MIHI FROM THE CHAIR | Jamie Tuuta 

Tena tātou katoa,

With 2018 now well underway I want to take this opportunity to acknowledge everyone who has connected with the Rūnanga over the recent months so we can better understand what’s important to our whānau, what’s working, and what isn’t.

As a board we are always focused on how we can ensure that what we’re doing as a Rūnanga aligns with the hopes and aspirations of uri so it's exciting to announce that we’re developing a new 5-year strategic plan to guide our activity. What this means is that you’ll have the opportunity to tell us your aspirations your frustrations, and what you would like to see for yourself, your whānau, and our iwi. Next month we’ll have all the details around how you can have your say. Please keep an eye out in the next panui for further info.

Last year at our AGM we were humbled to receive such positive feedback regarding the performance of the board and our kaimahi. It’s great to know that we’ve got the support of our people to continue doing the mahi that we need to do.

In this panui we share more whānau talent and success. Please note that our education grants are now open so share with your whānau who may be eligible to apply.

We wish you all the best for the year ahead.

Ngā manaakitanga,

Jamie

KAUPAPA NUI | Education Grants – Semester One, 2018 APPLY NOW!

Ngāti Mutunga uri are now invited to apply for an education grant to assist them with their studies. If you’re enrolled at a New Zealand or International University, Polytechnic, Institute of Technology, Wānanga or Private Training Establishment make sure you apply. The grants are open to all registered iwi members for study in Semester One 2018. The closing date is Friday 23 March 2018. Please note: if you received a grant last year, or you’re eligible for free fees this year, you’re unable to apply for a grant in 2018. For everything you need to know, click on to the link to our website here:

http://ngatimutunga.iwi.nz/event/education-grants-semester-one-2018/

WHĀNAU TALENT | Future Olympian in the Making!

Ariria Blackburn is in a league of her own. At 10 years old she’s already competing against girls up to the age of 15, and taking out almost every competition she enters!

Mum, Gina, says her daughter found her way into gymnastics at the age of three when they realised she was extremely enthusiastic about jumping and flipping off furniture.

“She would jump off everything, do flips everywhere, so we enrolled her into gym so she could learn how to do it properly. We didn’t want her to injure herself and now she hasn’t stopped since.”

Currently a Sec 4 gymnast, Ariria has gained a reputation for being ‘graceful on the beam. She competes against girls well above her age, some up to 15 years old. Competitions take her all across central north island and last season she won every competition she competed in and came 2nd overall for the Midlands region.

Nicknamed ‘Pocket Rocket’, her goal is to reach the Olympics. With her progress so far, and a schedule that sees her training 8 hours a week, we have no doubt this young Ngāti Mutunga uri will make it far.

Ariaria has recently been named as a leader for her school Waitara East, loves kapahaka, netball and is getting ready for her first Sec 4 competition in April in Hastings. Kia kaha!

Ariria Blackburn team

OUR TAUIRA | Kate Idiens, Bachelor of Medicine Auckland University

As a post-graduate student entering into a medical degree, Ngāti Mutunga uri Kate Idiens has some sound advice for others keen to pursue the same career pathway.

“I would recommend that anyone applying for medicine applies via the Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS), as this provides group tutorials (which are a great place to make friends) and pastoral care support.”

Because she went into medicine as a post-grad student skipping Health Sciences, she suggests that if you’re in the same boat to try and do an anatomy paper before attending medical school.

The reason I say this is because in year 2, you feel like you are playing catch up the whole year with students that have done the health science year, and most lecturers tend to omit or brush over this assumed knowledge. Also, the musculoskeletal paper is the first topic covered in the academic year, and I found this was very fast-paced.”

Over the past 12 months Kate has experienced many highlights including lectures on medical ethics, and time spent in a GP clinic.

“I was surprised at the wide range of cases that a GP sees in an afternoon and enjoyed seeing the great relationship that patients and GPs have, and this has further sparked my interest in the GP profession.”

In her third year, Kate is excited about what’s to come.

“I am really looking forward to getting stuck into year 3, and especially the thought of spending one afternoon a week on hospital ward rounds in semester two.”

We wish you all the best Kate, and thank you for sharing your journey.

UPCOMING EVENTS | Ngā Toi Māori Roadshow – Taranaki, Tuesday 20 March

Govett-Brewster (Len Lye) Art Gallery, 42 Queen St, New Plymouth

Creative New Zealand Toi Aotearoa has planned a series of hui-a-rohe to engage with Māori artists, arts organisations, and iwi and community groups to help inform the new Creative New Zealand Māori Arts Strategy. They’re keen to connect with Māori and iwi entities to help them understand the aspirations and challenges and provide info on what support is available to assist with their cultural capacity building.

For more info visit their website here: http://www.creativenz.govt.nz/

OUR IWI IN FOCUS |Ngā Purapura o Te Taihauāuru advance to Te Matatini 2019

Congratulations to all rōpū who performed and all the best to the three rōpū representing Aotea at Te Matatini 2019! Nine kapa haka teams from the Aotea region performed on stage at Ratana Pā, Saturday 24 February, all vying for a chance to represent Aotea region at Te Matatini, in Te Whanganui-a-tara (Wellington) next year.

The groups who performed (in order) were:

Ngā Pakeke o Ratana, Aotea Ūtanganui, Taranaki Whānui, Taranaki ki te Tonga, Te Taikura o te AwaTupua, Tūtū Kaa'ika, Ngā Purapura o te Taihauāuru, Te Matapihi, Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana.

The Aotea teams that will be advancing to Te Matatini 2019 are:

1. Te Reanga Morehu o Ratana

2. Te Matapihi

3. Ngā Purapura o Te Taihauāuru

Photo: Some of our Ngāti Mutunga uri in Ngā Purapura o Te Taihauāuru before their performance.

KAITIAKITANGA | Ensuring the survival of our Pohutukawa

Last year our team took cuttings taken from the Ngāti Mutunga Pohutakawa at Paparoa reef in an effort to save them from the myrtle rust pandemic that swept thru our rohe. It’s great to be able to report that they’re doing really well and should be ready for planting out later this year!!

Atiwhai  Nurseryhas managed to produce over 50 plants despite it being off-season when the cuttings were taken. Our team will be heading out in about a month to collect more cuttings to tie in with the right season. Because myrtle rust has now been found in the forest at Parininihi, it’s even more important that we make sure these trees are safe. 

Another exciting kaupapa is the work out at Pukemiro. Anne-Maree and Paul Prip from Taranaki Regional Council helped lay the first A24 traps so we’re now underway in making this piece of Ngāti Mutunga ngahere a much healthier place!

MYRTLE RUST UPDATE | Taranaki Controlled Area Notice Lifted.

Recent weather conditions have been optimal for myrtle rust and detections have increased rapidly in some areas, especially Taranaki, Bay of Plenty and Auckland.

Because of this, restrictions on moving myrtle plants from North Taranaki have been lifted. The myrtle rust fungus continues to pose a serious risk to our iconic native myrtles and production species.

In addition, a range of research projects are also underway and various community initiatives have got off the ground to better understand how the fungus behaves in New Zealand conditions and identify possible treatments and management tools.

COUNCIL APP SHARES IWI KORERO | Te Pātaka Mātauranga

The New Plymouth District Council recently launched Te Pātaka Mātauranga, an App to help council members and kaimahi improve their knowledge and understanding of te reo and tikanga o Taranaki. The App lets users hear the correct pronunciation of te reo while also allowing them to record themselves and playback.  It also lets the user to listen to waiata (kupu provided) to help support with tikanga.  All content has been checked by Te Reo o Taranaki, who also provided the audio for the kōrero recorded specific to our region.

The App includes a brief kōrero about the iwi, hapū and marae within our rohe and is available to download for free from the App Store!  

Pouwhakahaere | UPDATE

If you have any whānau stories you want to share with us please email us at comms@ngatimutunga.iwi.nz