A two-day symposium in Whanganui next week will celebrate 10 years since the signing of Ruruku Whakatupua, the Whanganui River Deed of Settlement.
The symposium aims to bring iwi together with the wider community to reflect on a decade of development since the historic settlement.
Hapū and iwi of Te Awa Tupua signed Ruruku Whakatupua at Ranana on 5 August 2014 after a 150-year effort to have the relationship between the river and its people upheld.
Whanganui River tribes first petitioned the Crown over concerns about the welfare of the river in the 1870s.
Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act became law in 2017, recognising the river and its tributaries as a living and indivisible whole, including all its physical and metaphysical elements.
The symposium He Pūkenga Wai, on Monday and Tuesday (August 5 and 6), will include formal addresses from Te Pou Tupua (the human face and voice of Te Awa Tupua), Keria Ponga and Turama Hawira, and one of the architects of the river’s legal framework Te Pā Auroa, Gerrard Albert, a negotiator for the river settlement and chair of Te Kōpuka nā Te Awa Tupua.
Te Kōpuka is a statutory group made up of iwi and hapū, mayors and leaders of local and regional councils, environmental and conservation groups, the tourism, primary and recreational sectors, and other interest groups.
Whanganui indigenous rights advocate Sister Makareta Tawaroa will also speak, along with Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa chair Liana Poutu, Tuhoe Iwi Authority chief executive Kirsti Luke, Te Wānanga o Raukawa pou whakatupu mātauranga Ani Mikaere and Whakaata Māori director of reo Dr Hinurewa Poutu.
The symposium begins at dawn on Monday with ruruku at the river.
Nancy Tuaine, kaihautū/chief executive of river authority Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui, said Monday was set aside for iwi.
“The first day is dedicated to those who have been part of this transformative journey.
“Inspirational speakers who have driven systemic change in line with Ruruku Whakatupua will present alongside local projects tailored to our specific environments.”
Day two of the event was open to anyone keen to learn more about Te Awa Tupua and the decade of efforts since the signing to advance the health and wellbeing of the river system.
“It will explore the range of experiences and innovative practices our community is implementing to reform and enhance natural resource management.”
Tuaine said keynote presentations would “demystify Te Awa Tupua” and explain the symbolism within Te Pā Auroa framework.
The aim was to drive greater action as a community to care for the awa.
“The symposium invites all those engaged in freshwater planning, natural resource management, or simply curious about the Te Awa Tupua framework to join the celebration and gain insight into this pioneering model,” Tuaine said.
Workshops following the main presentations would describe some of the community projects, reforming practices and behaviours being implemented to bring about change, she said.
One of the projects is a seed preservation programme led by Kimmy Ranginui to help revitalise the fauna and flora of Te Awa Tupua. In 2018, Ranginui travelled to the Millennium Seed Bank in Wakehurst, England, for training on seed conservation techniques. Since then, she has harvested more than 700,000 seeds and run storage and germination programmes to preserve seed stock from the river.
He Pukenga Wai will be held at the Whanganui War Memorial Centre, with tickets available on Eventbrite.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
