Ngāti Mutunga Monthly epānui | Pipiri No Images? Click here Mihi from the Chair | JAMIE TUUTAMātai atu ki te rangi Tērā a Puanga e mārewa ana i te pae, tū mai ra, tū mai rā! Whakangaro atu rā ngā mate o te tau kua huri atu nei Nau mau e rarau te tau hou me ngā hua! Kei ngā uri o Mutunga, tēnā koutou katoa. This months pānui is another great reminder of all the activity happening back home in Urenui, the wider Taranaki rohe, and amongst our whānau living abroad.We must pay special mention to the recent ceremony at Parihaka where the Crown apologised for its atrocities inflicted on our whanau in their settlement in 1881. It was an extremely emotional and moving day for all Taranaki uri who were present and certainly a monumental event in our history that will never be forgotten. Ngāti Mutunga have some important hui coming up over the next few weeks including the Special General Meeting in July where uri will vote on the reviewed Charter. It would great to see as many uri as possible at these hui which also provide opportunity to come home and connect. Ngā manaakitanga,Jamie The Apology | HE PUANGA HAEATAHundreds gathered at Parihaka last week to hear the Crown apologise for its atrocities that destroyed the peaceful Taranaki settlement in 1881.A reconciliation ceremony, known as He Puanga Haeata, took place between the people of Parihaka and the Crown, more than 130 years on from the invasion. People openly wept as Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson apologised for the wrongful arrests and imprisonment of Parihaka men and their leaders Te Whiti-o-Rongomai and Tohu Kākahi. He also apologised for the rape and molestation of the women and girls who were left behind when the men were imprisoned in the South Island. He said it was a shameful part of New Zealand's history, which both Māori and Pākehā found hard talking about, for different reasons. In addition to the apology, both parties signed two documents, a Deed of reconciliation and a Parihaka-Crown Relationship Agreement which can be viewed here. Kia Hiwa Ra!Special General Meeting @ Urenui MaraeA special general meeting is being held next month to approve the Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga charter. In 2015 a sub-committee was set-up to undertake a review of the charter which was created when the rūnanga was established in 2005. The review was prompted by the need to correct the issue with trustee rotation and to clarify and improve some of the charter wording, and ensure the charter meets our needs into the future. Last year, the rūnanga facilitated a roadshow and board members met with uri around the motu to discuss the reviewed charter and to enable input. We met with whānau from the Chatham Islands to Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland, and are proud of the great contributions made by uri at these hui. At the end of 2016 the draft reviewed charter was finalised, and in February 2017 signed off by the runanga board. Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga encourages all uri to participate in the special general meeting at Urenui Marae on 23 July that will seek to have the reviewed charter approved by the iwi. It’s an important time to come together and also a great opportunity to reconnect with one another. All registered uri are eligible to vote and we encourage you all to do so. More information will be sent out in the next couple of weeks. Uri invited to Te Ra o Māui PōmareThe annual Te Ra o Māui Pōmare is happening next weekend and all Ngāti Mutunga uri are invited to attend. The event recognises our tupuna Māui Pōmare and his work in health reforms, politics and investigation of Maori land confiscations. This year’s kaupapa for the day is Maori Health and Unified Aspirations. The powhiri will take place at 9am at Owae Marae in Waitara on Saturday 24 June. Please register your interest by emailing owaemarae@xtra.co.nz KAITIAKITANGA | Myrtle RustBy now you may have heard of the growing threat myrtle rust is having on New Zealand’s native flora, particularly in Taranaki. We’ve listed a few facts below of this previously unknown epidemic.
If you think you've seen the symptoms of myrtle rust, do not touch it. Call the MPI Exotic Pest and Disease Hotline immediately on 0800 80 99 66. WHANAU talentKelsey Phillips | AWARD-WINNING DANCER!
These are the words of 14-year-old Kelsey Phillips – mokopuna of Maud and Heta Phillips from Urenui – who resides in Newcastle, Australia. The plucky Ngati Mutunga teen has been dancing since she was 4-years-old and is now part of an award-winning cheer troupe from MCPD studio. “Four years ago, I decided to try cheerleading which is fast becoming a growing sport around the world. I started off doing recreational cheer and then I was asked to fill in at a competition. After that I was hooked.” Her club has competed in local, national, and more recently international events with outstanding results. Last month the club competed at the Global Dance & Cheer Games in Hawaii and came home with four trophies, including first place for its junior dance team. “I’ve only just started training and dancing competition this year so I was very nervous that my first comp was going to be on the world stage. I was ecstatic when we won first place in junior lyrical dance. “I’m so grateful to my mum and dad for all their hard work and help, and for always supporting me. The competition was an awesome experience but being in Hawaii with Mum was amazing. We got to spend some time together relaxing on the beach – and of course shopping. We had a lot of fun and I hope to go back one day with more of my family.” Kelsey’s mum Allison says she wells up with pride when she thinks how far her daughter has come and how much she has grown through dance and cheer. “There has been a lot of hard work and effort getting Kelsey to where she is. She's had days where she has doubted herself - and I don't mind saying it's been a lot of hard work emotionally, helping to build her confidence and belief in her abilities. So, when I see how well she has done as part of a team I am the proudest mum on the planet. I take great delight in saying ‘see you can do it’.” Family is important to the Phillips whanau and Allison’s very appreciative of Kelsey's teachers and coaches for all they have done for her daughter. She says MCPD is their second family. “They instil great values and teach sportsmanship and the importance of teamwork and resilience. I love how the kids all look out for each other. All these things add to the reasons we’ve been so successful.” Meanwhile, Kelsey has a few words of inspiration for anyone who wishes to pursue an ambition. “Believe in yourself. Never give up. If you work hard at something you love, anything is possible. Always support and encourage each other.”
Semester 2 Education Grants now open! Ngāti Mutunga uri who are formally enrolled in university, polytechnic, institute of technology, wānanga, private training establishment or any other organisation providing training programmes are invited to apply for a Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga education grant. Education grants are open to all registered iwi members. The closing date is Wednesday 12 July 2017 at 5pm. For more information click here Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga Education Grant Recipient Lily Maxwell, a first year Bachelor of Nursing student in Taranaki, cried tears of joy when she was awarded an education grant recently. A very appreciative Lily says the grant helped her whanau at a time when it was struggling financially. “On the day this grant was awarded and went through to my account, my tane was about to bike down to the supermarket with our last dollar to buy some bread to feed our two tamariki. I cried with tears of joy when I checked my bank account. “This assistance is going to go a long way for me and my whānau and has most certainly relieved some financial pressure. I could even buy the few textbooks I was borrowing off fellow classmates to help with my studies.” Lily says her family has supported her with so much so she can achieve her dream of becoming nurse. “I work hard towards this goal every day with the future of my children in mind but time with them is sacrificed. I look forward to qualifying as a registered nurse in the future so I can use my skills to help the people of our iwi, alongside all people of Aotearoa.” UPCOMING EVENTS11 July, Taranaki Regional Council Office Stratford Taranaki Conservation Education Hui. RSVP to Samantha.Mortensen@trc.govt.nz by Weds 28 June 13 July, Knox Church, 17 Grey St, Waitara Community Engagement Workshop - Grant Funding and Charity Registering/Reporting Rsvp by 07 July to Rose.Haskell@dia.govt.nz or phone 06 7598246 23 July, Urenui Marae Special General Meeting to vote on Charter Review Contact office@ngatimutunga.iwi.nz for more details Tena koutou katoa! I was pleased to read about young Kelsey Phillips’ success with her cheer team across the Tasman. Equally pleasing is the opportunity our panui is providing our overseas whanau to share their successes and remain engaged with us all. It just goes to show that no matter how far apart we are, our Ngati Mutungatanga remains strong. We understand the journey of a student is often a financial struggle and unfortunately Lily Maxwell’s story of hardship is not uncommon. However, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga is committed to providing support through education grants to help alleviate some of the pressure. We look forward to seeing you at the next Mutunga hui. Mauri ora! Paul If you have any whanau stories you want to share with us please email us at comms@ngatimutunga.iwi.nz |