WHO WE ARE & WHAT WE DO
Kaitiakitanga
Kaitiakitanga [Guardianship]: The traditional Maori system of environmental management is holistic. It ensures harmony within the environment, provides daily checks and balances, prevents intrusions that cause permanent imbalances and guards against ecocide.
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Tinopai Resource Management Unit has been practising kaitaikitanga collaboratively in the rohe of Tinopai since its beginnings in 2016 after recognising an holistic approach needed to be taken to prevent the cumulative abuse suffered by the Coastal Marine Area and Kaipara harbour which adversely affects Kaipara moana, tangata whenua and the Tinopai community. The food basket [Kaipara] is nearly empty.
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Tinopai RMU provide the Iwi & Tangata Whenua component if you are applying for a Resource Consent in the Tinopai Rohe/Area and within the Coastal Marine Area. Our kaupapa/philosophy is respect, communication, common sense; and our Maori customary practices incorporate history, knowledge, and values of Maori society. We will adhere to Ss 5-8 of the Resource Management Act "Purpose and Principles" - the heart of the act. The rest will be based on your property, our historical knowledge of your property, a walkover of your property, and a property management plan (if required). Read more about the inspection process here.
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Our vision is to replace the Northern Regional Council and its monitors with marae and kaitiaki. It is time to embrace Maoritanga; kaitiakitanga; manaakitanga and whanaungatanga and bring back balance to the Kaipara.
MIKAERA MIRU
Kaitiaki
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Mikaera is of Ngai Tahuhu, Ngati Rangi, Ngati Kura, Te Uri o Hau, Nga Puhi, Te Rarawa, English, German and French descent.
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He grew up in Wellsford and attended Rodney College. He traveled extensively in his early years visiting Europe, South East Asia, India, Himalayas, Africa and Rarotonga, to name a few.
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Mikaera has worked for Customs in Wellington, a nickel smelter and gold mine in Western Australia.
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He is a trustee for Waiaotea and Te Kowhai Marae. Mikaera is a Director/kaitiaki of Tinopai Resource Management Unit, which is supported by Waiaotea Marae, Waiohou Marae, Nga Tai Whakarongorua Marae and the Tinopai Residents and Ratepayers Association.
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Mikaera and his whanau live on one of the largest land blocks of native forests overlooking the Kaipara. The land block is recorded in the Department of Conservation’s Otamatea Ecological report as an area of high ecological significance. Mikaera has been a kaitiaki for Waiaotea Marae for over three decades.
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Mikaera has been involved with establishing New Zealands first legislated rahui at Tinopai in 2000. The documentary Kaipara Affair received numerous accolades at the International film festival in Canada in 2005.
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Mikaera was a key participant in placing a rahui at the entrance of the Kaipara harbour in 2012. The action was necessary in order to halt the Crest Energy Turbine project, the installation of 200 submerged marine tidal turbines generating up to 200MW, which would have had a detrimental effect on marine life in the harbour. The project is still currently active.
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He is also involved with the placement of a rahui over the Hoteo river in an effort to stop Auckland’s next super landfill, which has the potential to be an insurmountable issue for the Kaipara - te kete kai o Ngati Whatua [the food basket of Ngati Whatua].
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MINA HENARE
Kaitiaki
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Ko Henare-Toka te whanau
Ko Tokatoka te maunga
Ko Kaipara te moana
Ko Wairoa Te Awa
Ko Waiohou te Marae
Ko Te Uri o Hau te Iwi
Mina Henare has lived in Sydney, London, Rome and Tuscany on a 10 year working holiday as a "Corporate Temp". She returned to Auckland and was a legal executive for 23 years. She now resides full-time in Tinopai.
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In 2016, after witnessing first-hand the annihilation of kaimoana in the Kaipara through resource mismanagement, Mina was emphatic about the need for governing bodies and future applicants to be better informed during the resource consent process, particularly with matters pertaining to tangata whenua, their role as kaitiaki and mitigating any potential effects the consent process would have on any Maori cultural values and interests in the Tinopai rohe.
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The Tinopai Resource Management Unit [TRMU] was formed in 2017 under the umbrella of Te Uri O Hau Kaitiakitanga o Te Taiao/Te Uri O Hau Environmental Management Plan which constitutes the devolution of TUOH duties as kaitiaki and transfers those powers to tangata whenua and marae.
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In November 2017, TRMU made submissions to Northern Regional Council [NRC] Proposed Regional Plan to remove all permitted activities in Kaipara Harbour, remove NRC and its monitors and replace them with marae and kaitiaki under the Resource Management Unit umbrella.