Motu Kōkako

Pōwhiri ❤️
Kia ū te mana o Patukeha, o ngā whānau o Motu Kōkako 🙏🏼
Long time since we lodged our Wai 1140 and Wai 2022 claims, another step forward today 🤗

Island hopping on the way back 🏝

Island Getaway - Bay of Islands Cruise & Island Tours
Tangaroa Marine

Motu Kōkako

Cruising out to the motu

Gathering for karakia at yesterday’s Island Getaway launch 🙏🏼

When mana is restored, everyone benefits

A dream of a day yesterday as trustees, kaumatua kuia and whānau joined Island Getaway to celebrate the launch of their new catamaran cruise to Motu Kōkako (the Hole in the Rock). This is the only boat tour company that respects and is endorsed by the Māori owners of the island, so whānau, get the word out - if you are coming to the Bay of Islands, tautoko mai!

Our day opened with mihi and karakia from whaea Stella, representing local hapū Ngāti Kawa. Almost as soon as we left Paihia, a large pod of dolphins joined us and spent the next 20 minutes playing and showing off around the boat. He tohu tēnei!

We were blessed to have kaumatua kuia aboard from the Rāwhiti hapū, Patukeha and Ngāti Kuta, who shared their stories of growing up around Te Rāwhiti and its islands. Our beautiful kuia Maaki Te Nana Howard and Enfidaville Titore and kaumata Tamati Howard, Matutaera Clendon and Joe Puru Bristowe (a longtime trustee), Also whānau from other lines that are owners in Motu Kōkako - kia ora Te Warahi Heteraka and Te Rā Nehua!! Our moutere is unique in its shared ownership by descendants of the northern alliance of Ngāpuhi hapū, who led the early 1800s raupatu that conquered Te Rāwhiti and the surrounding islands.

As we cruised through the bays, the wairua was flowing. We remembered our founding trustees, who led the fight to retain control of the island in the 1980s - Waipu Pita, Hera Motu, Ringa Witehira, Peti Pukepuke Ahitapu, Te Karaka Rewiri Ahitapu and Patuone Hoskins. Of that amazing group of leaders, we are very fortunate to still have Patuone Hoskins with us as an advisory trustee, and to have his son Rau Hoskins chairing the Trust. Karakia and tauparapara before we entered the kōhao upheld the mauri.

Another blessing was whakawhanaungatanga time with Grant, Roger and Adam, the owners of Island Getaway. The Trust has a long running heli tour venture with Salt Air (owned by Grant and Roger), which means there is already a strong relationship going into this new arrangement. The tour to Motu Kōkako has been developed in consultation with the owners, and uses approved kōrero and images of Motu Kōkako. A portion of every fare goes directly to the Trust, in recognition of the mana of the owners over the motu and the kōhao. It was awesome to see the true name of our island, Motu Kōkako, displayed loud and proud.

We were also privileged to meet the dream team from Tangaroa Marine, Luke and Kelly, who designed and built the catamaran. It is a beautiful boat, very spacious and airy (perfect as we come out of the Covid era) and very flexible. On our way back from the motu, we stopped off at Motu Arohia for a swim, and got to try the new ramp that means the boat can land anywhere (Tāwhirimātea permitting) and you can just walk straight off it onto the beach.

Our day closed with kaitahi, as we shared a meal and stories.

Kia hora te marino, kia whakapapa pounamu te moana, kia tere te kārohirohi i mua i tō huarahi.
May peace be widespread, may the sea glisten like greenstone, and may the shimmer of light guide you on your way.

More photos from the heli flights 🏝🚁💙

all about the heli flights today as we were blessed with a fine blue day after storms all week 🌞 great for whānau to be able to meet up and connect with the motu, such a special place 😍
a huge thank you to the Salt Air whānau for taking such good care of our whānau, plenty of taonga on board as kuia kaumatua mokopuna visited the motu 🙏

Beautiful day in Rāwhiti and it looks like SH1 is open again 🤗

MOTU KŌKAKO 2023 TERTIARY EDUCATION GRANT

The Motu Kōkako Ahu Whenua Trust is happy to announce that applications are now open for tertiary education grants for study in 2023. Applicants must be descendants of the original owners of Te Rawhiti 2C (Motu Kōkako) and be enrolled full-time at a tertiary institution or wānanga. Priority will be given to whānau living and studying in Aotearoa.

A total scholarship fund of $12,000 is available. The actual sum that successful applicants receive will depend in part on the number and type of applications but is expected to range between $500 and $4,000.

Applications close Friday 16 December 2022 and can be submitted either online or in writing. The final decisions will be published by the end of December.

Follow this link to submit an online application (you will need a google account): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfDV-6KlF6uv0eVLLq-rQ3mD1koCrkMiQv4_23vvsVtHoumeQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

If you would like to submit a written application, please message us your name and email address so that we can send you an application form.

Questions? Comment on this post, message us or email us at [email protected]. Good luck whānau mā.

Mahia te mahi ❤️
Our latest biodiversity survey at the weekend🌴
Thanks to our kaimahi and to Salt Air for their tautoko for this kaupapa 🙏 ngā mihi to Richard Robbins for the awesome pix 📷

Kaua e wareware, AGM and heli flights are on tomorrow. Heli flights are full, great to see so many of the different Motu Kōkako whānau represented 🥰

Traffic conditions today:
- Detour on SH1 at Whakapara
- Back road is closed at the moment (slip between Helena Bay and Mōkau) so you may need to come via the ferry.
- Rawhiti Rd is passable but drive carefully

1pm Saturday 12 November - weather permitting 🚁🏝🌞

We are excited to announce that, with the generous support of our joint venture partner Salt Air, we will again be offering shareholder helicopter flights to Motu Kōkakō after the AGM (weather permitting).

The flights are always really popular so this year we will be taking expressions of interest from beneficiaries that have not been to the motu before, plus kaumatua/kuia. Expressions of interest will close one week before the AGM so that we can let everyone know in plenty of time whether they have a place, and also provide safety information about the flights.

If you have already been out and want to go again, you can submit your name to be placed on the waitlist. If there are any spare places, they will be allocated to the waitlist on the day.

Email [email protected] or message us to put your name on the list. We’ll need your full name, email, weight and age (5+ years only).

LIST OF BENEFICIAL OWNERS - flights are open to all uri, you do not need to have succeeded to your tupuna shares
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QIyxkWIy0234wFn9C8numpXCD_8_ecxM/view?usp=sharing

We have been very lucky to have Isabel Castro's unstinting support in our biodiversity work on Motu Kōkako, and in educating and training our kaimahi. Congratulations Isabel, so well deserved 🤩

Congratulations to Prof. Isabel Castro, who has been elected as a Fellow of the International Ornithological Union (IOU)! New Zealand currently has six Fellows (Ben Bell, Mick Clout, John Cockrem, Lloyd Davis, Christopher Robertson and Murray Williams), who nominated Isabel for this honour.

What is a fellow? From the union’s bylaws: FELLOWS The IOU may recognize eminent and/or meritorious ornithologists for their contributions to ornithology by bestowing upon them the honor of IOU Fellow. IOU Fellows have the privilege and responsibility of nominating new IOU Fellows. Election of new IOU Fellows shall be at each IO Congress from a list of nominations maintained by the Chair of the Fellows Committee. IOU Fellows shall be selected with consideration of a balance of area of expertise in ornithology, continent, region, country, age and gender. Furthermore, all areas of ornithology need to be represented by the IOU Fellows. The number of IOU Fellows from each country must be approximately proportional to its ornithological activity or the richness of its avifauna. Fellows, who are paid members of the IOU, may hold office and are entitled to vote.

MOTU KŌKAKO 2022 TERTIARY EDUCATION GRANT

The Motu Kōkako Ahu Whenua Trust is happy to announce that applications are now open for tertiary education grants for study in 2022. Applicants must be descendants of the original owners of Te Rawhiti 2C (Motu Kōkako) and be enrolled full-time at a tertiary institution or wānanga. Priority will be given to whānau living and studying in Aotearoa.

A total scholarship fund of $12,000 is available. The actual sum that successful applicants receive will depend in part on the number and type of applications but is expected to range between $500 and $3,000.

Applications close Friday 4 December 2021 and can be submitted either online or in writing. The final decisions will be published by the end of December.

Follow this link to submit an online application (you will need a google account): https://docs.google.com/document/d/1L3XRO1ZK1NN_c2J3Mfh5pA6pObcrjXAqc4kNG_yRAvs/edit

If you would like to submit a written application, please message us your name and email address so that we can send you an application form.

Questions? Comment on this post, message us or email us at [email protected]. Good luck whānau ma.

Photo: Motu Kōkako in winter, looking to Rakaumangamanga.
By: Lamorna Ahitapu-Rogers

UPDATE: AGM and heli flights postponed until we are all safely back at Level 1, stay safe whānau, stay careful, kia haumaru te noho 🙏🏼

Save The Date!

Saturday 18 September at Kaingahoa Marae, Te Rāwhiti

Motu Kōkako Ahuwhenua Trust 2020/21 combined AGM

And yes, with the generous support of our partner Salt Air, we will again be offering free shareholder helicopter flights to Motu Kōkakō after the AGM 🏝🚁🚁
(Shareholder or uri of the 183 ancestral owners listed at 1913)

Details closer to the time.