Te Maru o Ruahine Trustees

Profile:                       Thomas Curtis

Position:                     Chairman

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

I represent 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.

I am the newest elected member to Te Maru o Rauhine Trust, being elected in April 2015.

Profile:                       Neville Franze Te Ngahoa Lomax

Position:                     Deputy Chairman

Tēnā koutou ōku whanaunga ō Ngāti Hauiti.  Ngā mihi aroha ki a koutou i te āhuatanga o te wā.  Ko ēnei ngā wāhanga iti e pā ana ki taku takotoranga kaitiaki mō Te Maru o Ruahine Trust.

My name is Neville Franze Te Ngahoa Lomax and I was born in 1944 and raised at Utiku, within the rohe of Ngāti Hauiti, by my great-grandparents.

I was appointed a Trustee of Te Maru o Ruahine Trust early in 2015, following the passing of Uncle Jim Cunningham, and the resignation of a number of other Trustees during 2014, when a decision was made by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hauiti, for future responsible trustees of the Trust to be appointed from within the delegated members of the rūnanga.

My hapū connections to Ngāti Hauiti are; Ngāti Tamatereka and Ngāti Rūaanga through my great-grandmother Ripeka Utanga Potaka, who was herself raised as a whāngai within the Ngāti Haukaha hapū; and and also the Ngāi Te Ngahoa hapū, through my great-grandfather Wirihana (Wilson) Winiata Te Whaaro.

I am confident  that Te Maru o Ruahine Trust will benefit from my, over forty years of, experience, in administration, historic research of our people, sound decision-making and management.  

I look forward to working with the Trust in the future, for the benefit and needs of all the people of Ngāti Hauiti. 

Profile:                       Adrian Wagner

Position:                     Trustee

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.

 

Profile:                      Utiku K Potaka BBS, Dip Māori Dev.

Position:                    Strategic Advisor to Te Maru o Ruahine Trust.

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”.