The Ngātiwai Trust Board is the mandated iwi authority of Ngātiwai iwi, whose rohe (area) extends from Rakaumangamanga (Bay of Islands) in the north to Mahurangi (Warkworth) in the south, and across to Aotea (Great Barrier) including the off-shore islands.
The Trust Board consists of 14 marae representatives, who serve more than 7,000 registered beneficiaries.
In March 2017, Te Kupenga Reo o Ngātiwai, a two-year, iwi-wide Reo and Tikanga revitalisation project was launched. The project team travelled the Ngātiwai rohe and listened to the aspirations, needs and ideas of the hau kāinga (home people) of each marae. They asked whānau what their thoughts were for revitalising Te Reo me Ōna Tikanga within Ngātiwai. From this mahi and the responses collected, it was identified that there had been a downturn in the use of Te Reo Māori on the Taumata (orator/s bench) and Pae-Karanga (caller) within Ngātiwai therefore impacting on the capacity of marae to conduct and deliver tribal hui, ceremonies, customs and practices in Te Reo Māori. Hence the need for a targeted programme that has had input from its targeted communities, which includes a succession plan that is linked to the Ngātiwai Trust Board’s wider Te Reo strategy to increase the quality of Te Reo and Tikanga within Ngātiwai.
“It is so exciting that finally after years of putting this programme together, we are now delivering a programme that our people have told us that they want – Mā NgātiWai, Mō NgātiWai, E Ai Ki Te Kōrero o NgātiWai – For Ngātiwai, by Ngātiwai according to Ngātiwai.”
- Merepeka Henley, Ngātiwai Trustee & Chair for Ngaiotonga Marae
