Ngati Porou Organisations

How Ngati Porou has developed

The runanga is an evolving organisation that has adapted according to the needs and priorities of its people, and the times. Its critical role is to maintain a strategic overview, and to facilitate and champion a shared vision for Ngati Porou.

Realising it cannot be all things to all people, the runanga has sharpened its focus on what it does and can do best. It sees its current strengths in political advocacy on matters of importance to iwi, including managing day-to-day Treaty relationships with the Crown, and enhancing its social development programme, developed over a number of years.

The runanga has the political and cultural capability and capacity, to support and enable the development of a coherent cultural revitalisation programme inclusive of matauranga Ngati Porou.

In economic development, the runanga has restricted itself to three specific roles. These are to:

incubate Ngati Porou businesses and support them to become viable commercial operations
invest in developing the business and entrepreneurial capacity and capability of Ngati Porou people
invest – in its role as shareholder for and on behalf of Ngati Porou – in businesses that are managing and utilising collective assets eg, Ngati Porou Seafoods Group and Pakihiroa Farms Ltd.

The runanga also acknowledges the many others – marae, whanau, hapu, taura here and Ngati Porou organisations, groups and people – who contribute to the broader Ngati Porou development programme. Some of these are outlined below.

Ngati Porou marae and hapu

As part of the E Nati initiative, the following marae have developed their own websites, which they use to keep their whanau informed of the latest happenings at home. Please visit the sites below for more information.

http://www.hineparemarae.co.nz
http://www.kaiwakamarae.co.nz
http://www.wharepongamarae.co.nz

Porou Ariki Trust (PAT)

Porou Ariki Trust is the mandated iwi organisation for Ngati Porou. Its establishment in 2006 resulted from the runanga working with the Ngati Porou Fisheries Advisory Group and Marae Hapu Fisheries Working Party. Porou Ariki Trust facilitates the receipt of Ngati Porou’s share of fisheries assets which, on transfer from Te Ohu Kaimoana, was valued at about $35.5M. The assets transferred primarily comprise quota, shares and $1.9M in cash. Quota and shares were directed to Ngati Porou Seafoods Ltd, the asset holding company, and the cash to Porou Ariki Trust. The runanga board is legally responsible for the Porou Ariki Trust and shares responsibility with advisory trustees appointed by the seven hapu clusters. Please contact us if you would like more information on Porou Ariki Trust.

Ngati Porou Hauora (NPH)

The runanga was involved in the establishment of Ngati Porou Hauora. Its specific contribution was to ensure NPH’s services extended across the whole rohe, that the majority of board members were Ngati Porou and that the health funder provided the necessary establishment funding.
The runanga chose not to take a seat on the Ngati Porou Hauora board, preferring a more strategic role as advocate and mentor to ensure NPH was able to deliver the quality of health services Ngati Porou required. The runanga was instrumental in Ngati Porou Hauora gaining control and management of Te Puia Hospital’s facilities and buildings. This support was provided on the basis that Ngati Porou Hauora recognised that the ownership of the land rested with the relevant hapu in the Te Puia and Waipiro area.
Runanga and Hauora staff continue to work together to provide a range of health and social services to Ngati Porou people.
Please visit http://www.ngatiporouhauora.org.nz for more information.

Radio Ngati Porou

The runanga is the licence holder for Radio Ngati Porou and appoints four of the 10 Radio Ngati Porou board members. Radio Ngati Porou has been operating since 1987. Please visit http://www.radiongatiporou.co.nz for more information.

Ngati Porou Seafoods

Ngati Porou Seafoods is the group name for Ngati Porou’s fisheries companies including, Ngati Porou Seafoods Ltd, the asset holder of fisheries settlement assets; Ngati Porou Fisheries Ltd, the ACE trader and operations arm for the group established in 2002; Real Fresh, retail and wholesale operators; and Nga Hukatai, a subsidiary of NPFL. The runanga was the 100 percent owner in NPFL until 2007, when its interests were transferred to Porou Ariki Trust.

Ngati Porou Tourism

Ngati Porou tourism will be established as a 100 percent owned runanga subsidiary. It will spearhead key tourism initiatives that utilise iwi assets, such as the Hikurangi Mountain Guided Tours and support tourism activities that position Ngati Porou tourism operators as industry leaders. See here for more information.

Ngati Porou Whanui Forests Limited (NPWFL)

Ngati Porou Whanui Forests Ltd (NPWFL) is an East Coast forestry company which provides forestry management expertise and cleared land within a joint venture forestry agreement, to landowners on the East Coast of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The Landowners provide the land for forests while retaining ownership and control. Investment partners provide funds to establish, develop and maintain the forest through to harvest, and profits are shared at harvest. The runanga supported the establishment of Ngati Porou Whanui Forests Limited and is one of the landowners to enter into a forestry agreement with NPWFL.

Pakihiroa Farms Limited

Pakihiroa Farms Limited – a subsidiary of the runanga – leases and manages Pakihiroa, the farm on Hikurangi maunga that is owned by the runanga for and on behalf of all Ngati Porou people. Pakihiroa Farms Ltd owns and manages Puanga, a farm on the outskirts of Gisborne that is run as a complementary farming operation to Pakihiroa.

Ngati Porou Landowners Forum

The runanga established the Ngati Porou Landowners Forum to provide a collective voice and forum for Ngati Porou landowners. The forum aims to address some of the key concerns and opportunities in the land development sector. Pakihiroa Farms Limited provides strategic oversight of this forum; the runanga provides administrative support. The completion of the 2006 Ngati Porou landowners’ research and development strategy was a key task for the forum.

Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby

In 1999 Te Runanga o Ngati Porou became the principal sponsor of the Ngati Porou East Coast rugby team. This sponsorship was provided on the basis that the name Ngati Porou would be added to the original East Coast name and the runanga logo would appear on the rugby jersey. From 1999 to 2001, Ngati Porou rode high on the success and positive profile that Ngati Porou East Coast achieved nationally and internationally. This heyday inspired huge iwi pride and incited bands of Ngati Porou supporters to travel the length and breadth of the country to support their ‘boys in blue’.

The runanga continues to be one of the major sponsors of Ngati Porou East Coast, with its 2008 emphasis on investing in developing school-age players and emerging talent in club teams.

See http://www.npec.co.nz for more information.

Te Urunga ki Ngati Porou

This site helps connect past, current and future students with various Ngati Porou businesses, and enables them to explore and identify where and how these Ngati Porou graduates can be engaged and or employed.
http://www.teurunga.maori.nz