Trustees

I have been a trustee since 1997; are passionate in pursuit of the vision which the current and past trustees share for our whenua, our whānau and our history. As Kaitiaki, we have a collective responsibility to those that follow us of ensuring the mana and taonga are preserved.

My whakapapa to Rakiura descend from sisters, Te Mahana and Kukuwhero (Kin to Haereroa), and Rawiri Te Mamaru.

In life, we are all blessed with individual qualities; the challenge to success is harnessing those qualities and moulding a cohesive team that aspires to a shared vision. The Trust has achieved significant milestones towards establishing a futuristic pathway for their advancement and manakitanga. I am proud of being part of this and serving the Trust by providing diligence and judgment through my worldly business knowledge.

Richard Manning is a Company Director and advisor within the seafood industry. He travels extensively internationally and has commercial interests in seafood manufacturing locally and internationally.

Tena koe

Ko James Stewart Iraia Manning (Nee Waaka) tōku Matua
Ko Joan Beatrice Manning (Nee Cain) tōku Whaea
Ko James Hikoata Te Rangi Haruru Manning tōku Koroua
Ko Myra Riria Renata tōku Kuia

Papaki kau ana nga ngaru ki te moana o Te Ara a Kiwa (Foveaux Strait)
I arahi nei a Tahu Potiki i te waka Takitimu
Ka titiro au Te Punga o Te Waka o Māui o Rakiura
Piki ake au i te maunga o Rakiura a Hananui (Mount Anglem)
Ka titiro au whakararo ki te awa waiora o Tutae-kā-wetoweto (Lords River) e rere ana
Huri atu au ngā kamo ki te ūkaipō e takato ana te ahuru mowai o te whenua o Whaka a Te
Wera (Paterson Inlet)
E manaaki nei i te whanau o Rakiura
Ko Eliza Snelgar ahau
Tēnā koutou katoa

I am a Company Director, and hold Māori Governance roles as Trustee/Secretary RMLT, Chair Alexander Wakefield Trust, Chair Te Whanau a Neke Trust & Trustee/Secretary Pehiāweri Māori Church and Marae. My tribal affiliations are Ngai Tahu, Kati Mamoe, Ngāpuhi, Te Whakatohea, Ngati Whakaue and Te Arawa. In my mahi with RMLT, I am inspired by the fearlessness, strength and courage of our tupuna o Rakiura. My ancestress Mary Neke and her spouse Daniel (Cranky) Smith a Whaler and Scotsman, lived and navigated between Ruapuke and Whenua Hou Islands. They were married at Murrays River Rakiura Sept 1850 by Bishop Selwyn. Their Daughter Jane Smith McKenzie (widow), married Alexander Fraser a Sealer and Scotsman, in the School House Ruapuke Island June 1870 also by Bishop Selwyn. They were entrepreneurs, ship navigators, sealers, whalers and cultivators. They lived, loved and thrived around Bluff, the Titi Islands, Aparima, Ruapuke, Whenua Hou and Rakiura. They navigated the seas surrounding these islands to get to their various destinations, gathering and harvesting kai moana and titi, taking care of their whanau and holding wananga on and around Rakiura. We will continue to tell their stories, the whenua o Rakiura will continue to feed and nourish us all for generations to come, and we as their descendants will continue to thrive.

“Rakiura anchors more than Maui’s canoe. It anchors in its rocks, rivers, and rugged shores and in its garnishment of plants and animals, the hope of generations unborn that places like this will always exist.”
– Neville Peat, 1992

Ko Rakiura te whenua
Ko Hananui te mauka
Ko Tutae-Kā-Wetoweto te awa
Ko James Spencer toku tupuna
Ka moe ia a Tina Rahou Rawaho
Ka puta mai a James Spencer
Ka moe ia a Meri Te Kauri
Ka puta mai a Sarah Spencer
Ka moe ia a Charles Goomes
Ka puta mai a Frederick Joseph Goomes
Ka moe ia a Daphne Evelyn Godward
Ka puta mai a Simon Charles Spencer Gomez
Ka moe ia a Jane Faulkner
Ka puta mai a Emmanuelle Johanna Gomez
Tihei Mauri Ora !

I was born in Rangiora, I am Ngai Tahu and my ancestors are from Rakiura. I was raised on the Island as my family moved there when I was four years old. I am part of the Island and the Island is part of me. I left Rakiura to gain an education when I was 13, although I returned for all my holidays, and did so for some time into my working life, until I was living and working overseas. I have worked at corporate and international levels and currently live in Cromwell where I work as sales director for an international outsourcing company. I travel to Rakiura at least four or five times a year and living in Cromwell makes it easy to have an active involvement with Rakiura and RMLT.
My goals since I have been on the Trust have been to improve communication between the beneficial Land owners and The Trust, to work within the established mission and values of RMLT, to ensure governance and business are carried out with honesty and integrity and to take care of our Taonga and assets for future generations.

It’s our land, it’s our Taonga, it’s our responsibility.

Ko Hananui te maunga
Ko Te Ara-a-Kiwa te moana
Ko Pura Antoine toku Tipuna
Ko Mohi Mariataia toku Tipuna
Ko Smith toku Whanau
Ko Rakiura toku kainga
Ko Riki Everest toku ingoa

Kia ora,
I have been a commercial paua diver spanning 30 years and a self-employed landscaping contractor when I wasn’t diving.

Through my landscape contracting experience I understand the various challenges that the board will face in its endeavours regarding the developments it has in long term plans.

The remoteness of its operations cause many logistical challenges and this is where I will be able to help most.

I still work on the tools in my day-to-day life so I am able to apply practical solutions to problem solving during operations taking place within the RMLT environment when they arise.

Through my paua diving career I have dived nearly every part of Rakiura, Fiordland and have an intimate understanding of the connections of whenua, moana, ngahere, and the many wonderful animal species that thrive here.

I am on a journey of connection with my maori heritage and when asked to stand for the board as the Ahi- ka (Rakiura resident) representative, saw it as an opportunity to serve and connect in a meaningful way.

I am excited to be joining the trust at this stage of life and will serve and help our people with the unique skills that life has prepared me with.

I am pleased to be working with the other vastly experienced RMLT trustees and will endeavour to complement their various skills and expertise with that of my own.

I was born and raised in Otautahi, had four years in London and for the last 24 years have lived in Tamaki Makaurau. My wife is from Alexandra and we have three adult children.  For the last 12 years I have been a full time professional director and prior to that worked initially in the apparel manufacturing sector and then the finance sector.  Through my board roles I have extensive experience in tourism and conservation, both areas of importance for RMLT.

While having no direct family ties to Rakiura I had visited twice prior to becoming a trustee and thought the island a magical place, so I am delighted to be able to contribute to the work of RMLT.  The aspiration of restoring the whenua to as it once was while at the same time developing world class, environmentally sustainable tourism offerings that contribute to the wellbeing of the RMLT beneficiaries and their families is very appealing and I believe very achievable.

Ko Te Heru o Kahukura toku maunga
Ko te Wairarapa toku awa
No Otautahi ahau
Kei Tamaki Makaurau toku kainga inaianei
Ko Leggat toku whanau
Ko Barbara McEwan toku mama
Ko Ian Leggat toku papa
Tokotoru aku tamariki ko Gabrielle, ratou ko Jack, ko Thomas.

Ngai Tuhaitara, Ngai Tuahuriri, Ngati Rakiamo, Ngati Kuri, Ngai Te Ruahikihiki, Kai Te Pahi, Waitaha, Rapuwai & Hawea.

Ka moe taku tipuna a Kuikui ki a John Kelly, ka whanau a Hoani Korako.

I am an active member of my Papatipu Runanga at Rapaki, Tuahuriri, Ihutai MR 900 and Lake Hawea Manuhaea.

I have governance and commercial experience on Parliamentary, Corporate, Community and Iwi / Runanga Boards, a former Member of Parliament, Te Runanga o Ngai Tahu Representative for Rapaki and Tuahiwi, a Director of Ngai Tahu Holdings and a current member (since 2010) of The New Zealand Institute of Directors.

I am honored to be a trustee on the Rakiura Maori Lands Trust and a Director of Rakiura Experiences Ltd, in our collective quest to protect and grow the financial resources and land holdings for our present and future generations of owners.

Tena tatou

I am a newly elected trustee. I share my connections to the whenua and Rakiura primarily through the Dawson, Davis, Edwards, Sinclair whanau. My mother is Lorna Susan Dawson and her parents were James Dawson and Sarah Sinclair. I am part of all who share whakapapa from Kuta Mamae, Tapuku Davis, Joseph Davis, Kirihauka. Paree Moss, Tera Edwards, Kurukuru, and Mariri. Together they all form a part of my DNA that has given me the privilege to sit with the Rakiura Maori Land Trust.

I was born in Gore. I now live in Gisborne. I was prompted to stand by the generation of my now grown up children to pave the way for their participation when their time comes to serve. That is how I think of the Trust. It is characterised by unique origins, remote lands, special in its responsibilities and extraordinary in its core business.

The Trust has an amazing ownership base. Those who live closest to its whenua, and the many more whose lives took them away from the whenua. It is no ordinary Trust. Expectations are high and potential to generate sustainable income is a challenge. Thoughtful trusteeship is critical. It’s about Whakapapa, Whenua and Whanau on every level.

I have been a Senior level Public Servant for over 30 years mainly focused on Maori Development. I have held and currently hold a number of directorships and trustee positions.

I look forward to reporting back to the beneficial ownership of our progress as a trust. This Trust deserves our full and best attention.

Tena koutou katoa

Ko Takitimu te maunga, Ko Hananui te maunga
Ko Murihiku te whenua, Ko Rakiura te whenua
Ka Ngai Tahu, Kati Mamoe, Waitaha – te iwi