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How did Hāpai Hapori keeping in touch with Ngāti Whātua marae leadership over the COVID-19 lockdown?

Throughout the levels of COVID-19 lockdown, Hāpai Hapori, staff maintained contact with Māori throughout Te Tai Tokerau including Ngāti Whātua iwi/hapu/marae leadership where advisors joined discussions and followed initiatives which focused on keep kaumātua safe and whanau informed. A key part of the discussions focused on the future, what the potential opportunities are and accelerating priorities. Advisors, Mere Paul and Georgina Parata saw the opportunity to reach out to other iwi leaders and to also bring into the discussions Te Puni Kōkiri (TPK) and Foundation North to work collaboratively and directly with hapu and iwi to progress opportunities.

They supported Te Roroa iwi located in the west northern area of Dargaville to hold and facilitate a meeting on Tuesday 2 June 2020 via Zoom between TPK, Foundation North (FN) and the Department of Internal Affairs.

Topics that were discussed at the Hui:

  • Te Roroa are looking for an enduring relationship
  • All the funders will provide brokering or advocacy
  • Community-led Development Programme will be further discussed
  • Lottery Environment and Heritage discussed
  • Lottery Community explained
  • Marae Development - Oranga Marae outlined
  • Continued discussion and support with Te Roroa about COVID-19 data collection;
  • Training/Trade, Careers - Cadetship/Volunteers; Te roroa gave a heads up on the need for growing their scientist and ecologist
  • Employment opportunities now and in the future e.g. Nursery and riparian planting – aligns to Foundation North's Increased Equity and Regenerative Environment
  • Expanding Te Roroa interests in Horticultural/ TPK, Tupu.nz; help whanau to connect with, develop and invest in whenua Māori
  • Housing programme (their people have lost jobs in the city and want to home) TPK to continue discussions

The collaboration will continue with Te Roroa while the three funding organisations staff have agreed to continue this model of operating with other hapu and iwi across Tai Tokerau and Tāmaki Makaurau.