Ngati Kere Rohe Trustee

During the late 80s when building the Waka and before initiating the Ngati Kere coastal concept, the elders of the time with help from operation committee executives found that dealing with government officials and their structures were a huge barrier to enhancing the spiritual and physical well being of Ngati Kere, Ngati Pihere, Ngati Manuhiri and Ngati Hinetewai Hapu/Whanau.

In their wisdom our elders, with the help of the operating committee of the time had found that the jurisdiction to act on behalf of  Hapu/Whanau outside the reservation was disrupted by the formation of the Runanga (Iwi Authority).

In 1999 (approx) it was moved at a Hapu Hui to create an entity who represented the Hapu of Ngati Kere, Ngati Pihere, Ngati Manuhiri and Ngati Hinetewai as a whole with this entities jurisdiction being outside of the reservations.

Over time a working group established a Whanau trust under the trustee act and that entity was “Ngati Kere Rohe Trustee”.

This trust defined the Ngati Kere Rohe boundaries of which extend from the Ouepoto Stream in the North to the Akitio River in the South and over the seventeen years in the establishment of Ngati Kere Taiapure it was well documented.

With the recognition of the  Ngati Kere Rohe Trustee and their boundaries, the Department of Conservation wished to work forward with the Hapu representation to establish a marine reserve. The Te Angi Angi Marine reserve was established with an understanding, of which is in review today.

There was a growing concern from our elders that Hapu/Whanau customary rights were being devolve to the IWI authority  Ngati Kere Hapu/Whanau. With this knowledge the Trustee with the support from Whanau investigated the options that could better service Hapu/Whanau needs. An option was found and it was the Tangata Kaitiaki under the customary fisheries .

Over the eleven years of being non Maori groups and the Iwi authority groups the Trust negotiated the establishment of the Tangata Kaitiaki committee who manage the customary take.

Within these time frames the elders also recognised the opportunity to develop a Reo concept  to enhance Te Reo in the Rohe. Te Wananga o Raukawa in conjunction with Whanau established the Marae Base Studies project that was to enhance Reo speakers in the Rohe.

In 2005 – 2008 Aunty Ahi Roberts asked at a Ngati Kere Rohe Trustee Hui about the treaty claim held by Hapu/Whanau because the claimant process was dictated by government and it was said that they would not listen to individual claims, So with dismay the Ngati Kere Rohe Trustee agreed to cluster the claim under the Tamatea/Heretaunga Claims with two bottom lines. 1, Hapu are the claimants, 2, Not to develop models of the few leading the majority. Today the bottom lines have not been met as the claims have been devolved to Marae by the dictate of the process with an enticement of one million dollars. This process is ongoing.

So with that knowledge the Ngati Kere Rohe Trustee was and is the only Trust mandated to act for the Hapu outside the reservations and are  charged with being the voice that drives and support the Hapu/Whanau aspirations utilizing a one door policy to protect and develop the Whanau of Ngati Kere, Ngati Pihere, Ngati Manuhiri and Ngati Hinetewai Whanau.