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HEALTH AND WELLBEING
The Raupatu of the 1860s had
a devastating effect on our
people. Among other things, the
confiscation of the most fertile,
productive lands stripped the iwi of
the economic base, wrecking our
established agricultural commerce
and resulting in poverty
and deprivation.
It is no surprise, then, that
promoting the health and
wellbeing of the people is a top
priority. The decision to become
a Whaanau Ora Provider, the
subsequent launch of Te Ope
Koiora – the Waikato-Tainui arm of
Whaanau Ora – and the ongoing
support provided is indicative of
our commitment to improving the
health status of members. Funding
is also provided for our kaumaatua
to ensure they have access to the
medical and related services
they need.
Participation in sport and physical
activity is a favourite pastime of
our people and, to encourage
this, our contribution has included
grants, sponsorships, staging of the
popular biennial Waikato-Tainui
Games and, more recently, the
annual Tri-Maaori event held
at Karapiro.
EDUCATION
For Sir Robert education was the
key to tribal development and in
1996 he described it as the primary
means to achieve “tribal growth,
financial independence, social self-
reliance, maintenance of cultural
integrity, and investment in the
talents of our people”. Our recently
published education strategy, Ko Te
Mana Maatauranga, is inspired by
this whakaaro.
Education has been a priority
and this is demonstrated by the
provision of $14M for grants and
scholarships since 2003. Tertiary
study has been the focus to date
with the majority of recipients
studying Bachelor degrees and
higher. Support for education
has also included funding for
Kohanga Reo and the Waikato-
Tainui College for Research and
Development. In addition, tribal
members have access to a range
of education and employment
programmes including financial
literacy, home ownership, business
development, governance
training, and employment training,
cadetships and apprenticeships.
Most of these initiatives are with a
range of partners whom we have
forged enduring relationships with.
Our commitment to education is
also evident in the relationships
we have forged with WINTEC,
University of Waikato, Te Waananga
o Raukawa, and Te Waananga
o Aotearoa.
The opening of the College
(then named the Tainui Endowed
College) at Hopuhopu in 2000
realised a dream for both Sir Robert
and Te Arikinui Te Atairangikaahu.
She described it as “a gift to the
nation” and her hopes were that it
would be “a place of open enquiry,
discussion and a springboard
to action”. The College was
rededicated in 2010 and now
provides an internationally
acclaimed MBA, the Taahuhu
Maatauranga Maaori, seminars and
research services.
Participation in
sport and physical
activity is a
favourite pastime
of our people
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