Te Raukura (CEO) of Te Poari o Ngātiwai Huhana Lyndon says “I’m super excited to have Kata joining our Taiao Team at the Board. She’s a young uri, who has worked in this field for many years. It’s awesome to have her come home to work formally with our iwi as our lead for Kauri Ora.”
The Kauri Ora Project will co-design initiatives to prevent the spread of Kauri Dieback disease underpinned by mātauranga Māori. The project will look to enhance hapū, kāinga and communities knowledge and understanding of Kauri and the impact of the disease on the Kauri population. Kauri Ora will run over two years and seek to work alongside our people to educate and promote greater awareness and understanding.
Kataraina has a background in biodiversity protection and has worked for the Department of Conservation for 8yrs living and working on the islands of Hauraki Gulf and around the Auckland Region. She led teams that maintained and protected the biodiversity in the ngahere. Kataraina is well-known for also supporting Kura Taiao across Tai Tokerau working with our tai tamariki and working in the hapū space.
Chair Aperahama Edwards shares “Kua roa Te Poari o Ngātiwai e mahi nei i ngā mahi tiaki taiao. Kua rongonui a Ngātiwai i ngā whakapaunga kaha ā te momo i a Hōri Parata mā. Kua hari katoa te iwi, kua ara mai tēnei mokopuna o tatou kit e hiki i tēnei tūranga whakahirahira”.
Kataraina Tamaki says “He whakatauki kei Te Rarawa (me ētahi atu hapū, me ngā iwi) – Tiakina te taiao, Tiakina te iwi tikāna tērā korero. When we look after and protect the taiao we are looking after and protecting the iwi.”
“I have spent a number of years in the past supporting hapū and iwi in the restoration of their whenua and protection of their taonga species. Bringing that knowledge home has been a long time coming i look forward to this exciting opportunity to work with Ngātiwai and the Kauri Ora Project in paving a way forward to tiaki one of our tino taonga and our taiao.”
On Monday 9am at the Te Poari o Ngātiwai offices we will formally welcome Kataraina alongside her whānau and Ngātiwai Kāhui Kaumātua. Nau mai haere mai Kataraina!