Iwi & Hapū Of The District

Kei ngā waka, kei ngā iwi, kei ngā piki kōtuku tēnā koutou katoa. Greetings and a warm welcome to one and all.

There are a number of iwi, hapū and marae in the area that the Manawatū District Council operates within. Council acknowledges the long and enduring relationship that tangata whenua have with the land and the waterways and is keen to look for ways to work collaboratively on projects of mutual interest.

‘Te Kīwai o te kete’ is the Council’s guiding policy for working with iwi Māori. Taken from the whakataukī, or proverb that says “Ko koe ki tēnā, ko ahau ki tēnei kīwai o te kete,” it talks about two parties who each carry a handle of a basket, both contributing to and sharing the resources within.

Council considers that collaboration expressed in the whakataukī is mana enhancing, and the preferred way to work. Collaboration leads to enduring and productive relationships and achieves better outcomes overall.