Care For Our Environment So Our Environment Can Care For Us

Thursday, 13 July 2023, 3:16 pm
Press Release: Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Inc

Haumaru Te Taiao, Haumaru Tangata

Yesterday, Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated held it’s 12th annual Kahungunu Fish Hook Summit at the Napier War Memorial Centre on Marine Parade. The conference which was attended by approximately 240 participants from Wairoa through to Wairarapa, focused on the current state of our environment with our waterways and the recent devastation caused by Cyclone Gabrielle.

Representatives from each of the Taiwhenua from Te Wairoa, Te Whanganui-A-Orotu, Heretaunga, Tamatea, Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua, and Wairarapa gave heart-warming updates from their rohe. Te Whanganui-A-Orotu chairman Hori Reti, gave a stirring introduction to start off these reports, showing video footage from Tuesday 14th where the devastation was realised throughout the rohe.

Environment and Natural Resource specialists Ngaio Tiuka and Shade Smith, brought in environmental experts and scientists from different organisations who helped us understand what happened on Feb 14th and also offered insight into how management might adapt and better work with our environment and values. Making room for our rivers where possible and the multiple benefits associated with the potential unintended consequences of contemporary river management approaches discussed.

“Despite the tragic Cyclone, there is an opportunity to learn and work towards improving our planning, saving costs through wider considerations and recognising the value of mātauranga Māori and more natural solutions” – Shade Smith

Ngaio and Shade ended the day verifying their findings and solutions to protect waterways.

“Our natural environment has been severely degraded, not just by natural disasters but poor management, polluted waterways, damaged mahinga kai, over abstraction of water and much more” – Ngaio Tiuka

For the past 13 years the Fish Hook Summit has been an opportunity for Ngāti Kahungunu to come together and share mātauranga and experiences from across the rohe, with kōrero from our tribal authorities from Wairoa to Wairarapa; providing updates on taiao projects, sharing experiences, ideas, aspirations and promoting plans and collaboration going forward.

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