BACK TO TIKANGA

We have been in Hamilton this weekend - a world away from Wellington and two worlds away from the South Island and Ngai Tahu.

We have had time to take stock and we think we have set out to achieve what we wanted to do - get Ngai Tahu focusing on their leadership and the tribes performance and make people think and act on who they want to represent them - and we have already seen the signals , with the election of Wally Stone and Tahu Potiki, that the people want a change of direction.

We have come under fire for moderating the debate on various posts - its simply because both the supporters of Mark Solomon and his detractors have indulged in some personal mudslinging the likes of which we have never, ever seen before on any issue we have ever run on this blog.

We reckon that we have done a good job of stoking the fires of a very important issue for Ngai Tahu rank and file. We think that we were pretty well known for plain speaking on the Marae so we have taken that approach on this blog. We have done what we have done here on Ngai Tahu issues on Roarprawn, with the help of many from one end of the country to the other. We thank them. For many Ngai Tahu, Roarprawn is not something that ends up in your puku - it a noisy little fish that embeds in your brain and makes you think.

But now it is time for the focus to shift from the virtual marae we have created here to the real one.

It is now the turn of the people, face to face, to sort these issues through.

So until the Hui A Tau which is being held at Oraka Aparima Colac Bay Riverton, on the weekend of the 20-22nd of November is over, we wont mock, prod, slap, dig, cajole, criticise or praise anything or anyone in relation to the elections.

We think that this way everyone can take a breather and think very, very wisely about the best part they can play in the future of the tribe that will serve the best interests of us all.

That sort of talk is best done without heat in quiet rooms.

It's time for all the tribe to turn up to the Hui A Tau and voice their concerns and support for the people they want to lead the tribe.

It is time to take the business back into the House of Tahu for a while. There is going to have to be an orderly transition in leadership - as Ngai Tahu is not just important to its people, it has an important role to play in the South Island economy. Ngai Tahu can also join with other iwi to get the economies of scale required to advance new business ventures to benefit all Maori.

And for those who have contacted us and asked if we are interested in being involved in the elections down home in Awarua, Bluff. Yes and no. We have no interest in standing as a representative. We are fervent devotees of Ahi Kaa. That is - that those who are at home are the best to manage the home affairs. But maybe we will put our hands up to be on the panel to select the local delegate. We will consider that option in due course.

We walked away from active involvement in tribal affairs 10 years ago, when we moved to Wellington, after being heavily engaged in runanga, marae and runanga business and the titi committee. The only tribal business we ever really wanted to be actively involved in was the management of fisheries but that opportunity never came our way.

Many of the skills we learnt at home have stood us in good stead all these years.
We have run our own successful little business without a drop of financial support from anyone, so that has been pretty satisfying.

And its good to look back and see that a lot of what we help initiateback home has survived today. So we look back with some pride. And its those experiences and understanding that has kept us forever interested in tribal politics - albiet at a distance.

So to you , leaders and followers all - it is time to put aside the egos, the family disputes, the jealousies and for humility to reign and for The Table to serve up the feast of social and economic riches for all us to share.

So for now we will stay quiet and concentrate on other things.. Just for a while mind you, just for a while..

NGAI TAHU 'S BEST WEBSITE

Its not the home website for the Tribe here

It's the Ngai Tahu property website here , its clean, fresh, is easy to navigate, and is a tribute to the people who are directly responsible for growing the tribes property portfolio.

and the Seafood Site is good as well.

We really think that the main tribal website needs a new look.

AWARUA HUI - REPORT

This post is from one of the Ngai Tahu Wahine Toa who attended the Bluff Hui organised by the locals to get Mark Solomon to address some of their concerns.He first said he would visit any marae that asked for him to attend , then he backed off , then he agreed but only at a time when many of the whanau were at the muttonbird islands.

I didn’t hear a lot of anger apart from Anthony Fowler and a couple of terse responses directed by members of the audience against one of the fishers but I did hear a lot of distortions of truth, word games and outright fabrications from the member from Kaikoura, some very clear facts backed by documentation from Wally Stone, some sadness and disappointment from whānau members who had hoped, I think, to hear an admission from the Kaiwhakahaere that HE could have done better in his management of the NTHC / TRONT relationship.

Note from Editor BB : "We think that this still strikes to the heart of the matter. The amount of people who have worked for Te runanga O Ngai Tahu and been pushed out or sacked would have a listed company's shareholders baying for blood. As we have repeatedly said Solomon has been at the helm of an organisation that has been in turmoil for over a decade."

Instead they heard that Wally Stone was sacked because he did not supply ONE report even though the Kaiwhakahaere,Solomon, was present at the NTHC meeting and approved it, only to vote against it at the TRONT meeting. According to one of the involved fishers, it was also presented to TRONT in person by Colin Topi, Tahu Potiki and NTHC. The Kaiwhakahaere was apparently absent that day and TRONT was being chaired by the Deputy. Perhaps the Kaiwhakahaere didn’t read his papers or the minutes?

The meeting at Awarua ( Bluff) was orderly, well run and tikanga was observed at all times. The difference between the previous meetings and the Awarua meeting would appear to be that the mana remained with the ahi ka at all times. All who wished to speak were allowed to have a say but they were required to stick to the question of the moment rather than divert to other matters.

There was some "you said, I said" which was probably only to be expected but there was also some very pointed questions to the Kaiwhakahaere that he seemed unwilling or unable to answer in a direct fashion.

The meeting was well attended with the representatives from Oraka and Puketeraki present to support the Kaiwhakahaere while the Kaikoura whanau came to support the whanau from Awarua. However of the approximately 140 people present, about 120 were Awarua whanau, a very good result and well on a par with Rehua and Kaikoura.