Iwi Relationships
Ngāi Tahu
Ngāi Tahu occupies all but the most northern part of the south island, which includes the Ashburton District. The Ngāi Tahu papatipu runganga of Arowhenua and Ngāi Tūāhuriri share mana whenua status and responsibilities in Ashburton District.
Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua
Arowhenua is the principal Māori kāinga of South Canterbury and lies between the junction of the Temuka and Opihi Rivers just 2kms south of Temuka. Arowhenua's strategic vision is:
Nurturing our people through generations, guardians of the environments we live in, progressing our future
locally and globally
Council's Relationship with Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua
Council has a strong relationship with the rūnanga and normally makes a formal visit to the marae each year to discuss issues of mutual importance.
The Rūnanga has developed its own strategic plan to guide future development. Council will look to contribute where appropriate to the achievement of the Rūnanga's strategic goals.
Much of Council's relationship with the rūnanga is focused on issues of kaitiakitanga (environmental guardianship), particularly within the context of the Resource Management Act. Council works closely with Arowhenua on issues of this type, as well as other matters of mutual importance.
Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua is a valued contributor to community planning processes within Ashburton District, particularly through membership of the Ashburton Zone Committee – part of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.
Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua has its own health and social services agency, Arowhenua Whānau Services, which delivers services in the South Canterbury District Health Board area.
Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga
Tuahiwi is the home of Ngāi Tūāhuriri and has played a vital role in Ngāi Tahu history. The takiwā (district) of Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri Rūnanga centres on Tuahiwi and extends from the Hurunui to the Hakatere river and inland to the Main Divide. Ngāi Tūāhuriri is a valued member the Ashburton Zone Committee – part of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.
Te Whare Whakatere - Cultural Narrative Art
The cultural art package that adorns Te Whare Whakatere – The Ashburton Library and Civic Centre building is the work of master carver and renowned artist Fayne Robinson (Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Porou). Fayne’s work can be found throughout the Centre, with the various design elements both inside and outside working seamlessly to draw together the overarching concepts of Te Taiao (the environment), Tākata (people) and Tūhonoka (connection)
Many of the Hakatere / Ashburton district’s unique natural features; the braided river systems, the plains, wetlands, native flora and fauna are reflected in intricate Māori designs seen in both the traditional and contemporary mediums utilised. The focus on the region’s environmental markers speaks to the area’s long and uninterrupted occupation and the inherent ability of the whenua to sustain and nurture the people living upon it.
Woven throughout the artworks are themes of travel and transition; the flow of the braided rivers from the mountains to the sea, the network of traditional Māori trails and pathways that traversed the whenua, as well as themes of settlement, growth and potential as depicted through ancient rock art, pūrākau (Māori narratives) and representations of young tī kōuka trees.
This art package celebrates the connection between tākata (people) and whenua (land), acknowledging the land’s ability to sustain us and emphasising the undeniable responsibilities and obligations to the whenua of those who live in the area today.
Ashburton District Council Contact
Strategy & Policy Manager
info@adc.govt.nz