The opening of the Te Heriheri wetland is a significant environmental milestone, hailed as an exemplar of iwi-led ecological restoration at the Waihi Estuary.
Te Taru White, Chair of Te Wahapū o Waihī, spoke about the profound importance of the project.”It’s really significant and that exemplar of how iwi can come together to lead in a project that can make a difference for our estuary, Waihi.”
Te Taru outlined the critical function of the new wetland in mitigating pollution from surrounding areas. “The biggest benefit is it actually offers filtering of water that comes off the farms and other things, captures the nitrogen, the phosphorus and actually all those sorts of pollutants, the plants absorb it. We’ve actually planted fifty two thousand plants here in Te Heriheri You know, with another twenty four thousand to go. So that planting’s flow stops the flow of water slows it up, actually makes sure that it grabs all the nutrients, the harmful nutrients and stops it going into the estuary, simple as that really.”
Reflecting on the origins of the initiative, Te Taru stressed that iwi leadership was non-negotiable for the successful partnership. “Well actually when I first started this I was the Ōkūrei represented for the council and basically masterminded the desire to work with council and council to work with us. So the iwi got together and the council agreed that we can actually do this together but the most important thing was that iwi were going to lead it, not council.”
He concluded with an emphasis on unity and the future generations.”Get it clean so our mokopuna’s can benefit in the future. That’s what we’re doing and we’ve achieved a hell of a lot in getting here today. So the main thing is about unity, kotahitanga, not losing who we are, but actually working together.”
Kua whakarewa a Te Heriheri – He kaupapa whakarauora repo i aratakina e ngā iwi
Kua whakatuwheratia te repo o Te Heriheri ki te taha o Pukehina, he tohu nui tēnei mō te mahi tahi a ngā iwi, te hapori, me te kāwanatanga ki te whakaora i te mauri o Te Wahapū o Waihī. I tae atu te Minita mō te Papa Atawhai, a Tama Potaka, ki te whakanui i tēnei kaupapa.
I kōrero a Minita Potaka mō te kaha o te kotahitanga, me te āhua o tōna ngākau e hari ana i tēnei rā.”Tēnei kaupapa a Te Wahapū o Waihī, āe, e koke whakamua ana ngā iwi e rima nei a Mākino Tapuika, Pikiao, Whakaue me Ngāti Whakaehemo, tae atu ki Te Kaunihera ā rohe, tae atu ki ngā kaipāmu me ngā tāngata, te hapori o Pukehina nei ki te whakaora, ki te whakahauora hoki i te ara wai e tere nei.”
I whakanui anō te Minita i te whai take o te repo ki te taiao.”Ko Te Heriheri nei he wāhi kāinga mō ngā manu, pērā i te mātuku urupō, e rere ana mai i a Whangamarino me te awa o Taikehu ki ēnei momo wāhi, nā reira kei konei hoki tētehi wāhi mō rātou, tētehi kāinga, tētehi kōhanga hoki mō ngā manu mātuku nei e rere ana ki wīwī, ki wāwā.”
I whakamārama a Mita Ririnui, te Heamana o Ngāti Whakahemo, i te take i tū ai rātou.”Ko te take ki tēnei te karauna me ngā kaunihera ā-rohe i ngā tino paruparu e heke iho nei i roto i te wai. Ka āhua paruparu, kāore e tika ana kia kai ngā kai o konei. Nā, nā te mārō, nā te kaha o te whānau, ka tautohetohe ake ki ngā kaunihera ā-rohe kia whakapaipaitia hoki tēnei wāhi.”
I kī anō a Mita Ririnui e pā ana ki te hiranga o te mahi tahi me te hokinga mai o te whenua.”Me pēhea te mahi tahi? Me mahi tahi tātou i waenganui i a tātou anō, kei tēnā iwi tana kōrero, kei tēnā tana kōrero, kei tēnā, tana kōrero, kei a mātou tā mātou kōrero a Ngāti Whakahemo.”“Ko te mea nui kua hoki mai anō tērā wāhanga ki a mātou, ki a Ngāti Whakahemo, ā, me ā mātou hapū whanaunga.”