TREATY TRIBES COALITION

Treaty Tribes was formed in 1994 to represent the common commitment of its constituent iwi to the tikanga of manawhenua, manamoana in relation to the allocation to iwi of fisheries settlement assets held by Te Ohu Kai Moana. The Coalition maintained a very active participation in that debate, in pursuit of a principled and tikanga-based outcome. As resources have allowed, it has also endeavoured to represent the interests of its constituent iwi in the development of marine and fisheries policy and legislation.

All Treaty Tribes iwi have a strong and active interest, as kaitiaki of their rohe moana, in the integrated sustainable management of their fisheries. Each of the constituent iwi of Treaty Tribes considers itself, fundamentally, to be a maritime iwi, for whom the marine environment and fisheries resources are particularly significant elements of its identity, economy and taonga tuku iho.

The constituent members of Treaty Tribes Coalition are: the Hauraki Mäori Trust Board (representing the 12 iwi of Hauraki); Ngäti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated; Ngäi Tamanuhiri Whänui Trust; and Te Rüfnanga o Ngäi Tahu.

Treaty Tribes Coalition iwi represent 15-20% of the Mäori population and approximately 60% of coastline of New Zealand.

THE IWI

Ngäti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated
Director - Ngahiwi Tomoana

Ngäti Kahungunu is one of the country’s largest iwi and has a tribal rohe which spans much of the lower East Coast of the North Island, between the Wharerata, and Rimutaka ranges. The iwi authority, Ngäti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, is made of up representatives from 6 Taiwhenua, inclusive of Wairoa through to Wairarapa and will soon include Ngäti Kahungunu members living in the major, urban centres. Ngäti Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated has the mandate to represent the interests of iwi members, as required by its Taiwhenua, hapü and whänau, and works on developing and managing tribal assets, pursuing and resolving Waitangi Tribunal claims, developing co-operative alliances with the Crown and other Päkehä agencies and mediating, advocating and providing benefits to its tribal members.

Hauraki Mäori Trust Board
Director - Harry Mikaere (Chairperson)

The Hauraki Mäori Trust Board was born out of a desire of the Hauraki people to use their collective strength as an iwi and to effectively influence decisions being made about their future and environs. In the absence of legislation which properly recognised the sovereign status of iwi and iwi aspirations, the Hauraki Maori Trust Board was created in 1988 under the Mäori Trust Boards Act 1955. The kaupapa of the Hauraki Mäori Trust Board is “Kia mau ki te Rangatiratanga o te iwi o Hauraki – Hold fast to the power and authority of the Hauraki tribes”. There are 12 tribes that make up the Hauraki Mäori Trust Board who trace their origins to Tohorä (the Whale) and the fleet of canoes – Tainui, Te Arawa, Mataatua and Matawhaorua. The Board operates in Te Ika a Maui o Aotearoa (North Island of New Zealand) in a tribal region known as Hauraki. The region is described by tribal elders as: “Mai Matakana ki Matakana – From Kauri Point at Matakana Island in the south to Matakana Estuary at Mahurangi in the north”. The Board has the responsibility to provide opportunities to strengthen, enhance, protect and promote the cultural, social, economic and political integrity of its people.

Ngäi Tamanuhiri Whänui Trust
Director - Dawn Pomana

The Ngäi Tamanuhiri Whänui Trust is the representative body of the iwi of Ngäi Tamanuhiri and has the authority to manage and control all of the interests of the iwi. The Trust maintains an iwi register of over 1200 members. The Trust administrates, manages and leads Treaty claims preparations and iwi cultural, social and economic development. Ngäi Tamanuhiri Whänui Trust keeps their people informed through the bimonthly distribution of newsletters, both nationally and internationally, covering updates on all iwi interests. Ngäi Tamanuhiri is one of the country’s smaller iwi, and does not have an extensive coastline, in comparison to some of its Treaty Tribes partners. Despite this, the iwi has always been one of the staunchest defenders of the tikanga referred to as mana whenua, mana moana.

Te Rünanga o Ngäi Tahu
Director – Maria Pera

Ngäi Tahu is the major iwi of the South Island of New Zealand and has over 32,000 registered tribal members. Te Rünanga o Ngäi Tahu is the governing body that oversees and represents the interests and activities of Ngäi Tahu Whänui (the Ngäi Tahu people). Te Rünanga comprises representatives from 18 Papatipu Rünanga (traditional communities). Te Rünanga is serviced by an executive, called the Office of Te Rünanga o Ngäi Tahu, which has responsibility for administration, policy development, and monitoring and co-ordinating the activities of the entire group. Tribal assets are managed by Ngäi Tahu Holdings Corporation, charged with protecting and increasing the value of those assets for current and future generations, and generating income from them to fund tribal activities. Ngäi Tahu Development Corporation has responsibility for developing and delivering programmes addressing the cultural, social and economic needs of iwi members.