Taranaki Maunga and its surrounding peaks, collectively known under the legal identity named Te Kāhui Tupua, will now have their voice heard with four iwi and four Crown representatives appointed to a board that will speak and act on their behalf.
Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi statutory board is the human face and voice of Te Kāhui Tupua, and Te Atiawa iwi leader Liana Poutu has been appointed chair of the board.
She said it was important that they leave any prior allegiances outside of the room.
“Ehara mātou i reira hei māngai mō te iwi, ehara mātou i reira hei māngai mō te Karauna. Nā reira me tangohia ngā pōtae katoa i waho i tō tātou nei maunga, i ō tātou nei tupuna, kia aro ki ngā wawata o ō tātou nei maunga.”
(We’re not there as representatives of iwi or the Crown. So, we need to take those hats off and leave them off our maunga, our ancestors, so we can focus on the aspirations of the maunga and its surrounding peaks.)
The remaining iwi appointed members are Dr Acushla Dee Sciascia, Nicola Ngarewa, and Dr Te Aroha Hohaia.
They join Crown appointed members Professor Bruce Clarkson, Hemi Sundgren, Rex Hendry and Stephen Daysh, as announced by Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.
“These appointments will ensure New Zealanders continue to enjoy this beautiful place and that it is protected and enhanced for generations to come,” the minister said in a media release.
The board will carry out conservation-related functions such as strategy and planning and promoting the health and wellbeing of the maunga in accordance with Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo (Taranaki Maunga) Collective Redress Deed, Conservation Act 1987 and the National Parks Act 1980.
Poutu said their first hui will be about mapping out what the year’s work ahead looks like.
“Ko tētehi o ngā tino mahi o te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi kia whakarite i tētehi kaupapa, He Kawa Ora. Ko te Kawa Ora tō tātou nei national park management plan, me kī.”
(One of the major bits of work for Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi is developing He Kawa Ora. He Kawa Ora will be our national park management plan.)
The Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai will continue to manage daily operational matters within Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki (formerly Egmont National Park).
The park is governed by the conservation minister in partnership with Te Tōpuni Ngārahu – a group made up of eight iwi representatives led by former Taranaki iwi chief executive, Wharehoka Wano.
They will take into consideration the direction from Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi who will meet in the coming months to start work on developing management plans.
Who is Te Kāhui Tupua?
Taranaki and the peaks – Panitahi, Patuhā, Kaitake and Pouākai – are considered a legal person called Te Kāhui Tupua.
As agreed under Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo (Taranaki Maunga) Collective Redress Deed, Te Kāhui Tupua was granted legal personhood earlier this year in recognition of them being considered ancestors by Māori. This means they are afforded legal rights.
