Source: New Zealand Government
Māori Development Minister Hon Nanaia Mahuta and Agriculture Minister Hon Damien O’Connor co-announced the first horticultural finalists for the Ahuwhenua Trophy celebrating excellence in the Māori agricultural sector.
The three finalists are Ngai Tukairangi Trust from Mt Maunganui, Otama Marere Trust from Tauranga, and Hineora Orchard Te Kaha 15B Ahuwhenua Trust from Te Kaha.
“These finalists are fine examples of the legacy of the Ahuwhenua competition that was first introduced by Tā Apirana Ngata to acknowledge primarily excellence in Māori farming and dairy,” says Minister Mahuta.
“With the ever-growing industry of Māori entering the horticulture sector, it is great to be able to recognise and acknowledge the legacy of Māori agriculture that is in our DNA.”
This year marks the 87th year of the Ahuwhenua Trophy competition which traditionally focuses on dairy and sheep and beef farming but will include the horticulture sector from 2020..
“Whenua is central to Te Ao Māori, so when whenua is thriving, whānau are thriving as a direct result. The finalists announced are a testament to this.
“Our aspiration is to be able to enable whānau to achieve their aspirations, the time is right given the current upward trend for products that have origins steeped in Māori culture which are both sustainable and economically beneficial,” says Nanaia Mahuta.
Agriculture Minister Hon Damien O’Connor recognises the significant contribution of the Māori agriculture sector.
“Horticulture is an essential element of our Māori economy with it now growing faster than traditional methods of farming. Today’s finalists are part of an emerging group of people who making a positive impact on a multimillion-dollar industry,” Minister O’Connor says.
“These finalists are among some of the best across the country. I am looking forward to seeing their growth and how they set out to realise their goals which will be hugely beneficial not only to the development of New Zealand’s regional economies, but to New Zealand as a whole.”
Each of the finalists announced today will showcase their properties at public field days in March/April, before a winner is announced on Friday May 22, 2020 at the Trustpower Baypark Stadium, Tauranga.
For more information and more background on the finalists visit www.ahuwhenuatrophy.maori.nz
Kua pānuitia ngā whiringa toa mō te Tohu Ahuwhenua Ahuone
I pānuitia tahitia e te Minita Whanaketanga Māori Te Hōnore Nanaia Mahuta rāua ko te Minita Ahu Matua Te Hōnore Damien O’Connor te hunga tuatahi kua eke ki ngā whiringa toa mō te Tohu Ahuwhenua he mea whakanui i te rāngai ahuwhenua Māori.
Ko ngā whiringa toa e toru ko Ngāi Tukairangi Trust nō Mauao, te Otama Marere Trust nō Tauranga, me te Hineora Orchard Te Kaha 15B Ahuwhenua Trust nō Te Kaha.
“He tino tauira ēnei whiringa toa o te kaupapa heke iho a te whakataetae Ahuwhenua i tīmataria e Tā Apirana Ngata e whakamihi ana i te kairangi i ngā mahi ahuwhenua, miraka kau hoki,” te kī a Minita Mahuta.
“I runga i te pikinga tonu o te iwi Māori e whai wāhi ana ki te rāngai ahuone, he mīharo katoa kua ahei tātou ki te whakamihi, ki te whakamānawa i te tātai whakapapa tuku iho o te Māori i roto i ngā mahi ahuone.”
Ka whakanui te tau waru tekau mā whitu o Te Tohu Ahuwhenua kua roa nei e aro ana ki te miraka kau, ki ngā hipi me te mīti kau anake, engari, atu i te tau 2020 e hou mai anō hoki ngā mahi ahuone ki te rāngai.
“He mea nui te whenua ki Te Ao Māori, nō reira, kia ora rawa atu te whenua, ka ora rawa atu hoki te whānau. Arā te tohu o te ora, ko ngā whiringa toa nei.
“Ko tō mātou wawata ko te tautoko i ngā whānau ki te whakatutuki i ō rātou wawata, nā runga i te piki haere o te hiahia e rere nei ki ngā momo hua e ahu mai ana i te ahurea Māori, arā, he mea toitū, whaihua ā-pūtea hoki,” tā Nanaia Mahuta.
Kei te whakamihi te Hōnore Damien O’Connor i te mahi nui a te rāngai ahuwhenua Māori.
“He āhuatanga mātuatua te ahuone o te ōhanga Māori, kua kitea he tere ake te tipu haere o te mahi ahuone i ngā āhuatanga ahuwhenua o mua. E ahu mai ana ngā whiringa toa i tētahi huinga tāngata hou e mahi ana i ngā mahi whaihua i roto i te ahumahi nei, tini miriona tāra te uara,” te ki a Minita O’Connor.
“E tū ngātahi ana ēnei whiringa toa i te taha o ētahi o ngā tino toa o ēnei mahi puta noa i te whenua. Ka tari au kia kite i te tipuranga mai o tēnei hunga, kia kite hoki i te āhua o tā rātou whakatinana i ō rātou whāinga, hei oranga nui whakaharahara ki te ōhanga o ngā rohe huri noa i Aotearoa, ka mutu, hei oranga hoki mā Aotearoa nui tonu.”
Ka whakaaturia e ia o ngā whiringa toa i pānuitia i te rangi nei, ā rātou whenua hei ngā rā whīra mā te iwi whānui ā ngā marama o Poutūterangi/Haratua, i mua i te pānuitanga mai o te toa ā te Rāmere te 22 o Haratua, 2020, ki te Pokapū Trustpower Baypark, Tauranga.
Mō ētahi atu pārongo, kōrero rānei mō ngā whiringa toa, haere ki www.ahuwhenuatrophy.maori.nz.
