Tēnā koutou katoa, ngā mihi aroha ki te whānau Nicholas rāua ko Ruiha Williams kei raro i te kapua pouri.
Ongare Board acknowledge the recent passing of our whanaunga, friend, historian, Faulkner whānau descendant, well-known Tauranga Moana personality Patrick Nicholas.
We also acknowledge the recent passing of our friend, dedicated patron of Cheers in Owens Place and beloved partner of our whanaunga, Māori Warden and Ongare owner Ruiha Williams.
We extend our condolences to both whānau at this time of sadness.
We are thankful for the insights that Patrick shared with us in regards to the story of Chief Te Whanake as one of his unwaivering faith in the face of those who attacked his village at Ongare Pā, and the savagery that led to his death there.
Rest in peace Patrick and Lenny
Moe mai rā kōrua
Recently, our Ongare trustees joined the MyFiduciary team for governance training or professional development.
We had some excellent review and feedback of the Trust’s performance and identified key area’s or opportunities for growth which we intend to include into our strategic planning moving forward.
The biggest confirmation for us is that the bulk of our business is currently in one single asset class, i.e most of our business is in the high value horticulture sector.
With the onset of extreme weather events more frequently, we have a renewed focus on diversification.
Another awesome milestone has been reached by the Katikati Innovative Horticulture Project.
The much awaited new purpose-built Katikati Innovative Horticulture building was officially opened on the afternoon of Wednesday 17 May. Present at the opening were invited guests representing the many people from private individuals to family trusts, growers, packhouses, philanthropic organisations and major industry players who had contributed towards this new facility, either financially or in kind.
Members of the Katikati College Board of Trustees and past and present members of the Katikati Innovative Horticulture Trust were also present.
The ceremonial opening was carried out by local businessmen and long time players in the kiwifruit industry, John Bourke of Wainui Orchards and Sean Carnachan of Western Orchards.
The Trust invited John and Sean to perform this role in recognition of the huge contribution these two gentlemen have made in leadership and fundraising since the inception of the project.
The building has been named GrowHub to reflect the Project’s objectives of growing young people, growing partnerships and connections and its role as a meeting place of learning communities.
https://www.facebook.com/kihproject
Top photo: Sean Carnachan, Hilary Johnson and John Burke unveil the new Innovative Horticulture Hub at Katikati College.
A few weeks ago our Kuia and Ongare Trustees Kura Benton and Pua Taikato were part of a whānau delegation that travelled down to Heretaunga. The kaupapa was whakawhanaungatanga or connecting with our relations Ngati Kahungunu and hosting the Ahu Whenua judges on site at the Ngai Tukairangi Tukituki orchard in Heretaunga.
The devastation was unbelievable including seeing a brand new home that had been lifted in it’s entirety off it’s foundation and washed about 900m down the road.
The Orchard itself had endured being flooded to the extent that the water submerged the vines and reached the hail netting at it’s highest point.
The resilience of the kaimahi or workers at Tukituki orchard is such that they remain resolute that the orchard can be revived because of the soil and the fact that most of the structures are still in place. Out of approximately 21 hectares, about 14 is salvageable.
A few weeks ago a number of our Ngāi Tukairangi / Ngati Kuku, Ngati Tapu and Ngā Pōtiki whānau opened the new Baypark to Bayfair or B2B flyover at Matapihi - Bayfair.
The service was led by Ratana Āpōtoro Pahu Akuhata with karakia by Turi Ngatai and Josh Te Kani to clear the way and make the passageway safe for all those coming into our rohe travelling on and around the road.
Our Ongare Chair Parewhati Taikato, Trustees Pua Taikato and Kura Benton were also in attendance in support of the kaupapa. Along with fellow Ongare owners including Uncle Waka Taite and Turi Ngatai ensuring we had solid Kaumātua representation in support of all our hapu.
Around the same time the wider whānau of Ngai Tukairangi / Ngati Kuku, Ngati Tapu and Ngā Pōtiki carried out the blessing of the new B2B flyover, there was another kaupapa to bless the new retail space for One NZ formerly known as Vodafone, at Bayfair Shopping Centre.
Ngai Tukairangi hapu trustee and CEO of Ngai Tukairangi Trust (orchards) Dr Riri Ellis was on hand to support our Ongare trustees and Tukairangi kuia Kura Benton and Pua Taikato. There are a number of engagements like this that our whānau tautoko on behalf of our whānau, hapu and iwi and Ongare also are committed to supporting these kaupapa for our whānau as can.
Last and not least whānau our Ongare Chair Parewhati (Pare) Taikato has been selected as the new Labour Party candidate to contest the Bay of Plenty electorate.
This is a general electorate seat and is one of 5 general seats that are overlaid by the single Waiariki electorate for those whānau who are on the Māori roll.
This year will be a hard fought battle between the potential coalition partners on the left and those on the right.
The biggest message for our people is the importance of being engaged and involved with the voting process to ensure that our whānau voices are heard and however we vote, kei a koutou te mana.
Please feel free to follow Pare’s candidate page on facebook under the title “Pare Taikato for Bay of Plenty”.
Ngā manaakitanga
