Tūmatanui Incorporated

The Tūmatanui Incorporated Society (Tūmatanui) brings together Treaty of Waitangi claimants from across the Porirua ki Manawatu – Treaty of Waitangi Tribunal District Inquiry, to assist each other to progress their claims by working cooperatively and in good faith to strengthen their claims through shared knowledge and resources.

Some Tūmatanui claimants already formed part of two distinct settlement clusters across the region – a Raukawa ki te Tonga cluster and Te Kotahitanga cluster. Tūmatanui is the coming together of these clusters to form a larger backing in order to better represent the individual claims.

Tūmatanui kaumatua, Ngarongo Iwikatea ‘Iwi’ Nicholson, gave the society its name.

“Mata can be used as a word for your face; for your eyes; but it’s also a peak or a pinnacle – the mata of a hill, point of a taiaha, Tumatanui is inclusive and transparent.”

Kaumatua Iwikatea believes there is strength to be found in the unity of treaty claims clusters like Tūmatanui and that is a key for the success of individual claimants.

Representing 14 claims, and 20 claimants, Tūmatanui supports claimants to ensure they have the research and resources needed to get through the complex Treaty claims process to achieve positive outcomes for our people.

Tūmatanui provides claimants with the resources, information, tools and knowledge to:

• Prepare and present their claims at all Waitangi Tribunal hearings and achieve a full and final Settlement with the Crown;
• Communicate effectively, internally and externally with key stakeholders during claimant activities;
• Promote, protect and preserve the wellbeing of their taonga including their korero, whakapapa, tikanga, kawa, customs
• and practices; and
• Participate in the planning, management, implementation and evaluation of all developments, including the right to be heard.
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Tūmatanui chairperson Margaret Love says most claimants appreciate the research support, the emotional support, and the financial support provided by the society to help further individual claims.

“To encourage quality participation and make our claimants stronger and ensure that all Tūmatanui claimants move forward together and not leave anyone behind.”

To achieve this, the Society and its claimants operate under the following Governing Principles:

• Whanaungatanga – relationship, kinship, sense of family connection.
• Kotahitanga – unity, togetherness, solidarity, collective action.
• Manaakitanga – hospitality, kindness, generosity, support.
• Rangatiratanga – chieftainship, right to exercise authority.

Over the next five years, the society will focus on the following five goals:

Goal 1 - To Facilitate, encourage and foster quality participation of all claimants

Goal 2 - To maintain a strong governance structure with robust operational policies and processes.

Goal 3 - To communicate effectively, internally and externally, with key stakeholders concerning claimant initiatives and activities.

Goal 4 - To ensure that claimant’s identity, mana and cultural-footprint is clearly understood and accessible to members and informs external stakeholders.

Goal 5 - To get an understanding of the Society’s resourcing needs to develop a comprehensive financial summary of the long-term cost for implementing the strategic plan.

These goals each link to and reinforce the Tūmatanui Incorporated Society’s vision –

“The claimants have established the Tūmatanui Incorporated Society to provide a forum where the claimants can assist each other to progress their claims in the Porirua ki Manawatū District Inquiry, by working cooperatively and in good faith.”