As Chief Executive of Te Runanga o Ngāi Tahu, Arihia Bennett leads a whanau of more than 78,000 iwi members, including their near-$2b worth of assets. She's been in the role for 11 years, overseeing all of Ngāi Tahu's operations, including farming, seafood, tourism and investment. She has also served as Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Commissioner, been on the board of Barnardos NZ and the Christchurch Women's Refuge (now known as Aviva). She is a current member of the Global Women's Network and the Tuahiwi Maori Women's Welfare League. In 2008, she was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Maori and the community. Arihia Bennett is a social worker by profession, from a whanau steeped in community service. She talks to Susie Ferguson about her leadership style, her vision for Ngāi Tahu and her love of vintage clothes.
Efforts are underway to find out how many Maori left Christchurch after the earthquake; The Chairperson of the Maori Midwives Collective Nga Maia, says the earthquake a year ago forced the organisation to start its administrative operations from scratch; Ngai Tahu says its people are turning to the tribe for help with legal and engineering advice about their earthquake-damaged homes in Christchurch; The Ngai Tahu hapu, Ngai Tuahuriri in Christchurch, will be welcoming the Governor-General to Rehua Marae this morning to commemorate the anniversary of last year's earthquake.
Ngai Tahu says its people are turning to the tribe for help with legal and engineering advice about their earthquake-damaged homes in Christchurch; The Chairperson of the Maori Midwives Collective Nga Maia, says the earthquake a year ago forced the organisation to start its administrative operations from scratch; Efforts are underway to find out how many Maori left Christchurch after the earthquake; The Ngai Tahu hapu, Ngai Tuahuriri in Christchurch, will be welcoming the Governor-General to Rehua Marae this morning to commemorate the anniversary of last year's earthquake; Christchurch will hear today whether it'll be hosting the biggest Maori performance event on the calendar - Te Matatini National Festival.
Kim Hill talks to Sam Crofskey, the owner of C1 Espresso in the Christchurch CBD, which reopened in 2012 after the Canterbury earthquakes and will celebrate its twentieth anniversary this year. He spoke on the WORD Christchurch panel, How Are We Doing, Christchurch?, and this week launched Let's Take a Walk, a pop-up book for children about the quakes that he created with his wife Fleur and illustrator Hannah Beehre. He is joined by Joseph Hullen (Ngai Tuahuriri, Ngai Tahu), a hunter gatherer, fisherman, explorer, kaitiaki and storyteller who has spent a lifetime gathering traditional kai and listening to stories about his hapu. He is a whakapapa researcher for Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu, and is leading three sold-out walking tours during WORD Christchurch along the banks of the Otakaro (Avon River), uncovering the city's history.
A Waikato iwi authority says it's struggling to supply the Government with a list of sites of cultural significance; The Government says it is committed to boosting Maori literacy achievement from early childhood and primary school level so that the education system isn't having to catch up all the time; A Ngai Tahu owned South Island whale watching operation say it's excited to be named a finalist in an international tourism award; A multicultural marae has been recognised for its community work, including caring for refugees during the Christchurch earthquake.
A Waikato iwi authority says it's struggling to supply the Government with a list of sites of cultural significance; The Government says it is committed to boosting Maori literacy achievement from early childhood and primary school level so that the education system isn't having to catch up all the time; A multicultural marae has been recognised for its community work, including caring for refugees during the Christchurch earthquake; A Ngai Tahu owned South Island whale watching operation say it's excited to be named a finalist in an international tourism award.
Ngai Tahu's property portfolio has taken a direct hit from the Christchurch earthquake - losing value and suffering damage; A Northland iwi says a decade long battle to protect a large ancient burial cave on Karikari peninsular north east of Kaitaia, has taken its toll on several hapu; A lecturer specialising in Maori criminal law is question the timing of a Maori Party co-leader's attack on the justice system; The Housing Minister, Phil Heatley, says a project to build three three bedroomed houses and two kaumatua flats on the Chatham Islands, will go some way to easing a housing issue for Maori residents.
A Northland iwi chair says a decade long battle against American owned Carrington Farms and the Far North District Council, has been financially and mentally taxing; A lecturer specialising in Maori criminal law is question the timing of a Maori Party co-leader's attack on the justice system; Ngai Tahu's property portfolio has taken a direct hit from the Christchurch earthquake - losing value and suffering damage; The Housing Minister says a project to build three three bedroomed houses and two kaumatua flats on the Chatham Islands, is a great example of iwi wanting to meet the needs of its people.
Paul Millar, associate professor at Canterbury University, is concerned that future generations won't have access to the full picture of the Canterbury earthquakes, so he got the CEISMIC Project under way. The project is an archive of earthquake-related digital material and includes resources from the National Library, the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, Christchurch City Libraries, Te Papa, NZ On Screen, the Canterbury Museum and the Ngai Tahu Research Centre. Paul says the aim is to document the impact of the disaster and the process of recovery, and make all that material available for free.
A research project on news coverage about Maori, has found that tangata whenua are still regarded as lower class citizens; Ngai Tahu iwi says it's learnt from the Canterbury earthquakes, just how important it is to safeguard important documents such as its whakapapa database in a digital form, in case there's another natural disaster; New Zealand's largest Maori owned fishing company wants to see the unique Maori story pushed by companies doing business in Asian countries; Meanwhile Ngati Kahungunu Chairman, Ngahiwi Tomoana, who was the business group convenor, says Maori business leaders are keen to set up an office in China
A research project on news coverage about Maori, has found that tangata whenua are still regarded as lower class citizens; Ngai Tahu iwi says it's learnt from the Canterbury earthquakes, just how important it is to safeguard important documents such as its whakapapa database in a digital form, in case there's another natural disaster; New Zealand's largest Maori owned fishing company wants to see the unique Maori story pushed by companies doing business in Asian countries; Meanwhile Ngati Kahungunu Chairman, Ngahiwi Tomoana, who was the business group convenor, says Maori business leaders are keen to set up an office in China.
It's been a long, long wait but Christchurch's Arts Centre finally has a contemporary art gallery space again - and it's just opened. It's the latest 'reveal' in the Arts Centre post-earthquake rebuild. The new gallery's called The Central and is housed in the original Canterbury College Library. Four Christchurch families and gallerist Jonathan Smart have made it happen and artists including local sculptor Neil Dawson, photographer Peter Peryer, glitter specialist Reuben Patterson and painter Dick Frizzell are in the mix for the opening group show. There are some new names there too. Lynn Freeman speaks to The Central's Jonathan Smart and Ngai Tahu artist Lonnie Hutchinson who has work in the opening show.
