Our Owners

He kākano ahau i ruia mai i Rangiātea

I am a seed which was sewn in the heavens of Rangiatea

 This well-known Māori proverb tells the story of taking root, developing, growing, and blossoming in the place you belong.

For Māori, it is traditionally our tūrangawaewae – our place to stand and for the Ngāti Rārua Ātiawa hapū that place is the Whakarewa lands of Motueka.

Traditionally the hapū would stay in the rohe of their marae and move together, but today we move around so easily, and as a result, we live throughout Aotearoa and the world. Because we’ve spread, we encourage members to reconnect and return home in the hope you develop a sense of unity and belonging, deepen your connection and embrace the legacy of our tūpuna.

But it’s not just about returning to Motueka to deepen that connection, it’s also about engaging with the Trust by way of registering as a member.

Recently Trustee Jeremy Banks’ mother, sister, and two nieces have returned to the rohe to live in Nelson. The two youngest girls are not yet registered members but are currently in the process of having their registration applications approved by the Board. It’s deeply humbling to have the hapū come home to reconnect and to be part of our next chapter.

Registration as a member

If you’re a descendant of one of the original 109 owners, registration and connection with the Trust means more than just being a name on a list. It’s a sense of belonging, opportunity to access benefits like scholarships and grants, being part of the kōrero around how we work and our (the Trust’s) role in your life, and learning about your ancestors.

Every two months the Board gathers for a hui, where amongst other things, we review and approve applications for new registered members. For us to continue thriving as a people on our tūrangawaewae, we need to continue telling our story and continue our legacy, and that relies on an engaged next generation, so we encourage you to reach out to your whānau if they’re not registered with the Trust to start their applications.

If you are not in the rohe yourself and want to engage and deepen your connection with the Trust you can connect with us on our Facebook page, or check out this blog on other ways you can engage and connect with the Motueka homelands.  

To register as a member you must have a direct lineal descent from one of the original 94 Ngāti Rārua tūpuna and 15 Te Ātiawa tūpuna land owners of Whakarewa – Motueka.