our people. The Trust Board will continue to define the tribal vision and uplift our ability to forge enduring partnerships and alliances.