TE KĀHUI TUPUA
Te Kāhui Tupua is a living and indivisible whole comprising Taranaki Maunga and the other Tūpuna Maunga, including Pouākai and Kaitake, from their peaks down to and including all of the surrounding lands, and incorporating all of their physical and metaphysical elements.
Te Kāhui Tupua is now recognised as a legal person in New Zealand legislation – Te Ture Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua 2025, Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Act 2025.
This means that Te Kāhui Tupua now has all of the rights, powers, duties and responsibilities of a legal person.
Those rights, powers and duties of Te Kāhui Tupua must be exercised and performed on behalf of, and in the name of, Te Kāhui Tupua by a statutory body named Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi and in accordance with Te Ture Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua.
“Kāhui” in te ao Māori (our Māori world) refers to a collective.
“Tupua” in te ao Māori refers to a super natural being.
Therefore, “Te Kāhui Tupua” refers to a collective of super natural beings.
TE TŌPUNI KŌKŌRANGI
Tēnei ka noho i te pakitara o tōku whare, whakamau te titiro Te tākiritanga o ngā whetu, ngā kanohi o te rangi Ngā whana tongitongi, mahuta i runga Kei runga te kawa, kei mania te kawa, he kawa nui, he kawa roa.
As I sit upon the pillars of my house, I look forward to what the future might reveal, as a foundation and guide towards new ways of being and knowing, exercising new roles, responsibilities and functions for future prosperity.
Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi is established as a statutory body under Te Ture Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua. Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi acts as the human face and voice for Te Kāhui Tupua.
The functions of Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi include:
- Acting and speaking for, on behalf and in the name of, Te Kāhui Tupua;
- Upholding and promoting Te Kāhui Tupua status, Ngā Pou Whakatupua (Maunga Values) and the health, wellbeing and interests of Te Kāhui Tupua;
- Engaging with and forming relationships with Te Tōpuni Ngārahu (our collective iwi (tribal) representative entity) and the individual iwi and hapū of Taranaki;
- Entering into relationships with the Minister of Conservation and the Director-General of Conservation, Taranaki/Whanganui Conservation Board, New Zealand Conservation Authority and other enities, with functions that impact on Te Kāhui Tupua; and
- Developing and recommending He Kawa Ora (National Park Management Plan for Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki) for approval.
Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi consists of eight members, with four members appointed by Te Tōpuni Ngārahu (the collective entity of the iwi of Taranaki) and four members appointed by the Minister of Conservation.
Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi collectively acts in the best interests,
health and wellbeing of Te Kāhui Tupua.
Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi / Members
Liana Poutu
Chair
Nicola Ngarewa
Dr. Te Aroha Hohaia
Dr. Acushla (Dee) Sciascia
Hemi Sundgren
Stephen Daysh
Rex Hendry
Prof. Bruce Clarkson
NGĀ POU WHAKATUPUA
Poua ki runga Poua ki raro Poua ki tāmoremore nui nō papa Tēnā tawhito pou ka tū Kīhei rū, kīhei ngārue He manawa ū, he manawa piri, he manawa toka Tēnei tō manawa ka poutaikitia a noho tō manawa he manawa ora!
Embed from above Embed from below Embed the firmly rooted foundations in the earth An ancient longstanding relationship That will not be shaken or weakened Draw on the characteristics of conviction, strength and resilience That provide the basis of wellbeing and prosperity!
Ngā Pou Whakatupua are a set of intrinsic values which represent the essence of Te Kāhui Tupua; and are intended to reflect the cultural, spiritual, ancestral and historical relationships between Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and Te Kāhui Tupua.
Ngā Pou Whakatupua (Maunga Values) comprises:
Ko Te Kāhui Tupua, he rārangi maunga here ā-nuku, here ā-rangi
Te Kāhui Tupua, the mountain range binding heaven and earth
Te Kāhui Tupua is a living and indivisible whole incorporating all of its physical and metaphysical elements.
Ko Te Kāhui Tupua, Koia ko ō mātou nei okiokinga, ko mātou nei tō rātou okiokitanga
Te Kāhui Tupua are the embodiment of whakapapa, they reflect the relationship with Ngā Iwi o Taranaki, in life and in death.
Te Kāhui Tupua represents and upholds the ancestral, historical, cultural and spiritual relationship between Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and their tūpuna maunga.
Ko Te Kāhui Tupua, ko te puna i heke mai ai te tangata
Te Kāhui Tupua, from which we descend and take our identity.
Te Kāhui Tupua and its health and wellbeing are fundamental to the identity, tikanga, reo and health and wellbeing of Ngā Iwi o Taranaki.
Ko Tupua Kawa, ko Tawhito Kawa, he kawa ora
The ancestral knowledge, the ancient law, the law of existence.
Te Kāhui Tupua is a source of spiritual, cultural and physical wellbeing for both:
(a) the lands, waters, flora and fauna and other natural resources of Taranaki; and
(b) the people of Taranaki.
Ko Te Kāhui Tupua, he puna koropupū, he manawa whenua, hei mou ake nei i te tini mokopuna
Te Kāhui Tupua, a spring, a source of enduring naturally filtered water and life, protected for future generations.
Ngā Iwi o Taranaki, the Crown and all the communities of Taranaki have an intergenerational responsibility to actively protect the health and wellbeing of Te Kāhui Tupua.
Te Kāhui Tupua status and Ngā Pou Whakatupua are the foundation for the ongoing governance, management and administration of Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki in the manner set out Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo (Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Deed) and Te Ture Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua (Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Act).
TE RURUKU PŪTAKERONGO
E kore hoki e taea he mate nō te iwi kotahi Tukua atu tama kia puta i tua o te tāwhangawhanga He putanga ariki nō rangi, nō rongo ki te ata tauira Ko te mate o te Kāhui Tupua me hāna uri kia ea, kia hoki ki te ora Whiti, whano haere mai te toki Haumi e hui e, taiki e.
We will not be overcome if we are united To overcome and move to a future state To pursue the noble path of the exemplars, Rangi and Rongo towards the gleaming dawn Let adversity and death by Te Kāhui Tupua and their descendants be overcome, to return to life and wellbeing We must transcend, proceed with courage and conviction, let us be bound and united.
Through their individual deeds of settlement with the Crown, each of iwi comprising Ngā Iwi o Taranaki has settled their historical claims, including claims relating to their Tūpuna Maunga.
Those individual deeds of settlement each record that the post-settlement governance entities of each iwi will work with the Crown to develop an apology and cultural redress in respect of their historical claims relating to their Tūpuna Maunga.
The iwi comprising Ngā Iwi o Taranaki agreed to negotiate collectively with the Crown in relation to that redress. On 14 March 2017, Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and the Crown agreed the scope, objectives and general procedures for the negotiations by signed terms of negotiation.
On 20 December 2017, Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and the Crown signed Te Anga Pūtakerongo/Record of Understanding and agreed, in principle, a selection of matters to be provided in a collective redress deed.
Since the signing of Te Anga Pūtakerongo/Record of Understanding, Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and the Crown had extensive negotiations conducted in good faith towards the collective redress deed, Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo.
Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo provides collective cultural redress to Ngā Iwi o Taranaki with respect to their historical claims relating to their Tūpuna Maunga. On 31 March 2023, Ngā Iwi o Taranaki and the Crown initialled Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo.
Following ratification of the negotiated arrangements, Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo was signed by Ngā Iwi of Taranaki and the Crown on 1 September 2023.
A copy of Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo can be found here.
A copy of Te Ture Whakatupua mō Te Kāhui Tupua 2025 / Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Act 2025, which enables the agreed redress arrangements in Te Ruruku Pūtakerongo can be found here.
https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2025/0001/latest/LMS899476.html?src=qs
PĀNUI / NOTICES
Press Releases
22 August 2025
Notices
The inaugural meeting of Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi will be held:
Friday 31 October 2025
12.30 – 4.30pm
Level 4, Ngāmotu House, 139 Devon Street West, New Plymouth
The opportunity for members of the public to present to Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi will be during a Public Forum to be held at 1pm. If you would like to present during the public forum, please register your attendance by contacting our board administrator via email: tetopunikokorangi@doc.govt.nz
The agenda and meeting papers will be published on www.tekahuitupua.nz at least two days prior to the meeting.
Meeting Documents
Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi Board Papers
31 October 2025