LAND STATUS: Maori Freehold Land (Te Kaha 2C2)
MANAGEMENT STATUS: Managed by landowners
Ko Pukeahu te maunga
Ko Pakuranui te awa
Ko Mātaatua me
Horouta nga waka
Ko te Kinakina te turangawaewae
Ko te Whānau-a-Apanui,
Ko Whānau a Te Ehutu, te iwi
Poipoia te Mauri me te Mana Motuhake o te whenua
The vision, to uphold the status and integrity of the whenua – ko te whenua, he taonga tuku iho – encompassing a commitment to Kaitiakitanga, that starts with the restoration of the wetlands.
The vision is to share the journey of restoring Te Kinakina wetlands with others, and in so doing, the wetlands becomes an authentic whenua-based learning space for all; and the skills, knowledge and understandings associated with Kaitiakitanga become an authentic lived experience that may instill or ignite an ethic of care and respect for the whenua … mai ra no.
This journey has to be in the company of others, for it will be the collective spirit, and the contributions we can all make to this kaupapa, that will give see it flourish.
Ko koe kei teenaa kiiwai, ko au kei teenei kiiwai o te kete
Ka ora te whenua, ka ora te whānau
When the land is well we are well.
Ko koe kei tena kiwai, ko au kei tenei kiwai o te kete
To work in collaboration with whānau/hapū/iwi and with others who share a similar vision, values and principles, and a willingness to support our kaupapa.
This Operational Plan (The Plan) outlines the commitment and pathway Te Kinakina landowners follow to restore the mana and the mauri of the whenua, reinstating the wetlands on Maori Land Block Te Kaha 2C2.
The collective impact of creating ponds and growing native trees and plants will offer a space, a sanctuary for all our whanau – for fish, birds, insects, and people – thereby reconnecting us to our primal roles and responsibilities of Kaitiakitanga.
Embedded in Te Ao Maori, serve to inspire and guide us in all aspects of our lives, and in the development of this Operational Plan OR
Drawn from Te Ao Maori, a Maori world view, positioned as we are, inextricably connected to the whenua through nga ira Atua.
Whakapapa
Knowing and honouring whakapapa, whakapapa ki te whenua, ki nga whanau, hapū, iwi.
Kaitiakitanga
Active protection of the environment, knowledge, culture, language and resources.
Manaakitanga
Respect
Ki nga uri o Nga Atua tawhito
Mauri Ora
Kia poipoia te mauri o te whenua
We acknowledge and honour the ancient life force of the whenua.
Tino Rangatiratanga
Decision making power rests with tangata whenua
Whanaungatanga
We will respect, foster, and maintain positive relationships with all our whanau, including hapū, and iwi.
Nou te rourou, naku te rourou ka ora nga whanau katoa
The restoration of Te Kinakina wetlands will ultimately take a large village of people – many hands and many hearts – to see this project through to fruition. Building and maintaining quality relationships embedded in an ethic of care and respect is considered pivotal to engaging the support of villagers and villages.
Ka puu te ruha, ka hao te rangatahi
Engaging and working with Rangatahi is key to the transmission of intergenerational knowledge. Our duty as pakeke, kuia, kaumatua, is to weave a strong new net, for ranagatahi to be well prepared, for their future Kaiatiaki roles and responsibilities associated with the guardianship of ‘whenua’ (environment) and ‘whanau katoa’ (all living beings).
Kia poipoia te whenua (nurture and care for our whenua)
Whaea e koe ki te iti kahurangi; ki te tuohu koe, me maunga teitei
Te Kinakina wetlands will offer a place for whenua-based education, open to people of all ages and abilities.
We will, in partnership with others – (teachers, artists, researchers, community groups and organisations) – develop our whenua-based education programmes embedded in Matauranga Maori. Digital technologies will be utilised to enable national and global connections with other indigenous peoples embarking on similar journeys.
We will continue to explore funding sources for capital to complete ‘Mihiwai’, Whare Wananga, and to build a Wetlands Art Studio.
Kia puea ki te Ao Marama (rise up to the world of light)
Toi iho (weaving the past with the future)
Making sure processes and procedures are in place so things run smoothly.
Having a sustainability plan so we are always prepared for the future
The hearts and hands
Restoring Te Kinakina Wetlands was borne from an innate sense of knowing, Kathleen Morrison knew, from the day she returned home to her ancestral lands, that it would be her lifetime role and responsibility to tend to Papatuanuku, to nurse her, to care and honour her, and to protect her from any further acts of desecration.
Kathleen also knew that the task ahead of her would take time, energy, resources, and lots of awhi from others. So on behalf of Te Kinakina landowners Kathleen would like to acknowledge the awhi received from the following people:
Kainga Tahi, Kainga Rua: Te Poipoia Research Leader Dr Fiona Cram and her team, including the financial support which will cover most (if not all) of the foundation work – land preparation, tree felling, excavation work
MPI (Ministry of Primary Industries) One Billion Trees funding from for plants and trees
Wilson Brothers for excavator Gordon Collier – a master sculptor of land
Peter Anderson, owner of Wood Chipping business who has donated truckloads of wood chips
Noel & his lads for felling the pine trees
Coastlands Nursery – Jo Bonner who is supplying plants and trees
Ecological Ambassador – Dr Adam Forbes who provided us with an Ecological Report and guidelines for quantities and types of plants and trees
Ecological Advisor – Stephanie Gardner from the Crimson Project
Te Paa Harakeke Advisor – Roka Hurihia-Cameron, a Master weaver, Harakeke advisor, and growing Kuta for our pond
Longbush Ecological Reserve, Gisborne – Dr Anne Salmond and her husband Jeremy Salmond for sharing with us their Health & Safety Policy, as well as their Waikereru Management Plan
Whānau /Hapu/ Iwi – For being present and participating in our official opening of Te Kinakina Wetlands (1 May 2021) with our first planting of cultivars in the Wetlands Te Paa Harakeke
Move Media/Moving Films – Shanel Hall, our very clever niece who has put many hours into creating our Maori Girls’ website
Tiakinga nga manu ka ora te ngahere, Ka ore te ngahere, ka ora nga manu
Look after the birds and the forest flourishes. If the forest flourishes, the birds flourish.
Our ‘indicator’ for the wellbeing of Te Kinakina Wetlands is the Eastern brown Kiwi. We believe that the Eastern brown Kiwi would have once lived in close proximity to Pakuranui Stream, a waterway that snakes through Te Kinakina lowlands then out to sea. In their natural habitat, kiwis prefer places with wetland vegetation and where trees run down to the edge of the river. As they are soil feeders, kiwis like to go directly to the ground rather than negotiating the thick leaf litter of the forest. They avoid hard, compacted ground making wetlands an ideal habitat.
According to the Department of Conservation, the kiwi is one of 7 indicator species in New Zealand. If the kiwi is doing well, this means other species will be doing well.
Kiwi Female North Island Brown Kiwi Song calling her mate
Kiwi Male North Island Brown Kiwi Song calling his mate
Name of Planning Group: Maori Girls’ Charitable Trust in collaboration with Te Kinakina Landowners
Region: Te Kaha, Eastern Bay of Plenty, Aotearoa
Strategy: To provide an overview for managing the reinstatement of Te Kinakina Wetlands (Te Kaha 2C2)
Objective: To reinstate the wetlands area – total area dedicated to Te Kinakina Wetlands project is 7 ha
Ko Te Kinakina, Ko Te Ara Tipu
Key colour code:
Stages completed
Stages to be completed
Stage 1:
Fully develop the Wetlands Plan to share with whanau, to serve as a supporting document for funding applications made.
Stage 2i:
Prepare the land – regenerative seeds to condition the soil.
Stage 2ii:
Spraying – to get rid of kikuyu grass and other noxious and/or invasive plants.
Remove Pine Trees and Willow Trees
Stage 2iii:
Chip the pine and willow trees to provide mulch for weed suppression.
Stage 3:
Excavate – reinstate natural course-ways, position culverts where needed, shape the land to create natural contours to accommodate ponds.
Stage 4:
Seeking funding for Fencing, Trees, Pest Traps
Prepare and submit funding applications to DOC, Environment, Billion Trees, WWF, Maori Land Blocks for Trees and Plants
Stage 5:
Apply for funding to: build 1,000m Deer Proof Fence; purchase pest traps, and a Nursery to grow seeds.
Set up a website and include a donations page – people may wish to sponsor a tree, a wooden table, a wooden bench.
Stage 6:
Erect the Deer-Proof fence, set the traps, position the Nursery.
Stage 7i:
Plant Trees and Plants – First planting will be Harakeke and Pohutukawa trees (1st and 2nd May) and thereafter plant in sections once Deer-Proof fence erected.
Stage 7ii:
Plan and build all-ability pathways throughout the Wetlands area. Request from a family to include sensory spaces for people with Autism
Stage 7iii:
Pest control – Traps set (rats, stoats, cats, possums).
Stage 8:
Develop a Maintenance Plan with a view to securing funding to provide employment, and work experience for Gateway students.
Develop Wetlands Health & Safety Policy.
Stage 9:
In 2018 we sought guidance and advice from Winifred Geddess to develop a Whenua Plan. Winifred suggested we start by preparing a whenua inventory – what you’ve got. The next step, think about what you would like to do and connecting that back to what you’ve got. To manage this task, we used a Matrix.