Kaupapa Maori

Wawahi Korero

Tena ra tatau katoa. Koia nei te reo a ta tatau kaunihera a-rohe e karanga nei, "Nau mai, nau mai, haere mai." E ai ki tera korero, "He po kua moea, ao ake ano ana, kai te hurahura te ata."

Ko nga whakamarama e whai ake nei, koia ra, he whakamarama iti noa, ki te korero a kui ma, a koro ma "he kotamutamu noa iho." Haunga tera, ki a koutou e whai nei ki nga korero whanui, a tena, me waea mai koutou ki te tari matua, otira ma te Kaiarahi Maori (Maori Policy Assistant) e whakamarama atu ki a koutou.

Council extends a warm greeting to all our website users, "Nau mai, nau mai, haere mai". In so doing we allude to the expression "A night has been slept, at the dawn, the morning unfolds".

The explanations that follow are what our elders would have described as "mere nibbles". Maybe so, but those who seek greater enlightenment, are invited to telephone the Maori Policy Assistant at the main office who can elaborate further.

Te Moana a Toi te Huatahi (the original name for the Bay of Plenty) has a very long and very proud Maori heritage.

Te Pare Honohono a Toi-te-Huatahi
The door lintel, located above the entry to Committee Meeting Room One, is called Te Pare Honohono a Toi te Huatahi, which means the lintel of linkage with Toi te Huatahi.

Places of special significance such as waahi tapu (sacred sites), urupa (burial grounds), places of traditional importance, trees or other vegetation with cultural associations, places where significant past events have occurred, and outstanding landscape features are evident in the Bay of Plenty region today.

Overall at least one quarter of the regional population identify themselves as Maori. Environment Bay of Plenty works with Maori in many ways. It provides some funding for special projects, supports environmental care groups, provides iwi liaison, manages recognition of principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and for kaitiakitanga of the region's natural and physical resources.

Within Environment Bay of Plenty the Wahanga Kaupapa Maori (Maori Policy Section) forms part of the Strategic Policy Group. The section collects, verifies and catalogues information about Maori within the regional council's boundaries, so that we can assist Council staff and clients interaction with Maori.

While care is taken in the gathering of information from iwi and hapu of the region, it is strongly recommended that all users check information with the hapu or iwi contact persons involved. The Maori Policy Assistant at Environment Bay of Plenty is very interested to receive information on any changes to iwi and hapu contact details so that we can use to verify or amend our records.

Tukutuku Te Tokotoru - The Trinity
These decorative panels were created by the craftspersons to typify each area of our region. From top to bottom, for Tauranga area it is the flounder (patiki) by Pauline Borell of Pirirakau, for Rotorua area it is the eternal stairway of knowledge (poutama) by Tina Wirihana of Ngati Te Rangiunuora and for Whakatane area it is albatross tears (roimata toroa) by Mere Walker of Te Whakatohea (Opotiki). They were the leaders (manukura) of each weaving team.

Maori Regional Representation Committee
Iwi from the Bay of Plenty will have a more direct voice in regional council politics with the 2004 revamp of Environment Bay of Plenty's committee structure. Establishment of the newly constituted Maori Regional Representation Committee enhances the representation of Maori viewpoints and provides direct access to Council decision-making.

Maori Seats
In October 2004 Environment Bay of Plenty became the first regional council to establish Maori seats for the Kohi, Mauao and Okurei constituencies, on the same terms as the Maori seats in the New Zealand House of Representatives (Parliament).

Public Releases
Environment Bay of Plenty produces a number of publications that keep the district's residents informed of news and issues that concern them. The Maori Policy Section produces a newsletter called ‘Panui’ at regular intervals, it also contributes ‘Korero’, a regular column in council's Regional Guardian newspaper.

Treaty of Waitangi Toolbox
Environment Bay of Plenty has created a Treaty of Waitangi Toolbox, which references how we view and provide for our responsibilities under the Treaty of Waitangi. 

If you do not find the information you are looking for in this section, or would like more information on any of the activities of the Maori Policy Section at Environment Bay of Plenty, please contact us at 0800 ENV BOP (368 267) or email us at info@envbop.govt.nz