Ngāti Hinekura Manatōpū
The poari and kaimahi carrying the mahi of Ngāti Hinekura today. Guardians of Tieke, advocates for the awa, and whānau of this whenua.
Ko Wai Mātou
Ngāti Hinekura Manatōpū carries the aspirations of Ngāti Hinekura and works for the long term wellbeing of Tieke Marae, the awa and our people. We are an incorporated society, registered under the Incorporated Societies Act 2022.
We employ the kaitiaki at Tieke each Whanganui Journey season under a service agreement with the Department of Conservation, look after the marae and its facilities, and take bookings for the wharenui.
Our role as a poari is to facilitate, not to direct. We want whānau to tell us what they want to see happen at Tieke, and we'll help organise, resource and find funding for it.
He Kaupeka Tikanga
- Mana whenua and kaitiaki of Tieke Marae
- DOC partnership — hapū-appointed ranger role
- Co-designers of the Tieke Management Plan
- Advocates for Treaty Settlement
- Kaitiaki of Te Awa Tupua
He Rangatira — Leadership
Heamana · Chair
Gordon Cribb
Whakahaere · Operations
Ashlee Ponga
He Poari — Trustees
Poari · Trustee
Gaye Whitu
Poari · Trustee
Dearne Davies
Kaitiaki Pūtea · Treasurer
Wayne Cribb
Poari · Trustee
Paora Toho
Poari · Trustee
Raynard Te Huia
Poari · Trustee
Johnson Witehira
How the Manatōpū Began
On 28 November 2021, between 40 and 50 whānau and uri gathered to begin the next stage of governance for Ngāti Hinekura. A historical presentation took the hui through the occupation of the 1990s, the pou whenua, and the Tamahaki, Tukoio and Hinekura connection to Tieke Marae and kāinga.
The hui agreed to establish an interim Ngāti Hinekura trust, with one objection noted. The interim trustees were given a clear mandate, and over the following years that work was completed, leading to the election of a full committee in July 2024.
Interim trustees
- Raynard Te Huia
- Lesley (Missy) Edmonds
- Gaye Whitu
- Gordon Cribb
- Mathew Wright
Their mandate, now complete
- Research the best legal entity structure
- Work toward registering the entity
- Draft the governance structure and key portfolios
- Draft the constitution
- Report back to whānau on the work
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28 November 2021
Establishment hui
Whānau and uri agree to form an interim trust to carry Ngāti Hinekura into its next stage of governance.
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November 2021
Interim committee hui
The interim trustees meet at the Tamahaki Office in Raetihi to begin their mahi.
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21 July 2024
Ngāti Hinekura Manatōpū election
At Paraweka Marae, the interim trustees report back on their work and present the draft constitution. Seven officers are elected by all members present, with no objections.
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September 2024
Paheke hui
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October 2024
Constitution
The constitution sets out who can be a member, how officers are elected and for how long, and the tikanga that guide the Manatōpū.
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2024 to 2025
Registered and operating
Ngāti Hinekura Manatōpū is registered as an incorporated society, and its first kaitiaki are employed at Tieke under a service agreement with the Department of Conservation.
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2025
Systems in place
A bank account, accounting and document systems are set up, and an operations manager is appointed to support the committee day to day.
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10 October 2026
Annual General Meeting
Whānau gather at the Tamahaki Office in Raetihi to review progress and look ahead to the next stage of governance.
In Acknowledgement
We honour the legacy of pou rangatira Graham (Baldy) Haitana and Robert (Boy) Cribb, and remember with thanks their passion, commitment, mātauranga, manaaki, leadership, humility and humour.
Their loss is deeply felt, but the ahikā remains.
How We Work
The poari is not here to tell whānau what they need. We want uri and whānau to bring their ideas forward, and we will facilitate them. Over time we want whānau to form rōpū around each of our pou, doing the planning and organising, while the poari supports with resourcing and funding applications.
Uri me whānau o Ngāti Hinekura
The representatives, and the whānau and heart of the marae.
Poari
Leadership, strategy, financial decisions and relationships with partners.
Whakahaere
Operations: administration, communications, kaitiaki support and bookings.
Pūtea
Funding, accountability, auditing and risk.
Ngā Pou Our three pou
Three pou guide our mahi: our people, our environment and our kāinga. The ideas under each pou come from whānau.
Tangata
Whakatipu Tangata Growing our people
Cultural revitalisation, mātauranga Māori, skills and education, and wānanga that bring the generations together. We want to grow the voices for our paepae and karanga at Tieke.
- Ngā Toi Raranga, mahi rākau, whakairo, tā moko, tuhituhi, waiata, taonga pūoro
- Mātauranga Whakapapa wānanga, karanga and whaikōrero, Matariki and Puanga, rongoā
- Kai and hauora Māra kai and mahinga kai wānanga, sport and wellbeing
Te Taiao
Whakaora Taiao Restoring our environment
Ecological restoration, biodiversity protection, pest and weed management, and water quality monitoring on our whenua, creating mahi for our own people along the way.
- Ngahere and wai Erosion control, native planting, assisted natural regeneration
- Pest and weed control Goats, pigs, deer, possums and mustelids
- Monitoring Water monitoring and testing
Tieke Kāinga
Whakakaha Kāinga Strengthening the kāinga
Marae and papakāinga development, visitor and community facilities, maintenance and upgrades, and long term planning so Tieke is sustainable for the generations to come.
- Buildings Whare kai, wharenui decking, paepae cover, kaitiaki hut
- Grounds and services Drainage, accessibility, toilets, water filtering, solar, hot water
- Planning Layout design wānanga, wahāroa placement and kawa
Keen to help lead mahi under one of these pou? Get in touch.
Ā Mātou Whāinga · Why we exist
- Restore health and wellbeing, including through shelters, māra kai and marae
- Revitalise our social and cultural identity through wānanga for waiata, raranga, whakairo and whaikōrero
- Promote cultural identity, including the revitalisation of te reo Māori
- Promote education, including teaching mātauranga and traditions on the marae
- Improve health through social services, safe housing and whānau services
- Promote te taiao, kaitiakitanga, tourism and employment
- Restore and protect the natural environment and wāhi tapu
- Build relationships with the wider community and government
Ō Mātou Tikanga · Our principles
- Tino rangatiratanga
- Kaitiaki
- Mana
- Mana whenua
- Mana moana
- Whanaungatanga
- Manaakitanga
Ko Ngāti Hinekura · Our Story
Ngāti Hinekura are the hapū of Tieke, on the middle reaches of the Whanganui River. We whakapapa to Tamahaki and take our name from the tupuna Hinekura. Tieke was a pā and kāinga, was emptied over the last century, and was reclaimed by whānau in 1993. Today, through Ngāti Hinekura Manatōpū, we carry that legacy forward.
Get in Touch
All enquiries go directly to our kaitiaki team. We aim to respond within 48 hours.
Whakapā Mai