Rūnanga Delegate Profiles

Profile:                        Thomas Curtis

Position:                      Convenor/Chairman

Representing Hapū:       Ngāti Tamatereka

Thomas connects to Ngāti Hauiti through his mother Cynthia Curtis (nee O’Halloran), Thomas' grandmother was Daisy Te Au O’Halloran (nee Potaka), her father was Pape Epiha Potaka the eldest son of Utiku and Rora Potaka.

His grandmother and grandfather on his mother’s side had 12 children, his grandmother and grandfather on his father’s side had 15 children.  Thomas' mother and father had 7 children together; Thomas is the eldest boy in his family. Thomas and his siblings used to spend holidays in the Rangitīkei when he was young, with his cousins in Ohingaiti. 

Thomas' interests are Kapa Haka, the environment and electric vehicles.  Recently Thomas started competing in Triathlon’s; more like completing rather than competing.  He started with Iron Maori in Taranaki also did the Whanau Tri Palmerston North and one in Otaki.

Professionally Thomas has over 30 years of I.T. experience going back to “Big Iron” mainframes. Thomas has been a rūnanga member for just under one year. 

Thomas represents Ngāti Hauiti on a number of boards such as the Mōkai Pātea Waitangi Claims Trust, Ngā Pae o Rangitīkei, Te Roopu Ahi Kaa, Rakautaonga Whenua Tōpū Trust, Te Pātiki Holdings and Te Maru o Ruahine Trust.

Another trust Thomas belongs to is the Potaka Whānau Trust of which he is the current Chairperson. This trust takes care of Potaka Whānau land interests.

 

Profile:                         Neville Franze Te Ngahoa Lomax

Position:                       Rūnanga Delegate

Representing Hapū:        Ngāti Rūaanga

Neville was born in Taihape and raised on the farm at Utiku by his great-grandparents; Ripeka Utanga (nee Potaka) and Wirihana (Wilson) Winiata Te Whaaro.

After completing secondary schooling at Taihape District High School in 1959 and three years working on the farm, he worked at NZ Railways Department within its administration and management division for twenty-nine years, followed by a further three years with NZ Post. 

Neville was appointed to the position of Convenor/Chairman of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hauiti when it was established at the end of 1994, when he also opted to take early retirement from NZ Post.  

This “early” retirement enabled him to enrol and commence study, for a Bachelor Degree in Mātauranga Māori at Te Wānanga o Raukawa.   After graduating in 1997, Neville was offered and accepted a position as a tutor within the Iwi and Hapū Studies department, at Te Wānanga o Raukawa.

He chose to formally retire from paid employment at the end of 2008 and since that time has concentrated all of his time and effort to do whatever he can, to enhance the mana of Ngāti Hauiti.

 

Profile:                         Susan Ngahiwi Murray

Position:                        Rūnanga Delegate

Representing Hapū:       Ngāti Upokoiri

Susan has three children, Te Roimata, Pia and Victoria and eight mokopuna.

After 20 years of living and working in the Coromandel and Tauranga area Susan returned home to Rātā where she currently lives.

On her return Susan has become an active member of Rātā marae and she is currently the Rātā Marae treasurer.   When a vacancy arose within the rūnanga she filled the position as a member for Ngāti Upokoiri. 

 

Profile:                       Adrian Wagner

Position:                     Rūnanga Delegate

Representing Hapū:     Ngāti Upokoiri

Adrian is of Ngāti Hauiti and his hapū is Ngāti Upokoiri. Adrian’s tupuna were Hoani Metekingi of Whanganui and he married Te Rina Hunia of Ngāti Hauiti and Ngāti Apa and had Rangipō Metekingi, he married Mariana (Ngāti Rangi) and they had Maihi Metekingi and he is Adrians grandmother’s Mrs Rakera Park’s father.

                                  Hoani Metekingi = Te Rina Hunia

                                  Rangipo Metekingi = Mariana

                                  Maihi Metekingi= Doris Richards

                                  Rakera Metekingi = Selwyn Raukawa Park 

Adrian is a highly motivated, professional and committed person in both the creative arts and production sphere of his work. For the past 20 years he has learnt many skills in communications, entertainment, film, TV, theatre and self-management.

Since 1999 Adrian’s wife Toni Huata and he have run Waahuu Creations and spearheaded many events, shows, film shoots, producing radio programs on music and politics. This in turn has contributed towards the popularisation of indigenous NZ culture both nationally and globally.

Currently Adrian manages Te Upoko o Te Ika New Zealand’s first Māori radio station from Wellington City broadcasting Māori language music and kaupapa Māori programmes to inform our people of what is going on in the World politically and how it affects them.

Name: Barbara Tangiahua Thomason

Position: Rūnanga Delegate

Representing Hapu: Ngāti Ruanga

Pepeha: Ko Aorangi te Maunga tapu

Ko Ruahine ngā Pae Maunga

Ko Rangitikei te awa

Ko Rata Te Marae

Ko Takitimu te Waka

Ko Tamatereka me Ruanga ngā hapū

Ko Ngāti Hauiti te Iwi.

I am a self-motivated people focused person who has worked in education for the past seventeen years working in Kohanga Reo, Primary and secondary schools. Prior to teaching, I worked in the area of Health as a qualified Community nurse and   Registered Psychiatric Nurse. I also have experience in health and disabilities advocating for clients.

I am passionate about uplifting our culture, and our Hauititanga at both grassroots and Governance level.  Presently I am a iwi representative on the Runanga of Ngati Hauiti an Iwi representative on Mokai Pātea services, a  member of Rata Mārae committee, a Mārae Trustee, and Kai karanga. My most recent achievement was my Masters of Maori Studies through Te Whare Wānanga o Te Awānuiarangi.

 

Profile:                      Utiku K Potaka BBS, Dip Māori Dev.

Position:                    Strategic Advisor to Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hauiti

Utiku hails from Rātā, the administrative hub of Ngāti Hauiti, and has been instrumental in its cultural, social and economic transformation for more than two decades.  After 19 years as the General Manager for the rūnanga, Utiku now holds the position Strategic Advisor to the rūnanga while continuing to fulfil various tribal leadership roles within the iwi ranging from the guardianship of tribal history, traditions and protocols through to Management and Governance positions. 

Utiku represents Ngāti Hauiti on the Mōkai Pātea Waitangi Claims Trust, which he Chairs.  The Trust represents the confederated iwi of Ngāi Te Ohuake, Ngāti Hauiti, Ngāti Whitikaupeka and Ngāti Tamakōpiri and is tasked with settling Treaty of Waitangi grievances with the Crown. It is the first time the tribes have unified under a common purpose since the late 1800s.

Utiku’s professional career is grounded in the public sector and has held advisory and management roles in public housing, community funding, Māori Development, Māori health research.

 

Profile:                          Robert Martin BBS, ACAT

Position:                       General Manager

Born and raised in Moawhango Roberts parents Taonui and Rona Martin imparted a lot of sound values that he has used positively through out his life.  Roberts whakapapa to Ngāti Hauiti is through his Ngāti Tamatereka hapū. Robert has lived in Turakina for the last 31 years where he has raised his family of three children and his granddaughter with his very supportive wife Lisa.

Robert has been fortunate throughout his career to have been involved in a range of working environments.  He has been trained in and learnt a specific set of skills through industries from hospitality, procurement, agriculture, contract management, exporting, project management and education.  Robert has also gained experience at the strategic level and coal face stages of implementing change to the businesses that he has been a part of. 

Roberts role as General Manager is to implement, manage and provide ongoing operational recommendations to aid in delivering all the outcomes set forth by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hauiti. Underpinning everything Robert does is linked directly to our iwi vision which is to “preserve and enhance Hauititanga”.