Rongowhakaata Iwi Members

Ko Horouta te waka
Ko Te Arai te awa
Ko Papatu te maunga
Ko Ruapani te tangata
Ko Rongowhakaata te iwi
Ko Te Ohako me Te Kuri a Tuatai nga marae
Ko Thelma Karaitiana teneki.

My ancestral waka is Horouta
My river is Te Arai
My mountain is Papatu
Ruapani is my tipuna ariki
Rongowhakaata is te iwi
Te Ohako and Te Kuri a Tuatai are my marae
I am Thelma Karaitiana

The pepeha I have placed here refers to my identity and enables me to give voice to the information that I have chosen to post on this site. In terms of geography I am from Turanganui a Kiwa or Poverty Bay, of Aotearoa or New Zealand. Situated on the East Coast of the North Island,my main marae are Te Ohako which is situated 18 Kms south of the city of Gisborne at Manutuke and Te Kuri a Tuatai which is located within the city boundary.

The metropolis (not) of Manutuke has a population of around 650 people and it is the centre of all activity for the iwi or tribe of Rongowhakaata. The iwi of Rongowhakaata numbers around 3500 although the majority live outside of the region. I am ahi kaa which means I am the 17th generation of my ancestors to live on the land where I reside.

I wish to provide a platform for open discussion about the developments and concerns which to the people of Turanganui a Kiwa, especially Rongowhakaata. I welcome any input and wish to provide a forum for doing so.

I have some real concerns for our ever diminshing language or te reo and the small number of kaumatua or elders who try to maintain our tikanga and kawa or traditional practises. We have a small population at Manutuke and we actively maintain 5 marae. Each marae is unique and yet
similar in many ways. I welcome any questions or new knowledge that will increase the worlds understanding of us and our palce in it.

Noho ora mai. Ma te Atua tatau e manaaki i nga wa katoa.