Messages From Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Mark Solomon

July 15, 2011

Kia ora koutou,
This email contains links to new editions of Te Pānui Rūnaka and Te Karaka. It also contains some further information concerning the recovery of Ōtautahi and how you can have your say in the official recovery process.

But before I provide that information, I would like to take this opportunity to tautoko our whanau living in badly affected earthquake zones. This is a very serious and stressful time, both for those considering a new future in a new community and for those remaining in damaged but repairable homes. Tamariki and kaumātua are particularly vulnerable in stressful situations and I have read in the paper that there has been an increase in family violence. We must continue to support each other. If you are not coping or you notice whānau not coping, please reach out. We have our 0800 Kāi Tahu number (0800 524 8248) that whānau can ring in on, so please give the number out and don't hesitate to call it yourself. If we cannot help we will do our best to connect you to someone who can.

Right now the official government recovery effort is in the "have your say" stage. The earthquake recovery working group, Te Awheawhe Rū Whenua, is doing good work to guide our response to this and while we can make an official submission from Te Runanga, it is also very effective for many of us have our say. For those familiar with the internet, the easiest way to have a say is to visit the CERA website. The web address for CERA is below, and I'll also provide a web address for a document with a few specific ideas that you can consider including in your personal submission. These are ideas that will put Ngāi Tahu aspirations front and centre of any rebuild: http://www.cera.govt.nz/recovery-strategy

http://www.ngaitahu.iwi.nz/Earthquake/Whakaoratia-Otautahi.pdf

Finally, the 50th edition of Te Karaka is now out. This is a milestone edition which features many stories, both sad and joyful, about the earthquake and the recovery process. I encourage you to read Te Karaka online, and if you haven't yet received it in the post, why not also read the latest edition of Te Pānui Rūnaka online. The links to both are below.

http://www.tekaraka.co.nz/
http://www.tepanui.co.nz/

Ngā mihi,
Mark Solomon

 

 

 

June 23, 2011

Kia ora koutou,
This is an email for our whānau and staff who have been affected by the government's announcements today about land that will be very difficult to remediate following the Christchurch earthquakes.

The government's announcements today provide clarity to those living on severely damaged land, which is now being referred to as the 'residential red zone'. The 'residential red zone' means land where the government says remediation would be prolonged and may be uneconomic. The government has two options for how whānau can be paid out for their land and house. Which option is best will depend on the individual circumstances of each whānau.

Te Rūnanga wishes to reach out to those whānau who may require support to work through the new land processes. While we are seeking to use our database and the government information to proactively contact those whānau who are in the red zone, I would also like to remind whānau that our 0800 Kāi Tahu number (0800 524 8248) is available right now during business hours if you require support or wish to make contact immediately.

I would also encourage whānau to keep checking in on the Ngāi Tahu website and Facebook page for information from Te Runanga. Importantly however, if you believe that you are in either the red or orange residential zones, I would encourage you to arm yourself with information directly from the government by visiting the CERA website: www.cera.govt.nz. There will also be community meetings in a number of areas that whānau can attend, starting from tomorrow lunch time and running over the weekend. The details of these meetings are also available on the CERA website.

Today will be a hard and emotional day for many people and ultimately it is the wellbeing of our whānau and communities that is the most important aspect for us to consider.

Kia kaha,
Mark Solomon

March 9, 2011

Today was an important day for Ngāi Tahu. Te Rūnanga Group staff, including those from Ngāi Tahu Holdings Corporation, and the various subsidiaries came together at our new Wigram hub to catch up and swap stories as well as to hear about the Group's plans for the future.

These plans include the continued use of Wigram given that our normal headquarters in the Christchurch Central Business District are unavailable. Already, most of our key staff are at Wigram and with the cluster of portable buildings growing ever larger, we will continue to bring staff back to work with every passing day.

Given the circumstances, it is quite remarkable to observe how many programmes and operations are underway at Wigram. We have Tahu FM back on air from a temporary studio, and the 0800 KAI TAHU number contact centre is an impressive operation – they are very busy taking calls from those in the community needing help. I would like to thank all those who have contributed to the Wigram set up, particularly our IT crew (Business Information Services) and Ngāi Tahu Property. The sense of kotahitanga is palpable.

I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate those involved with the work of the Māori Recovery Network. This Network is a Ngāi Tahu led collaboration between Iwi and Māori organisations in both Ōtautahi (Christchurch) and nationwide to help the people of Christchurch. One of the most important roles of the network, which includes the Māori Wardens, is to feed valuable "on the ground" information to the government authorities, including information about those still in need. This network is committed to supporting Māori and non-Māori whanau in the Eastern suburbs.

The needs across Christchurch are still great. The authorities are particularly aware that Christchurch families are becoming tired and stressed. We will have to keep caring for each other not just in the short term but for a long time to come. As we all know, together we will pull through.

He waka kōtuia kāhore e tukutukua ngā mimira
A canoe that is interlaced will not become separated at the bow.

Message From Ngāi Tahu Kaiwhakahaere Mark Solomon

March 3, 2011

Tātangi nei te reo o apakura ki ōku taringa
He aituā e kukume i ngā taura o ngākau mōmotu
i te kukumetanga mai o Rūaumoko i ōna here ki te mata o te whenua
Nei te tangi ki ngā tini aituā kua wehe ki te pae o ngaromanga
Waiho mā mātou nei e apakura tū te ao, tū te pō
Nā reira nei te mihi ki a tātou Ngāi Mōrehu
Me pakahiwitahi tātou kia kiia ahakoa te taumahatanga o te wā
Āe rawa atu nei, kei te ora tonu te manaakitanga me te aroha ki tēnei whenua

It has been such a tragic week and my thoughts are with all those who have lost family and friends in this earthquake. I also wish to acknowledge those who are, injured, unable to live in their homes, are living in damaged homes and so on. All residents of Christchurch, Canterbury and in the wider community have been affected in some way.

So far this website has been used to convey only essential-service messages and information about marae accommodation and respite. However, today there is a lot more resource around and a few extra minutes to dedicate to a quick update.

About 30 Te Rūnanga Group staff are working furiously at the new Wigram Hub to re-establish our core businesses and operations. This includes the Tahu FM crew. We are here because we have no access to Te Waipounamu House in the Central Business District. We do not expect to have access for many more weeks, possibly months to come. But this has not stopped us from delivering the mahi required at this time. The Ngāi Tahu/Iwi Katoa/Te Puni Kōkiri/Māori organisation relief effort is a combined and coordinated effort and linked in with the greater Civil Defence relief effort across the city. Many people are inputting into this effort whether from their homes, marae, or from the Ngāi Tahu Wigram Hub.

There are many from outside the city and all across the country who are also contributing and I thank all Iwi, Māori organisations, and all others for their generous donations. I also thank the many Cantabrians, New Zealanders and international citizens who are here on the ground doing their utmost to help us recover. The Red Cross Emergency and Hardship Grant is helping to address the immediate and dire needs of whānau who are without water, power or sewerage services. It is hard to adequately express how proud I am of our whānau and our wider community, you are simply extraordinary.

Over the days and weeks ahead, there will be time to report on this relief effort and I will post regular updates in this space, in the meantime, continue to take care of each other.

Aroha ki te tangata
Mark Solomon.