On May 17, The Dominion Post published an article titled “Maori told to dig up ancestors”.

The article reported that the owners of a private property neighbouring the Waitahanui urupa (cemetery) had fenced off part of the urupa and a public easement.   

A farm in the Lake Taupo catchment has won the supreme award in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards.
Moerangi Station is owned by a Maori trust, the Puketapu 3A Incorporation.
The farm also won the PGG Wrightson Habitat Improvement, PPCS Livestock Farm, Rabobank Land and Life and Ballance Nutrient Management Awards.

Update of Reunion December 23 - 26, 2006

PLEASE contact Rayleen or Graeme for registration fees and
Code No. to insert with payment etc
Email; Rayleen Gardner: Rayleen.Gardner@fonterra.com
Graeme Hemopo: hemopo@optusnet.com.au

Fees payable:

Account Name: Brown Whanau Reunion
Bank: Westpac
Branch: Lower Hutt, Wellington
Account No: 03 0531 794567 25
OR;
c/o Rayleen Gardner
2a Errigal Close, Pinehill, Auckland.

Closing date of Registration fee; APRIL 20th, 2006

Note: Should the committee decide to cancel the whanau reunion due to poor registration numbers, ALL

Here is a link to the Biddle family website

Come and meet the Biddles and whanau

All welcome to attend the Te Wananga o Raukawa Graduation held at the Otaki Maori racing Club in Otaki at 10am.

This will be signposted from the main highway. Come and enjoy a fun day celebrating with Graduates and if you are interested in studying, come and find out more about the Wananga.

For information about enrolments phone 0800 Wananga or visit www.wananga.com

Warm mink-like blankets designed by Bay Maori artists have become a big hit on the national retailing scene with The Warehouse ordering $1 million worth of them for next winter.

Tauranga licensing company Indigenius arranges original Maori designs for the blankets which are manufactured in northern China and end up in the 85 Warehouse stores around the country.

Indigenius, which was restructured four years ago, was "over the moon" when its directors were told of the $1 million Warehouse deal.

Kei Kawerau ko te kete poutama ...

In 2006 Ngati Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau will be offering a tertiary level Marae Based study programme at Hahuru Marae. The Marae Based Studies is an educational programme offered by Te Wananga-o-Raukawa for marae. The Kaiwhakaako (Teachers) are from Onepu/Kawerau and the Marae communities of Umutahi and Oniao.

The tohu (degree) being offered is called 'Maori & Administration' and culminates in first year students obtaining a Diploma in Maori & Administration, leading on to further study to obtain a Bachelor's Degree.

If you are interested in learning about the history of Ngati Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau, and obtining a recognised degree then come to Kawerau.

A successful forestry venture between Ngati Tuwharetoa and the Crown has been recognised for top management by a branch of the United Nations.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN named 28 examples of excellence in the Asia/Pacific region, three of which were in New Zealand.

Lake Taupo Forest, which is a joint venture between Ngati Tuwharetoa and the Crown, was recognised as an outstanding example of a joint venture between indigenous peoples and government.

Forest operations manager Geoff Thorp said the trust had a good relationship with the Crown which had "done the right thing by us".

Kei nga ihuoneone o Ngati Tuwharetoa, nei ra te mihi ki a koutou katoa.

Ka hoki nei au ki te mauri o toku iwi
Kei Kawerau ko te kete poutama
Kei Waitahanui, ko Irakewa, ko Tupai, ko Te Whakakauariki
Kei Otakaora ko te Wai-u o toku tupuna, Tuwharetoa-i-te-Aupouri
Hei whakaoho ake i taku moe
Ko, ko, koia e ara eeee.

The whanau of Arapeta Te Rire (Bunty) would like to invite his friends, collegues, and the whanau whanui of Ngati Tuwharetoa to his unveiling ceremony to be held at Hahuru Marae on the 24 September 2005. Also the unveilings of Hohipera Fox (Isobel) and John Taylor Hunia will take place on the same day. The programme for the day (TBC) will be a powhiri at 1000am followed by the unveiling ceremony at the Te Ahiinanga Urupa; thence the whanau and manuhiri are invited to move to Tohia-o-te-rangi Marae urupa for the unveiling of Hohipera Fox; finally the guests and whanau will move back to Hahuru Marae for the Hakari to conclude this important occasion. E te whanau whanui o Tuwharetoa, nau mai, haere mai ki tenei rangi whakahirahira. Ara ano ka whakaaro atu ahau, ahakoa ka maumahara tatou ki a ratou, ko te kaupapa ake ko te whanaungatanga, ko te kotahitanga me te aroha. Heoi, nga manaakitanga o te runga rawa ki a tatou katoa.