Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hinemanu me Ngāti Paki ki Mōkai Pātea
The Māori society, Rūnanga of Ngāti Hinemanu and Ngāti Paki, was first established in the mid-1800s and formalised under the Kotahitanga Movement in 1890. This wise council formed to look after the welfare of its people during this tumultuous time, when land and resources they were kaitiaki of were rapidly being consumed by the voracious appetite of the settlor.
Ngāti Hinemanu, Ngāti Paki and Ngāti Pouwharekura affairs in the Inland Pātea and Rangitīkei Regions have always functioned through Winiata Marae, Otaihape (Taihape). These are the only hapū/iwi associated with decision making at Winiata Marae, but we have always maintained close relationships with other marae in Mōkai Pātea, including Moawhango, Opaea and Rātā.
The establishment of our modern-day entity, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Hinemanu me Ngāti Paki ki Mōkai Pātea Incorporated Society, began in 2007 at Winiata Marae. Twelve trustees, comprising of five Ngāti Hinemanu, five Ngāti Paki and two Ngāti Pouwharekura representatives, work voluntarily towards fulfilling the vision and mission statements on this page.
Moemoeā
Vision
Kaupapa
Mission
To help us fulfil these Moemoeā and Kaupapa, the following portfolios were established:
Mana Motuhake - Autonomy in Practise
Traditionally, Māori lived communally in hapū groupings exercising mana (authority/sovereignty) over resources they were kaitiaki (custodians) of, and happy within their mana motuhaketanga; self-determination and control over one's own destiny.
Hapū rangatira ensured the wealth, welfare, law and order of the hapū was sustained. Their word was their bond, he mana tō te kupu, their word became law.
This article, written by the Rūnanga of the ‘iwi of Ngāti Paki and Ngāti Hinemanu’ and published July 7, 1894 in the Huia Tangata Kotahi Newspaper conveys the following proclamations of the Rūnanga:
- anyone found drunk within their two takiwā (districts; Pokopoko to Whakarauika) will be fined five shillings, or 10 shillings if found drunk on a Sunday
- the Rūnanga has the mana to reside over and settle all complaints, accusations and civil disputes within the same takiwā
Click image to enlarge
Mōkai Pātea, showing areas that Winiata Te Whaaro established kāinga/homes: Waiokaha, Pokopoko and Mangaone (Winiata Marae), Ōtaihape/Taihape. Source: Waitangi Tribunal Report, Wai 2180, #A56, The Arrest of Winiata Te Whaaro and the Eviction of the Pokopoko Community, pg 8, Map 1.
Click image to enlarge
This 1884 newspaper article of 14 Ngāti Hinemanu rangatira advising outsiders to remove sheep from customary Hinemanu blocks, supports the 1883 Poko Poko letter, featured on this page. Winiata, Pirimona and Arona put their names on both documents.
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"Success is not the work of an individual, but the work of many."
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