Taatahiora launched for Kingitanga 150

There's a new waka on the Waikato River.

Taatahiora, the canoe built for King Tuheitia, was launched this morning at daybreak as part of the celebrations for the 150th anniversary of the King movement.

Nine waka sailed, eight from Tainui and one from Takitimu, to Nga Huinga, locally known as The Point, where the Waikato meets the Waipu and the place King Potatau was originally crowned.

To mark the anniversary, a book prepared for the Kingitanga Centenary by former Tainui Trust board secretaries Pei Te Hurinui Jones and Maharaia Winiata has been reprinted in a bilingual edition.

TEEN WARNING IN RAPE AWARENESS WEEK

Offences occur when opportunities arise... that's a key message Maori rape prevention group Tiaki Tinana wants to get out in Rape Awareness Week.

Spokesperson Russell Smith says there are particular problems with children, with Maori twice as likely as other children to be abused.

He says often the perpetrators are older children - and whanau should be wary of allowing teenage boys to babysit younger children.

“As they go through puberty and adolescence onto adulthood, they have this big sign out the front of them, and it says ‘under construction’. What that means is while the brain is still growing, it needs to start pruning and some of the ideas haven’t fully formed and some of their identity is still beginning to form so sometimes, when they make decisions, they don’t know the impact of those decisions because they don’t have the capacity to seriously think it through,” Mr Smith says.

Heightened hormone levels in teenage boys also encourages risk taking behaviour.

MAORI EDUCATION SEEN AS MODEL FOR OTHER FIRST NATIONS

A Canadian think tank is calling for first nations people in that country to learn from Maori about how to break out of dependency.

Researcher Joseph Quesnel from the Frontier Center for Public Policy, a member of the Metis nation, says indigenous peoples in Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia all had modest improvements in a number of key indicators during the 1990s.

He says Maori made the greatest gains in educational attainment and higher incomes, pointing to greater self-reliance.

“One of the things I do call for in Canada and I think we could learn from the Maori is more of an investment in education. I make an argument for more of a concerted education strategy as a ticket out of poverty, a ticket for more hope for people so they’re not ending up disproportionately in prisons,” Mr Quesnel says.

More than half of first nations peoples in Canada now live in cities, so new solutions are needed.

TAINUI NEEDS TO LOOK OUTWARDS

A leading Tainui elder says Kingitanga needs to look outwards to survive.

Speaking from celebrations in Ngaruawahia for the 150th anniversary of the Kingitanga, Hare Puke says the movement overcame great odds to survive so long.

The former Tainui Maori Trust Board chair says for it to keep thrive, Waikato-Tainui leaders needed to be more outward looking.

“My biggest concern is that we somehow get too inward looking, and I would like to look beyond the shores of this country, because we are at the mercy of the world as it is. It is going to be a real testing time not only for the Kingitanga but for our whole country. We’re only a little spot among the multitude of nations of the world. We have to be visionary and not so much dreamers,” Mr Puke says.

Today's highlight was the paddling of fleet of waka taua to the confluence of the Waipa and Waikato Rivers at Ngaruawahia, where Potatau te Wherowhero was crowned the first Maori King in 1858.

MAORI PARTY BACKING CNI DEAL

The Maori Party is reacting positively to the proposed settlement of central North Island forestry claims.

With National's record of opposing the government's treaty settlements, the party's support could be vital if the half billion dollar Treelord deal is to be completed this year.

The Government this week agreed to a plan to put 90 percent of the region's forests into the hands of a collective representing 18 iwi.

Maori Party co-leader Pita Sharples says there's still a lot of detail to be worked out, but the progress is encouraging.

“It's improved as it’s gone along. There were first cousins arguing from a tribal point of view over this, and at the beginning there were a lot left out. It’s gradually embraced most of the iwi and hapu from that area. It is a move forward. There are one or two left out of the ball game at the moment, but it’s certainly progress on what we had before,” Dr Sharples says.

The Maori Party has tried to help where it could by setting up hui so people in the Central North island could make their voices heard.

AUGUSTUS EARLE DARWIN LINK FOUND

An Auckland historian is linking an early European visitor to Aotearoa to Darwin's theory of evolution.

Paul Moon says after spending part of 1827 recording scenes of Maori life, artist Augustus Earle wrote on the differences between Maori and Australian Aboriginals.

He was later the artist on the Beagle when fellow passenger Charles Darwin first developed his theory of evolution.

Professor Moon says Earle's views could have influenced the young
scientist.

“He said that the Maori communities that he came across in Northland, he described them like the classical Greeks, being very well built, very muscular, fine features, he said this was one of the highest states of human evolution, or human development, that’s how he described Maori as being, whereas the Aborigines he describes as the group separating the monkeys from the humans, and they’re like the missing link,” Professor Moon says.

Augustus Earle's manuscript was completed in 1831, while Charles Darwin's first private writings on evolution only start in 1837.

Paddlers ready for big day

Hundreds of paddlers will be out on the Waikato River today for the gratest show of waka on the awa in modern times.

Nine waka will take part in today's regatta, including a new waka taua built for the 150th anniverary to the Kingitanga.

Hoturoa Kerr, the kaihautu of the fleet, says up to 400 kai hoe will paddle the waka down to the junction of with the Waipa river, where the flag of King Tuheitia will be raised with haka and karakia.

He says it's a realisation of the vision of Princess Te Puea, who wanted at least seven waka for tribal purposes.

“It's a pretty awesome sight actually, seeing all the wakas parked alongside the river. Two or 300 men jumping out to do massed haka and things like that. It’s pretty awe-inspiring,” Mr Kerr says.

POVERTY HITTING MAORI CHILDREN HARD

The Maori head of the primary teachers' union says poverty is hitting Maori children harder than it did in the past.

Laures Park says teachers are seeing the effects of the social problems identified by the Child Poverty Action Group.

In its latest report, the group estimated one in five children in New Zealand are living in poverty and another 185,000 living are in severe hardship.

Ms Park says Maori children are facing multi-generational poverty.

“Weren't we poor when we were children? Yes we were. But the environmental impacts on us were not as great as they are now. So there wasn’t the push to have the things that everybody has. There wasn’t the competitiveness to have all the label clothing and everything else that everybody has,” Ms Park says.

In the past Maori were able to share resources, but that village life has gone.

KAUPAPA MAORI PART OF CURE FOR MAD BAD

The new head of forensic psychiatric services for the Midland region is making kaupapa Maori a priority.

Rees Tapsell has been working for Tainui mental health provider Hauora Waikato, as well as for Auckland Regional Forensic Psychiatry Services, which deals with people in the criminal justice system.

His new role covers district health boards from Napier and Taranaki to the Bombay Hills.

Dr Tapsell says because the majority of forensic clients in the region are Maori, there is the opportunity to create a new model of care.

“So rather than there just being one kaupapa Maori unit, there is the opportunity to think about how we might provide that model of care, that way of approaching particularly these young Maori men right across the spectrum of services, right from when they walk into the door to when they leave services and get on with their lives,” Dr Tapsell says.

MINING UNCOVERS FORESHORE ACT AGENDA

The Maori Party is crying foul over mining off the coast from Waikato to Whanganui.

Trans-Tasman Resources has been granted a prospecting licence for 6-thousand square kilometres of the seabed, including Kawhia and Raglan Harbours and the Mokau River in north Taranaki.

Tariana Turia, the MP for Te Tai Hauauru, says it proves the Foreshore and Seabed Act was nothing more than a resource grab.

“We've known all along that the taking of the foreshore and seabed had nothing to do with going down to the beach for a barbecue. It was to allow the government to have full control of the coastlines so in fact they could sell off these mining licenses and commodify the resources,” Mrs Turia says.

The region is also home to the endangered Maui's dolphins and she's concerned at impact of prospecting on the fragile ecosystem.

WELFARE POLICIES NEGATIVE FOR MAORI

The Child Poverty Action Group says Maori should be concerned about the long-term effects of the government's Working For Families policy.

Its new report on the impact of poverty on children's education, health and future employment status says 212,000 children, or 23 per cent of the total, were in families receiving benefits last September.

Economist Susan St John says that means the parents don't get all the entitlements of Working For Families.

“If you look at the group that misses out on this payment, it is disproportionately Maori and Pacific Island. Yes, there are families in work that are struggling as well but we know that families on benefits are on average much worse off than low income working families,” Dr St John says.

She says the failure to consider the children of beneficiaries is a major flaw in the government's welfare framework.

WILLIE APIATA TAKING GONG UP NORTH

Victoria Cross winner Willie Apiata is making his way home today to his whanau in the north.

The SAS corporal will be honoured at a ceremony at the Treaty grounds at Waitangi tomorrow, but today he'll be hosted by his great grandmother's Ngati Hine whanau before making his way to Oromahoe Marae where most of his family is buried.

One of his relatives, Kingi Taurua , says although corporal Apiata was raised in Te Kaha, his roots belong with Nga Puhi.

“Willie was actually cared for by another tribe, Whanau Apanui, and Willie got to know them as part and parcel of his family but at the hui at Whanau Apanui last year he was reminded that his true family really is in Ngapuhi and so he was asked to come back to Ngapuhi and tie his roots back to his people,” Mr Taurua says.

CNI iwi looking beyond settlement

Central North Island iwi are looking ahead to what happens after they complete their historic claims.

The Government has agreed to hand over 90 percent of the region's Crown forest lands to the Central North Island Collective.

It will include almost $250 million of accumulated rents.

Tamati Kruger, the collective's spokesperson, says details of the deal are being finalised as quickly as possible.

He says the speed it has come together, after 20 years of failed attempts, is a tribute to the goodwill and trust built up in recent months by the 18 iwi involved.

They'll be trying to keep that spirit of cooperation alive once the forest is returned.

“After that point you’re really talking about commercial relationships and commercial realities, and so a new set of relationships needs to be explored there. The things that we generally agree upon is that we like that to be by choice of iwi rather than everybody being put on an express train and locked in to some kind of collective commercial enterprise,” Mr Kruger says.

He says the iwi are discussing possible regional investments outside forestry.

CHILD POVERTY RAISED CONCERN AMONG TEACHERS

The primary teachers' union says its time for those concerned with child poverty to speak.

Laures Park, from NZEI Te Riu Roa, says a report by the Child Poverty Action Group that one in five children in New Zealand lives in poverty squares with the experience of teachers.

She says lack of food, poor housing and other social factors affecting their ability to learn.

“If we can actually ensure that the children are well fed, have warm bedding to sleep in, actually go to sleep and have all those opportunities, to go to school is a plus. They’re not going to school and thinking ‘no I can’t think about this because I’m hungry.’ You can’t think if you’re hungry,” Ms Park says.

She says children don't complain, so someone needs to speak on their behalf.

UK BASED PLAYERS NEEDED FOR KIWI STRENGTH

Rookie Kiwi coach Steve Kearney of Te Atiawa ki Whatarongotai has named his first test team to tackle the Kangaroos on May 9.

Seven Maori have been named in a 19-man squad for the centenary test... including Lance Hohaia and Thomas Leuluai in the halves.

Commentator Te Arahi Maipi says with the loss to injury of key talent like Benji Marshall, there's pressure to get in-form players like Brent Webb released by their British clubs.

“Brent Webb is absolutely vital to the Kiwi’s success, particularly when you look at the other people who have been named in the outside backs. It is going to be dependent on his ability to inject himself into the line. Also his safety at fullback. He has been in tremendous form since moving to the Leeds Super Rhinos in the Super League,” Mr Maipi says.

FOREST DEAL A SIGN MAORI MOVING ON

The Minister of Maori Affairs says the proposed Treelord deal shows Maori are keen to move on the historic treaty settlement process.

The Government has agreed in principle to a plan to hand 90 percent of Kaingaroa Forest land and $250 million in accumulated rents to a collective of 18 Central North Island iwi.

The other 10 percent will be saved for claimants who stay out of the collective.

Parekura Horomia says the speed the deal came together shows the settlement process is coming to a head.

“This year it's gone pretty quick but it’s not too dissimilar to a lot of the settlements at the moment. People have just got to that time where a lot of our old people who were involved have moved on and people want to tidy up and get on with life for the future and I think that’s what we’re seeing with the central North Island settlement,” Mr Horomia says.

LAW SHOULD PREVAIL IN FOREST CLAIMS

But one of the claimants standing outside the Central North Island collective says the Crown has no right to ignore the law covering forestry claims.

Maanu Paul from Nga Moewhare, a hapu of Ngati Manawa based around Murupara in the centre of the Kaingaroa Forest, says the Government has repeated the mistakes of history by talking to the wrong people.

He says it should have been using the process laid out in the 1989 Crown Forestry Assets Act, rather than cutting quick deals with the collective lead by Tuwharetoa chief Tumu te Heuheu.
“Tumu te Heuheu can be the ariki for Tuwharetoa, but he is certainly not the ariki for us. I’m our own ariki, so on the basis of that, mana is being trampled, tino rangatiratanga is being unjustly removed from us by the Crown,” Mr Paul says.

He says keeping 10 percent of the forest back for other claims isn't good enough, because Nga Moewhare has historic title to a third of the land under Kaingaroa.

ZONE CHANGE DOESN’T SUIT WHANAU BARGAINING POSITION

The original Maori owners of land now used for Paraparaumu Airport want Kapiti District Council to hold off on a zone change until they finish talking to the airport company.

George Jenkins says Te Whanau a Te Ngarara, is looking for a way out of the mess created by the 1995 sale of the airport, when the National Government bypassed the offer-back provisions of the Public Works Act.

“If land is no longer required for the public work it was taken for, then it should be offered back at current market value. What is happening is simply an extension of what the Ministry of Transport was doing when they owned the land pre-1995, allowing businesses to operate on the land who have no relations to a core airport business,” Mr Jenkins says.

The full council meeting next Thursday is expected to rezone some land to allow a $400 million retail and business park development.

Treelord deal moves step closer

The Government has accepted a proposal to use its central North Island forests to settle historic treaty claims in the region.

What’s been dubbed Treelord will be the largest settlement so far, worth more than $500 million dollars.

Some 90 percent of land under the 170 thousand hectare Kaingaroa forest will go to a collective including Ngati Whare, Ngati Manawa, Ngati Whakaue, Ngati Rangitihi, Raukawa, Tuwharetoa and Ngai Tuhoe.

Kaingaroa and the other central North island forests make up the bulk of the lands put under the Crown Forestry Rental Trust in the late 1980s.

That was when the Maori Council's Sir Graham Latimer, the late Matiu Rata, Sir Hepi te Heuheu and other leaders successfully challenged that part of the then Labour goverment's privatisation programme.

After years of failed attempts to bring together iwi inside and around the forests, it was Sir Hepi's son, Tumu, who proposed the deal a mere four months ago.

Once Michael Cullen, who's the finance minister as well as the treaty negotiations minister, bought in to the idea of a multi-iwi collective, momentum built up quickly.

Keeping the forests together as a single business overcame fears within government that a settlement would weaken one of the country's strategic assets.

And the allocation plan put up by the collective assured ministers it will not be a repeat of the fisheries settlement, where arguments over who got what dragged on for more than a decade.

STAMP LAUNCHED FOR KINGITANGA

Images to mark the 150th anniversary of the King movement will make their way around the world from today.

At Turangawaewae marae in Ngaruawahia, King Tuheitia and New Zealand Post chair Jim Bolger will unveil a special limited edition stamp issue.

Post spokesperson James Te Puni says it's the first New Zealand stamp to focus on the Kingitanga.

“The purpose of these tohu or these stamps is they are almost ambassadors four our nation. So we have 200 to 300 million stamps a year that travel round the world representing what new Zealand people, culture and environment are about, so that’s a gap that we’ve had, not having a Kingitanga issues so we’re pleased that’s going to be remedied,” Mr Te Puni says.

Events at Turangawaewae today also include the welcoming of iwi from around the motu and politicians.

INDOOR NETBALL OFFERS HOPE FOR SPORTS FANS

While New Zealand's inability to win away games in the transtasman netball series may be causing concern, hope is on the horizon.

A team of mainly Maori indoor netballers is training for the World Championships on the Gold Coast in June.

Utility player Ashley Timoko says New Zealand has a slight advantage because its players are more used to playing the 6-a-side game than South Africa, Australia and England.

She says the presence of nets all around the court adds spice.

“It makes you think because you’re in such an enclosed space and you can’t really run away from your opponents because you’re stuck between nets, so I really enjoy it,” Timoko says.

ACT PLAYING LIST GAMES IN MAORI SEATS

The Maori Party is being blamed for ACT's plan to stand candidates in the Maori seats.

Labour's Shane Jones says Rodney Hide sits next to the Maori Party in Parliament, and they now seem to have formed a tag team to chase the party votes of Maori.

He says ACT is even more opposed than National to the existence of the Maori seats.

“It's bizarre that they think they’ve got a dog’s show by putting Maori candidates into the Maori seats, but ACT stands for the privatisation of hospitals, schools, the privatisation of the Conservation estate and the wholesale hocking off of the Crown assets, so there’s really no common ground between the average Maori’s aspirations and what Rodney Hide represents,” Mr Jones says.

DEMOCRACY SQUELCHED TO PUSH THROUGH AIRPORT SHOPS

Maori and ratepayers are keeping the heat on the Kapiti Coast District Council over the redevelopment of Paraparaumu Airport.

They're trying to get the full council to overturn the vote of the regulatory management committee to rezone some airport land for a shopping complex.

Former Maori landowners say the plan proves their claim the airport should have been offered back as surplus land under the Public Works Act.

Mike Woods from the Paraparaumu Airport Coalition says it was an insult to residents who voted in new councilors to challenge Kapiti's pro-development thrust.

“There was heavy handed tactics employed by the council to stop those people voting, and that has shocked the whole community. They were threatened with legal action, all the rest of it, to abstain from voting because they had a pre-determined view on this plan change. This is Mugabe tactics. We thought we lived in a democracy but now we’re finding out we don't,” Mr Woods says.

He says if the pro-development lobby prevails on council, the coalition will have to seek justice from the Environment Court.

WAKA READY FOR KINGITANGA CELEBRATION

The largest contingent of waka seen on the Waikato River in modern times will was been gathered for the 150th anniversary of the Kingitanga.

There will be at least nine waka on the water at Ngaruawahia this week representing tribes within Tainui as well as a visitor from Nga Puhi.

Hoturoa Kerr, the kaihautu of the fleet, says the activity on the awa was bringing bring the craft of waka taua back to the people.

“For the last 30 years we’ve just had our three waka taua from Turangawaewae - Tumanako, Rangatahi and Taheretikitiki – who sort of held the fort but now we have new waka, new ideas, new paddlers, other kaumatua getting involved, and it strengthens that concept of unity the Kingitanga strives towards,” Mr Kerr says.

Tonight a new waka taua will be presented to King Tuheitia.

Smack act now accepted

The Green's Maori affairs spokesperson believes the failure of a petition to repeal the anti-smacking act shows the heat has gone out of the issue.

The petition organiser, Kiwi Party leader Larry Baldock, is giving himself another two months to come up with the extra 15,000 valid signatures needed to force a referendum on last year's changes to Section 59 of the Crimes Act.

Metiria Turei says the public has had a chance to see the law in action, and Mr Baldock's scare tactics aren't working any more.

“I think the hysteria that was whipped up by opponents to the law change, that parents would be hauled out of their homes and taken down to police stations and interrogated and prosecuted simply hasn’t happened because it was always untrue and ridiculous,” Ms Turei says.

She says the police are reporting the law is making it easier to deal with violence issues at a domestic level.

CRUSADE TO GET TOBACCO OFF MARAE

A Christchurch health worker is on a crusade to turn Maori places auahi kore.

Ted Te Hae from Hauora Matauraka has so far persuaded four Canterbury marae to ban smoking, and several others are working towards the goal.

He says the law banning smoking from public places like restaurants and pubs has shown marae committees they can contribute to cutting the high number of Maori smokers.

“More and more young people are frequenting the maraes now. They’re coming to tangis. They’re coming to huis and birthdays. And so if we can reduce the environment where they can smoke openly, it will have some effect on the smoking rates. I find it amusing that our people readily accept not smoking in public restaurants and hotels and yet have an issue about not being able to smoke on the maraes,” Mr Te Hae says.

Hauora Matauraka would also like to see a ban on smoking in Canterbury parks.

RAUPATU ARCHIVES COPIED TO TAINUI

A copy of the records relating to the Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claim is being returned to the iwi.

Rahui Papa from the committee organising this week's celebration of 150 years of Kingitangi says Archives New Zealand will be at Turangawaewae tonight with a digital copy of the mountain of research and correspondence built up during negotiations.

He says the digitized documents and letter will be a valuable resource for iwi researchers in future.

Today Tainui whanau have been bringing their kawe mate or memories of their dead to Turangawaewae, as they ready themselves for the next four days of activites.

GOVERNMENT ACCEPTS CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND PLAN

The Government has accepted a proposal to settle historic Central North Island claims through the transfer of 90 percent of the region's Crown forests to an iwi collective.

It's now working through the details of the $500 million deal, which has been put together over the past four months by a group led by Tuwharetoa chief Tumu te Heuheu.

Shane Jones, the associate minister for Treaty Negotiations, says the speed it came together after years of false starts shows the importance of building momentum in the settlement process, and having achievable goals.

“Full marks to the role that te Heuheu of Tuwharetoa has played. Full marks as well to the various iwi facilitators who realise the is poss the best opportunity looking into the distance for not only therland and the resources to be managed economically but for the people to practise that well tried economic rule which is critical mass – people working in accord and not in dischord,” Mr Jones says.

The settlement will protect public access to the forest lands and maintain the rights of the Crown forest licensees who own the trees.

FOOD GST BAIT GETS NO BITES

The Prime Minister is giving short shrift to a Maori Party call to drop GST from food.

Maori Party co-leader Tairana Turia says social and income inequalities are damaging the country's children, and dropping the tax is a way to get more disposable income into the hands of poor families.

But Helen Clark says it's not the best way to support families under pressure.

“Where Labour's put its focus is on working for families, cheaper doctors’ fees, cutting the cost of having your child in early childhood education, getting the unemployment rate so people can earn their way and so on, and I think that’s a better way to deal with these issues rather than just say ‘Let’s drop the gst on food’ or something like that. I don’t think that kind of one-off response is the right one,” Ms Clark says.

Despite the noise about the increase in the international price for foods like milk and cheese, food prices only went up by 6 percent over the past year, similar to Australia, and the inflation rate of 3.4 percent is below Australia's.

PLAYERS PONDER WHEN THE GAME IS OVER

Maori sports people are being urged to think about how they can contribute to the team once their playing days are over.

Deb Hurdle from the Sport and Recreation Council's Push Play programme says the lack of Maori administrators can only be addressed by sportspeople themselves.

That means players taking a longer view of their careers.

“We get to the point in our lives where you get injured, you get a bit older, you get a bit slower, and so you drop out. And for a lot of people I think there’s a sense of loss that the things they really used to enjoy, they can’t do any more. One thing that would be really good for people to consider is maybe not getting back into the game to play but getting back into the game to support,” Ms Hurdle says.

There are training courses to prepare players for roles as umpires, managers and coaches.

Kingitanga gears up for 150th

Today marks the start of celebrations of 150 years of Kingitanga.

Rahui Papa, the chair of the organising committee, says thousands of people are expected through Turangawaewae Marae in Ngaruawahia over the next five days to reflect on the movement which has given unity and strength to the people of Waikato-Tainui and others around the motu.

Today is reserved for the tribe, as Tainui whanau bring home their kawe mate or memories of those who have died over the past year.

“Some of the people that have passed on of late have been Alex Phillips of Manu Ariki, Te Wao Porima of Kawhia, Winnie Herewini of Waikato Whanui. Thise a just some of the ones that are 80 plus who were the keepers of some of our traditions,” Mr Papa says.

A highlight this evening will be the return from Archives New Zealand of digitised records of documents relating to the Waikato Raupatu Claim.

FORBES SELECTED FOR SEALORD-NISSUI CRASH COURSE

Enthusiasm for the sea has given a Tainui man the chance to work in one of the world's biggest fishing companies.

Manihera Forbes has won Te Ohu Kaimoana's Global Fisheries Scholarship to learn fisheries and business management in Japan with Sealord part-owner Nissui.

Mr Forbes trained as a lawyer, but he also holds a certificate in Maori nautical studies from Te Wananga o Aotearoa and is working towards his Local Launch Operators’ Certificate.

The scholarship marks a step up from his most recent mahi for the Ministry of Fisheries, helping marae in Tainui develop fisheries management plans.

Manihera Forbes expects to work for Sealord Group on his return.

MIRO SECRET INGREDIENT IN FOOD CHALLENGE

A Rotorua chef hopes his knowledge of traditional Maori ingredients will give him the edge in an upcoming wild food challenge.

Charles Royal has gone bush in recent days to gather two types of fungus, haarore and hakeka, miro berries, and supplejack vines and berries.

He'll be supplying South Island restaurant with ingredients and recipes like Titoki duck and miro berry.

“Get my miro berries, give them a quick wash, smear them all over the duck and then tip titoki liquer over it and let it marinate for a night. Next day cut it in half, out it in the oven, roast it, pull it out and make a gravy and that’s your titoki duck and miro berries,” Mr Royal says.

Judging for the wild food challenge is done secretly, with the winner named in August.

CTU TO TRIAL MAORI MENTORING

The Maori runanga of the Council of Trade Unions wants to give young Maori a helping hand into the workforce.

It's planning a mentoring programme to team up rangatahi with experienced workers.

Sharon Clair, the CTU's Maori vice president, says it's one of a number of initiatives aimed at lifting workers' skills.

“It's a two year commitment. We will see a Maori worker who is highly skilled and motivated supporting and nurturing the beginning of the working life of a young Maori in areas we see our young going like forestry and agriculture and into the trades,” Ms Clair says.

The CTU is starting with a pilot of 20 mentors who will work with youth aged between 15 and 19.

RESEARCHERS PONDER CANCER DEATH DIFFERENCE

Maori with cancer are more likely to die than non-Maori - and researchers still don't know why.

Gabi Dachs, from the University of Otago, says a review of the existing literature indicates their cancer is 1.6 times more likely to kill Maori men than Pakeha men, and Maori women have almost twice the probability of the disease being terminal.

She says while Maori are often slower to seek treatment, that's not the full story.

“What we've seen in this review is even if Maori present at a similar stage, their outcomes are still worse, so it is not just due to people not going to the doctor,” Dr Dachs says.

More research into ethic disparity in cancer could offer some valuable clues about the biology of the disease which could help in the design of prevention and treatment regimes.

POLICE PITCH IN TO HELP WITH KINGITANGA HUI

With thousands of people expected for Kingitanga celebrations over the next five days, Waikato police are gearing up to help with crowd control.

Waikato Tainui is marking the 150th anniversary of the appointment of Potatau Te Wherowhero as the first Maori king.

Kimiora Heramia, the iwi liaison officer for the North Waikato region, says it's a major organisational effort and one that police are proud to be a part of.

Clark blasts Nats’ treaty obstruction

The Prime Minister isn't expecting any help from National in getting treaty settlements through this year.

Helen Clark says there's a huge flurry of activity on historical claims under her deputy Michael Cullen, with proposals for negotiations or heads of agreement coming to Cabinet almost every week.

She says it takes time to build up steam in the process, and it should be remembered the previous National government only completed two major claims in nine years.

It had backing from the Opposition that Labour can't count on.

“Ever since John Key became leader of the Opposition they seemed to stop voting for treaty settlements. We’ve had to get on and do it ourselves and work with other more sympathetic parties and I sometime find that when Labour’s in government the National Party just block things. When they were in government we used to support treaty settlements because we thought they were in the interests of New Zealand,” Ms Clark says.

She says on current indications it appears Maori will meet the September deadline to lodge all historic claims.

MAORI MORE LIKELY TO DIE FROM CANCER

A cancer researcher is calling for more funding into why Maori more likely to die from cancer as Pakeha.

Gabi Dachs, from the University of Otago, says the cancer rate for Maori is about the same as Pakeha, but Maori men are about one and a halt times more likely to die and Maori women almost twice as likely.

She says no one is looking into the ethnic disparity, and whther it has a cultural, sociological or biological cause, or a combination of factors.

“We're quite a small country and what I think is a major message here is that this is an issue that ius New Zealand in turn and it needs to be done by New Zealand researchers. Nobody in America or the UK is going to look at this, so it’s very important this work is carried out here to understand more about it,” Dr Dachs says.

Greater understanding of cancer biology among Maori could leads to changes in treatment regimes and more culturally appropriate screening programmes.

WHAITIRI WINS PLACE ON GAP YEAR ADVENTURE

He is used to being behind the scenes, but Lewis Whaitiri will soon have his face beaming live to the world.

The up and coming Maori Television producer has been chosen to travel the world with five others for a British-made reality tv show tied in with social networking site Bebo.

The Gap Year will take the six from Iceland to the Amazon, filming them as they experience new cultures, meet new people, and experience events.

Mr Whaitiri says he's relishing the chance to share the Maoritanga instilled into him growing up in rural community in Whangara on the East Coast.

“For me it's a privilege to be the face of New Zealand and to be the face of Maori and share it with the wider world. Everybody only knows us as the haka and there’s more to us than just the haka so hopefully on this trip I’m able to share this with everybody around the world,” Mr Whaitiri's says.

His journey begins on May 21.

RANGIHIIROA PANOHO WINS BACK UNIVERSITY POST

The Association of University Staff is welcoming the reinstatement of an expert in Maori art history Auckland University.

The Employment Relations Authority ordered the university's vice chancellor to give Rangihiroa Panoho his job back in the art history department, and pay him $25,000 compensation.

Marty Braithwaite, the association's deputy secretary, says it clearly wasn't a legitimate redundancy by the university, because the topic continued to be taught by less qualified staff.

“It simply decided it was going to cut a couple of the positions, chose Dr Panoho as one of the people and sacked him. Now they clearly targeted the person and not the position because the authority found that the various components of his position remained,” Mr Braithwaite says.

Dr Panoho was back on the payroll from Monday, but he's still waiting to here if the university will appeal to the Employment Court.

SCOTTIE MORRISON ASKED TO EXPLAIN BICULTURISM TO DONS

Te Karere presenter Scottie Morrison is heading to Oxford University.

The Unitec adjunct professor has been invited to the Oxford Round Table in July, making him only the third New Zealander to present to the prestigious forum.

The year's round table is on the theme of biculturalism, and Professor Morrison's paper looks at how the 1987 Maori Language Act has affected relations between Maori and Pakeha.

My passion is Maori language. I thought how could I relate the Maori language into the wider topic of biculturalism and I looked at the Maori Language Act and I was at a conference held by Te Taura Whiri, the Maori language commission earlier on this year where it was discussed that there was no reference to Maori language being indigenous, and I was thinking what were the impacts of that,” Morrison says.


FUNGUS REMINDER OF EARLY INDUSTRY

As families around the country tuck into field mushrooms brought on by autumn weather, a specialist in traditional Maori foods says fungi was an important food source for pre European Maori.

Charles Royal says the old people knew which varieties were edible, and which ones to avoid.

He's been into the bush over the past week harvesting hakeka or jew’s ears from fallen trees.

He says the fungus was one of the country's first export crops.

“Maori used to harvest and export hakeka or ear fungus to China in large quantities because it’s high in carbohydrates and low in proteins. The Chinese would thinly slice it and use it in cleansing the blood, so it was also a medicine for the Chinese people as well,” Mr Royal says.

He's busy gathering other fruits of the forest for the annual wild food challenge in a fortnight.

Te Kauhanganui flexes muscle

With assets now past the half billion dollar mark, Waikato-Tainui has slimmed down its governance structure.

The tribe's parliament, Te Kauhanganui, has scrapped its two executive system, adopted after the 1995 Raupatu claim settlement to emphasise the separation of social and commercial functions.

Chairperson Tukoroirangi Morgan says the imminent Waikato River settlement, which will put the tribe into a co-management arrangement with the Crown, has driven the changes.

“We just have now one executive body whose function is absolutely clear in terms of looking after the day to day governance responsibility over the tribe so you only have one executive body as opposed to two, the structure’s much simpler, there are some cost efficiencies to be had and the realignment gives better cohesion and facilitation with our other tribal entities, including our commercial companies,” Mr Morgan says.

The 193-member Te Kauhanganui will meet more often to manage its increased responsibilities.

IWI INVITED TO JOIN GROUP TO BLOCK MARINE INVADERS

Te Tau Ihu iwi are being encouraged to take part in developing a marine biosecurity strategy for the top of the South Island.

Consultant Peter Lawless says with its sheltered harbours and long coastline, the Marlborough Sounds are extremely vulnerable to invasive organisms.

Iwi have been invited onto a working group including the region's councils and port companies, Biosecurity New Zealand, the Ministry of Fisheries, Department of Conservation and marine farmers.

Mr Lawless says Maori can make a unique contribution to understanding how the marine environment works.

“We're finding that there’s a great alignment between the scientific understanding of ecology and concepts of wairua and mauri and preserving the health of the ecological systems so we see the top of the South Island iwi as being key stakeholders, holders of both interests in the marine environment and knowledge about it,” Mr Lawless says.

Te Tau Ihu iwi have interests in marine farming, fishing and tourism, all of which will be affected by unwanted marine organisms.

LOTS OF PICTURES FOR 28 BATTALION OVERVIEW

The author of a new book on the 28 Maori Battalion has turned to the Internet for design ideas.

Monty Souter is turning his oral history project on battalion history into a hardback with more than 1000 photographs.

He pulled together an eight-member design committee to work out how the book could be made accessible to their own cousins, whanau and iwi members.

“We took the whole idea of a website. The Maori reader will graze a book as opposed to reading it cover to cover and if you’ve got lots of pictures in it and lots of boxes where they can pick and choose, we think that’s the ideal way to get the information across. Pick things, rather than have to read it page by page,” Dr Souter ssays.

The book will be launched on Labour weekend.

FARMERS SIGNS UP FOR BASE PART TWO

Tainui has confirmed an anchor tenant for stage two of its retail complex at the former air force base in Te Rapa.

Farmers Trading Company has signed up to take almost a third of the 26,000 square metre mall.

Tainui chair Tukoroirangi Morgan says it caps another successful year for the tribe's commercial arm, Tainui Group Holdings.

“We will in the not too distant future begin to build a double storey mall larger than the only Westfield mall here in Hamilton at Chartwell so there are a number of key developments we are poised to take and the profits of the last financial year continues to hold the tribe in good stead,” Mr Morgan says.

The financial results, which are due for release in June, will show Tainui's assets have grown to about $600 million in the 13 years since its $170 million Raupatu Claim settlement.

Tainui this weekend agreed to major restructuring, including trimming down its executive committees and putting more power in the hands to its parliament, Te Kauhanganui.

NETBALL FRANCHISES LEAVE MAORI OUT OF BOARDROOM

The new trans-Tasman netball league has been slammed for failing to recognise its Maori and Polynesian player base.

Sports commentator Ken Laban says for too long Pakeha administrators have dominated codes with high Polynesian participation, such as touch, softball, rugby and league.

He says on a day to day level netball is strongly Polynesian, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the management of the new franchises.

“When you look closely at the general managers and leading executives in the sport, there’s not nearly enough representation of our people. That on the one hand is a reflection of some ignorance by the sport and also is a reflection I think that some of our people need to see themselves in those leadership roles and we need to do as much as we can to encourage them to move into those leadership roles,” Mr Laban says.

He says some of today's high profile Maori and Polynesian athletes need to start seeing themselves as future leaders in their codes.

BEAUTY CONTESTANT ENTERS SURREAL LIFE

This year's Miss Universe New Zealand runner up says she found the beauty pageant surreal after growing up in a Maori community.

Rhonda Grant isn't Maori, but going to a bilingual school and performing kapa haka made her a fluent speaker of te reo, and she's working towards a graduate Diploma in Maori Development.

She says her upbringing, and her mahi as a nutritionist and health coordinator for the Napier branch of the Heart Foundation, didn't prepare her for the world of glamour.

“Just so different form the world (where) I work with some low socioeconomic status people and it was just quite a different environment. I found it quite fake at times and I just had to remind myself just to be me because it could have been easy to try to be someone that I wasn't,” Ms Grant says.

Te Kauhanganui flexes muscle

With assets now past the half billion dollar mark, Waikato-Tainui has slimmed down its governance structure.

The tribe's parliament, Te Kauhanganui, has scrapped its two executive system, adopted after the 1995 Raupatu claim settlement to emphasise the separation of social and commercial functions.

Chairperson Tukoroirangi Morgan says the imminent Waikato River settlement, which will put the tribe into a co-management arrangement with the Crown, has driven the changes.

“We just have now one executive body whose function is absolutely clear in terms of looking after the day to day governance responsibility over the tribe so you only have one executive body as opposed to two, the structure’s much simpler, there are some cost efficiencies to be had and the realignment gives better cohesion and facilitation with our other tribal entities, including our commercial companies,” Mr Morgan says.

The 193-member Te Kauhanganui will meet more often to manage its increased responsibilities.

IWI INVITED TO JOIN GROUP TO BLOCK MARINE INVADERS

Te Tau Ihu iwi are being encouraged to take part in developing a marine biosecurity strategy for the top of the South Island.

Consultant Peter Lawless says with its sheltered harbours and long coastline, the Marlborough Sounds are extremely vulnerable to invasive organisms.

Iwi have been invited onto a working group including the region's councils and port companies, Biosecurity New Zealand, the Ministry of Fisheries, Department of Conservation and marine farmers.

Mr Lawless says Maori can make a unique contribution to understanding how the marine environment works.

“We're finding that there’s a great alignment between the scientific understanding of ecology and concepts of wairua and mauri and preserving the health of the ecological systems so we see the top of the South Island iwi as being key stakeholders, holders of both interests in the marine environment and knowledge about it,” Mr Lawless says.

Te Tau Ihu iwi have interests in marine farming, fishing and tourism, all of which will be affected by unwanted marine organisms.

LOTS OF PICTURES FOR 28 BATTALION OVERVIEW

The author of a new book on the 28 Maori Battalion has turned to the Internet for design ideas.

Monty Souter is turning his oral history project on battalion history into a hardback with more than 1000 photographs.

He pulled together an eight-member design committee to work out how the book could be made accessible to their own cousins, whanau and iwi members.

“We took the whole idea of a website. The Maori reader will graze a book as opposed to reading it cover to cover and if you’ve got lots of pictures in it and lots of boxes where they can pick and choose, we think that’s the ideal way to get the information across. Pick things, rather than have to read it page by page,” Dr Souter ssays.

The book will be launched on Labour weekend.

FARMERS SIGNS UP FOR BASE PART TWO

Tainui has confirmed an anchor tenant for stage two of its retail complex at the former air force base in Te Rapa.

Farmers Trading Company has signed up to take almost a third of the 26,000 square metre mall.

Tainui chair Tukoroirangi Morgan says it caps another successful year for the tribe's commercial arm, Tainui Group Holdings.

“We will in the not too distant future begin to build a double storey mall larger than the only Westfield mall here in Hamilton at Chartwell so there are a number of key developments we are poised to take and the profits of the last financial year continues to hold the tribe in good stead,” Mr Morgan says.

The financial results, which are due for release in June, will show Tainui's assets have grown to about $600 million in the 13 years since its $170 million Raupatu Claim settlement.

Tainui this weekend agreed to major restructuring, including trimming down its executive committees and putting more power in the hands to its parliament, Te Kauhanganui.

NETBALL FRANCHISES LEAVE MAORI OUT OF BOARDROOM

The new trans-Tasman netball league has been slammed for failing to recognise its Maori and Polynesian player base.

Sports commentator Ken Laban says for too long Pakeha administrators have dominated codes with high Polynesian participation, such as touch, softball, rugby and league.

He says on a day to day level netball is strongly Polynesian, but you wouldn't know it by looking at the management of the new franchises.

“When you look closely at the general managers and leading executives in the sport, there’s not nearly enough representation of our people. That on the one hand is a reflection of some ignorance by the sport and also is a reflection I think that some of our people need to see themselves in those leadership roles and we need to do as much as we can to encourage them to move into those leadership roles,” Mr Laban says.

He says some of today's high profile Maori and Polynesian athletes need to start seeing themselves as future leaders in their codes.

BEAUTY CONTESTANT ENTERS SURREAL LIFE

This year's Miss Universe New Zealand runner up says she found the beauty pageant surreal after growing up in a Maori community.

Rhonda Grant isn't Maori, but going to a bilingual school and performing kapa haka made her a fluent speaker of te reo, and she's working towards a graduate Diploma in Maori Development.

She says her upbringing, and her mahi as a nutritionist and health coordinator for the Napier branch of the Heart Foundation, didn't prepare her for the world of glamour.

“Just so different form the world (where) I work with some low socioeconomic status people and it was just quite a different environment. I found it quite fake at times and I just had to remind myself just to be me because it could have been easy to try to be someone that I wasn't,” Ms Grant says.

Community keeps cops’ minds on job

Maori cops enjoy their jobs more than many of their colleagues.

That's the message Wally Haumaha, the national manager for Maori, Pacific and ethnic services, is taking out of the police employee engagement survey.

While the survey found many police feel disengaged from their jobs, it also found Maori and Pacific Island officers had higher levels of job satisfaction and confidence in police leadership.

He says that's because they don't work in a vacuum.

“They're very closely connected to their communities. They work for their people. They operate under a community policing philosophy. And so there’s that strong connection. And I think, in the context of where Maori officers and Pacific officers sit, they still see policing as a privilege for their people and to be able to make a difference and do the right thing for their Maori and Pacific communities,” Superintendent Haumaha says.

MAORI URGED TO CONSIDER CHARITY STATUS

Maori organisations could benefit from the new Charities Act.

Trevor Garrett, the chief executive of the Charities Commission, says organisations need to register to qualify for tax exemptions.

He says in the past many Maori organisations and trusts didn't qualify because their beneficiaries are linked by blood, but that's been changed.

“There are many Maori organisations that assist in social development, in provision of facilities, particularly marae, which do have a charitable purpose, and so it’s really important that organisations that are involved in that type of activity do register with us,” Mr Garrett says.

Maori organisations which have registered so far include a trust which supports Te Aute College, and a group which provides training in fisheries management and conservation for Te Arawa.

RUIA TAKES TRADITION FOR NEW SPIN

A leading Maori songwriter has ambitious plans for the music.

Ruia Aperahama is getting ready for next month's launch of his fifth album, called confusingly Tekaumarua or 12.

The man who hit big singing Bob Marley songs in te reo says this time he's drawn on traditional styles like pao, patere and haka to bring a fresh twist.

It's part of a trend by some of the more established Maori artists to bring the music back to its roots.

“We've got a goal to redefine Maori music, not in terms of just imitating the genres of the world and putting Maori language lyrics to it. I want to take it another step further where most of us like Whirimako, Moana, Hinewehi and others are really trying to get into and refine and redefine our own genres, innovate and imitate it so we start producing our own unique style,” Aperehama says.

The album title refers to Maori prophets and prophecies, as well as his interest in time.

TAINUI OVERHAULS GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES FOR RIVER CLAIM

Waikato-Tainui's Te Kauhanganui parliament has voted to align itself more closely to the tribe's commercial arm.

Chairperson Tukoroirangi Morgan says the major restructuring allows Te Kauhanganui to make better use of the governance and management experience built up by Tainui Group Holdings.

The parliament will be the mandated tribal authority for the Waikato River claim and other outstanding claims, and it becomes the sole shareholder of Group Holdings.

Mr Morgan says the previous system, which concentrated control in two separate executives splitting the commercial and social functions, had outlived its usefulness.

“We think that our people should be empowered, they should be in control of all of the resources, they should sit over the $600 million worth of assets and clearly the serious issues, the tribal parliament should have the final say,” Mr Morgan says.

The restructure was driven by the imminent settlement of the Waikato River claim, which will put the iwi into a co-management position with the Crown.

ENTRENCHED RACISM IN RSA DETECTED

A 25 years career soldier says institutionalised racism in returned services associations is so entrenched, they don't realise it's happening.

Des Ratima, a long time advocate for veterans and their families, says many associations are unwilling to agree to straightforward requests from Maori members, such as having the ode read out in both Maori and English

“Racism exists because it’s non-inclusive of Maori thinking. I don’t use racism in the terms that they actively go out and promote against Maori. I use racism in that they actively don’t pursue Maori inclusiveness in the things that they do,” Mr Ratima says.

He'd also like to see a Maori arm within the RSA.

BEAUTY CONTESTANT FINDS STRENGTH IN MAORI CULTURE

She is beautiful, fluent in Maori, and is working towards her graduate Diploma in Maori Development - but the runner up Miss Universe New Zealand says building confidence in young Maori girls is next on her agenda.

Rhonda Grant works as a nutritionist and health co-ordinator for the Napier branch of the Heart Foundation.

She says while she has no Maori whakapapa, she's proud of her Maori culture.

“I grew up at a bilingual primary school doing kapa haka every day and regularly going to marae, so I really wanted to help other Maori and people that have that culture to go for it because sometimes we’re whakamaa about all that sort of thing and it’s really important to represent New Zealand well and show our culture,” Ms Grant says.

After growing up in a Maori community, she found the beauty pageant experience challenging and surreal.

No going backwards for north claim

Muriwhenua leaders are optimistic rapid progress can be made on their treaty settlement after a decade-long delay.

The Government is funding a regional forum so the five far north iwi can resolve any differences towards achieving a settlement, which is likely to include the Aupouri forests and several Landcorp farms.

Rima Edwards, the chair of Te Runanga o Muriwhenua, which led the region’s Waitangi Tribunal claim, says the iwi have shared whakapapa and interests throughout the far north.

He says they are keen to fix up problems created by the previous Crown policy of negotiating with iwi without reference to their neighbours.

“And what the forum will not do is jeopardise what Te Rarawa and Te Aupouri have gained to date. In fact we will work towards enhancing that. The idea of cutting up the forest, the forum may very well agree in the end that everybody remains there on an equal basis. I think that’s the sort of talk that will come,” Mr Edwards says.

WAIROA GETS BEHIND EARTH DAY INITIATIVE

A Hawkes Bay iwi is joining the fight against climate change.

To mark World Environment Day in June, Te iwi o Rakaipaaka at Nuhaka is planning a mass bike trip through its rohe, planting native trees along the way.

Manager Johnina Symes says up to 1000 school students and their whanau will bike through Wairoa, Whakaki and Mahia to the Morere Hot Springs.

She says they want to make a big impression.

“The focus of this is to make sure that people are aware when they are passing through or living in the Wairoa district that we are going to be maintaining this kick the carbon habit kaupapa not only for a one off but forever,” Ms Symes says.

Te Iwi o Rakaipaaka is one of 13 Maori groups to receive a grant for World Environment Day activities.

NEW MAORI TOURISM GROUP FOR TAIRAWHITI

The Maori Tourism Council is encouraging Maori operators to build on the strengths of their regions.

The East Coast is the latest region to establish an affiliate to the council, hoping to tap into the 600 thousand tourists a year who seek out a Maori cultural tourism experience.

Niko Tangaroa, the deputy chair of the national council, says Tairawhiti Venture will help businesses focus and coordinate their operations.

“Some areas have lakes, some areas have mountains, some areas rivers, and culture, heritage, and the idea is to find out what is unique for you and look at the potential of what that can provide to existing operators and even to start-up new businesses,” Mr Tangaroa says.

He says the Maori regional tourism organisations are giving Maori operators more say in the wider industry.

FOUR MAORI SEATS PROPOSAL FOR UNITED AUCKLAND

Auckland iwi Ngati Whatua is calling for mana whenua representatives to be there by right in any new governance structure for the city.

Grant Hawke, the chair of the Ngati Whatua o Orakei Maori Trust Board, says it’s a point first made by their tupuna Paora Tuhaere in the 19th century.

He says the board made a special submission to the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance because of its concerns its voice would be lumped in with other Maori.

“We like other groups didn’t want to be negotiated by Maori representatives on council because we felt in this city we should be talking kanohi ki te kanohi directly to the commissioner with regard to our concerns, which are major concerns. These are major concerns for all groups that have a mana whenua relationship,” Mr Hawke says.

Any regional authority should have three Maori seats appointed by Ngati Whatua, Pare Waikato, Pare Hauraki, and one taurahere seat appointed by the Waipareira Trust and Manukau Urban Maori Authority.


TREATY SILENCE IN PUBLIC HEALTH BILL WELCOMED

New Zealand First's Maori spokesman says the new Public Health Bill is right to ignore the Treaty of Waitangi.

The Public Health Association claims lack of a treaty reference means there will be no pressure on District Health Boards to work constructively with Maori.

But Pita Paraone, whose bill to strip references to treaty principles from existing legislation was last year voted down by Parliament, says it appears law drafters are getting the message that explicit references aren't needed.

“Most Maori, all they want to have is access to quality health services. They’re not going to be worried about which principle of the Treaty of Waitangi is going to be applied to that service as long as they get the service, and the point I’m making is that as citizens of this country, Treaty of Waitangi or not, they are entitled to quality health services,” Mr Paraone says.

MEN’S HEALTH NEEDS DIFFERING APPROACHES

A Blenheim-based Maori health provider says a one size fits all approach won’t work with men’s health issues.

Te Hauora O Ngati Rarua took part in a men’s health hui in Wellington last week called by the Health Minister Damian O’Connor.

Spokesperson Joe Puketapu says it’s wrong to assume treatment strategies developed for non-Maori men will work with Maori groups.

“I think the needs are quite different and how we look after those needs. We have a number of sub-groupings of Maori men: for example takatapuhi, Maori males with disabilities, we have Maori males who are in prisons, so we have a whole contrast of different needs that require assistance,” Mr Puketapu says.

He says research among tane in Te Tau Ihu indicates more Maori men and thinking about how they can manage and improve their health.