Ngai Tamanuhiri Uses Advanced Tech Solution to Connect Iwi

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Ngai Tamanuhiri Uses Advanced Technology Solution to Connect Iwi

Wellington, 08 December 2014 – A Gisborne Iwi has invested in technology to help other tribal organisations to communicate more efficiently with their members, understand the needs of their people better and protect and preserve historical and archival material.

Ngai Tāmanuhiri, in partnership with leading technology company Fronde, have launched a brand new and innovative technology solution called Iwi Connect to enable tribes to communicate with their people located around the world, promote and revitalise Te Reo and plan the Iwi’s future with members’ direct input.

Mere Takoko, Business Development Manager for Ngai Tāmanuhiri Trust explains that with Treaty of Waitangi obligations to meet and many of its people living away from the area, the Trust had no way of quickly communicating with members to canvas their opinions or share important information. It also had masses of archived material, some of it kept in a shipping container, that it wanted to digitise and easily store for members to access both now and for future generations.

“Since adopting the technology, the tribe has developed a far greater understanding of how Iwi members are connected to each other and other Iwi.

“The tribe can now securely adopt campaigns and announce important events, share business opportunities and interact with Iwi members, friends and users. It also has vital communication tools to meet its legal obligations to manage assets on behalf of the Iwi.

“We are also growing the Iwi’s future with members’ direct input and as a result our membership engagement has grown from 25% to 95%.

“We now have a better idea of who we are and what resources we have within the Iwi. We also now spend a fraction of the time and money we used to spend on administration and far more time directly engaging and communicating with Iwi members.

“For Ngai Tāmanuhiri that’s building a mobile whanau online as well as face-to-face support on the marae and among Iwi,” adds Takoko.

Working with Ngai Tāmanuhiri, Fronde designed and built Iwi Connect into a comprehensive database and archive of important information about the Iwi, its members and what matters to them. The solution includes an Iwi register solution, digital survey tool and voting system which can be accessed through any computer, mobile or smart device – empowering tribal members to have their voices heard from anywhere.

Fronde’s Chief Information Officer Paul Armstrong says the solution that Fronde delivered is a great example of how innovative technology can liberate organisations and allow them to devote much more of their resources to things that really matter.

“Fronde designed and built a smart cloud based solution that has helped nurture existing relationships between all members and friends of the Iwi, wherever they are, connect with new friends and whanau, and strengthen tribal identity.

“Iwi Connect is a great example of how technology has transformed outcomes for an Iwi organisation and we look forward to continuing to work with Ngai Tāmanuhiri as it takes the next steps in its journey,” says Mr Armstrong.

Ms Takoko believes that tribes around the country have a lot to gain from utilising Iwi Connect to deploy key services to members and to meet their Treaty of Waitangi obligations. She also says she looks forward to leading Ngai Tāmanuhiri’s business programme and working with Fronde to commercialise Iwi Connect and take it to a wider audience.

“Iwi Connect has made a tremendous difference to Ngai Tāmanuhiri. We are very happy with the solution and are working hard to make it available to other Iwi around New Zealand, who have similar needs.

“Our mission is to help Iwi to transfer wealth and benefits to tribal members in a way that does not compromise their existing asset base and enables a safe and secure environment for members to have their say.

“The most fundamental thing any Iwi can do is connect with their own people living at home and overseas. Often organisations have no way of quickly communicating with members to canvas their opinions, achieve a mandate for key decisions or share important information.

"Going into the future we will also be looking for ways to inspire Iwi to adopt this technology so they can communicate with tribal members located around the world to promote and revitalise Te Reo, our Marae and key projects from education to health,” says Ms Takoko.

ENDS

About Te Aranui Limited
Te Aranui is a company owned by New Zealand Māori tribe, Ngai Tāmanuhiri and ICT specialist partners, Fronde and Tonu Ltd. Together, they are the creators of the first enterprise cloud solution for tribes powered by Salesforce.com technology.
In 2012, Ngai Tāmanuhiri created Iwi Connect to strengthen their ability to communicate with their members and to achieve a mandate for settling their Te Tiriti o Waitangi (Treaty of Waitangi) claim.
The tribe’s Treaty settlement assets were returned on the premise that they would be used to grow and support business and social developments which enable benefits to be shared and experienced by all descendants.
To this end, Ngai Tāmanuhiri have co-developed a unique solution driven by this iwi aspiration. The tribe can now connect with everything – their members, their data, their employees and partners within Aotearoa and overseas.
www.tearanui.co.nz

About Fronde
Fronde is a leading technology company founded in 1992, with over 350 staff across Wellington, Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney. Services include ICT consulting, software development, systems integration, managed services and cloud integration for businesses
and government.

Fronde’s cloud integration portfolio provides complete Enterprise Resource Planning, Infrastructure, Customer Relationship Management, and Mail & Collaboration cloud solutions. As a leading cloud integrator, Fronde is a NetSuite Solution Provider, an Amazon Advanced Consulting Partner in the AWS Partner Network, a Salesforce Gold Partner, and was the Google Enterprise Partner of the Year for Australia and New Zealand in 2012.
Fronde has a growing revenue of 59.9+ million, and in 2013 was placed number three in the TIN100 “Top Ten Companies to Watch” list.

www.fronde.com

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