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Regional | Ngāi Tūhoe

New trustees say Tūhoe Waikaremoana shareholders should decide way forward

Shareholders of Tūhoe Waikaremoana Māori Trust Board should decide the way forward for their land blocks.

This from the new trustees, following the Māori Land Court's decision to remove the Trust Board as trustee of 13 Māori Reservations on the shores of Lake Waikaremoana.

Kararaina Rangihau and Jennifer Moses are some of the trustees of 13 Māori land reserves located around the shores of Lake Waikaremoana.

Kararaina Rangihau explained, "There are only a small number who still live at home keeping the home fires burning.  Most descendants with links to these land blocks are living outside of the region, and so they're being called to come home."
 
The lands are Māori land blocks that were administered by the Tūhoe Waikaremoana Māori Trust Board for 40 years, but recently, the court appointed new trustees.

Although Tūhoe Te Urutaumatua contested the decision, the lands now come under ahuwhenua trust, Te Roia o Te Whenua.

Ms Rangihau said, "We're going over the judge's recommendations first, and we're looking to hold a meeting for the descendants and shareholders of each of the 13 reservations in January."

In March next year, the term for interim trustees 'Te Roia o Te Whenua' will expire, but a decision is expected on who the long-term trustees will be.