MATAWHAANUI
OUR TONGIKURA
“Kotahi te kowhao o te ngira e kuhuna ai te miro mā, te miro pango, te miro whero. A muri i ahau kia mau ki te whakapono, kia mau ki ngā ture, ki mau ki te aroha.”
There is but one eye of the needle through which must pass the white thread, the black thread and the red thread. Hold fast to faith, hold fast to the laws, hold fast to love.
Te Miro Maa
Our Story
Reclaiming Rāhui Pōkeka through identity, narratives and positive community action
Te Miro Pango
Our Marae
Strengthening Ngā Marae communities through communication, transparency and unified aspirations.
Te Miro Whero
Our Future
Expanding business opportunities that drive results through partnerships and engagement.
The message of Te Ahurei O Waikato lies in its elements. The sculpture portrays the people of Waikato thrusting their journey into the land confirming that it belongs to them and they to the land, The large totara palisades along both sides of the sculpture poses a profile symbolizing the mountains of Waikato supported by the abundant totara stewards representing the sub-tribes of Waikato. The flowing water acknowledges the spiritual lifeforce of the Waikato River. All are contained in the form of a canoe linking the Waikato Ancestors from the Tainui Waka, Te Ahurei affirms the historical rights that Waikato people hold to their ancestral lands and commemorates Waikato Raupatu Lands Settlement Act signed between Waikato and the Crown in 1995.
Here is my Essence (Taku Ihi)
Here is my Spirit (Taku Tapu)
Here is my Standing and Rights (Taku Mana)
This is our Land (Taku Whenua)
OUR MAHI
Pou Tiaki - Papakainga
As Rāhui Pōkeka’s sole Māori-owned CHP and property management team, we empower whānau with safe, vibrant, and affordable homes, nurturing well-being, resilience, and a lasting legacy of unity, security, and strength for generations to come.
Pou Taiao
Embracing Para Kore principles and our role as environmental guardians, we practice kaitiakitanga through eco-friendly innovations, biodiversity, and sustainable, spray-free food systems to nurture our whenua and communities.
Maara Kai- Kai Sovereignty
Our Maara Kai provides Raahui Pookeka with fresh produce across all seasons. Key features continue to be 100 % organic, our parakore matauranga and the implementation of Maramataka to ensure kaitiakitanga of Papatuanuku is in alignment with our tūpuna values.
Pou Hauora
Tuuhono Hauora
The team from Tuuhono operate from Monday to Friday 10am-6pm and Saturdays 9am -1pm. They take walk-in patients, or you can book for appointments with the team of health care specialists. They are available for home visits and outreach to our communities of Raahui Pookeka, Ohinewai, Te Kauwhata and Meremere. A virtual doctor service is available, at the request of anyone who needs medical urgent care and attention.
Te Whare Oranga
Our community Gym, Te Whare Oranga operates six days a week. It plays a significant role on the westside as a gym run by locals for our local whaanau . Our qualified staff along with our volunteers are key connectors to an intergenerational clientele offering personal training plans, a variety of fitness classes and cost saving membership fees that help keep the gym sustainable and inclusive.
Pou Tupu - Social Enterprise
Taniwha Cart
Growing Rangatahi leadership and enterprise has been a big focus over the last 2 years of operations. Apart from the various rangatahi focused events and wananga within our hapori, we have developed the Taniwha cart to provide opportunity by learning how to run a small enterprise. The Taniwha cart serves up hot drinks and a variety of fresh and healthy options from Monday to Friday in front of Te Whare Oranga Gym
Te Puna Ora - Rongoa Māori clinic
Empowering whānau and hāpori through mātauranga, pukenga and aroha embedded in whakapapa, promoting well-being and self-sustainability. Offering a range of rongoa and holistic practices that restore wairua and tinana balance and alignment.
Norm Hill
Chairman
A word from the Chair
Maaturuturu ana ngā roimata ki a Kiingi Tūheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero VII.
Nāna i kī te reo karanga ki ngā iwi katoa, ko te Kotahitanga te ara mō tātau. Ko te Kotahitanga hoki tōna pūtake.
He mihi hōnore ki te Kuini Ngā Wai Hono i Te Pō, hei Arikinui o ngā iwi, hei ārahitanga mō tātou katoa.
Ngā mate huhua o te tau, haere, haere, moe mai ra.
I reflect on the progress of Matawhaanui over the past five years. This journey has been marked by growth, resilience, and meaningful partnerships that continue to uplift our hāpori.
This year, we farewell Taitimu Maipi from our Board. His leadership and dedication have been pivotal to Matawhaanui success. Taitimu’s legacy will inspire us as we carry forward his vision of strengthening our people and honouring mana whenua.
Thank you for being you. Ngā mihi nui ki a koe Tim, mō te tangata koe.
Over the last five years, Mātawhānui has grown into a trusted leader in our region. Key highlights include:
- Strengthened partnerships with government agencies and funders.
- Initiatives supporting rangatahi, healthcare, and social wellbeing within housing.
- Tangible improvements in community wellbeing.
- Health hub construction for and with our hāpori
These accomplishments reflect our collective commitment to restore the beauty of Raahui Pookeka.
We welcome Timothy Manukau, Michelle Nathan, and Mururaupatu Maipi to the Board. Their unique skills and
passion will strengthen our leadership and help shape Matawhanui’s future.
Special thanks and acknowledgement to our General Manager Joyce Maipi, our steadfast and committed leader at
the helm, alongside our committed and whakapapa based staff.
Our vision remains focused on empowering communities through manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga, and kotahitanga.
Ka whakahouhia e mātou te mauri o Rāhui Pōkeka, whānau ki te whānau, whare ki te whare, awa ki te awa.
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.
Norman Hill
Chairman, Mātawhānui
Joyce Maipi
General Manager
E te Whānau o Rāhui Pōkeka, Tēnā Tātou
Ko te mea tuatahi, me wehi ki te Atua
Me whakahonoretia Te Arikinui Kuini Ngawai Hono i te Poo
E ngaa mate, haere, haere, haere atu raa.
E te whaanau o RaahuiPookeka, teenaa taatou,
Our Annual Report sets Matawhaanui on a positive pathway into 2025.
Although set to a previous period, 01 July 2022 – 30 June 2023, we discuss our achievements and challenges of the previous 12 months.
By the end of our period, we had tested our resilience as an organisation.
Twenty-four staff doing mahi from Mara to Hauora. It was our 3rd year serving Raahui Pookeka. COVID continued to plague our community and our response, was Tuuhono Hauora. By 1st July 2022, Tuuhono Hauora, had moved into 2 Bridge Street, open to serve and help heal our community. From virtual doctors, nursing services to care packs for whaanau who were isolating in their homes. It was a scary period for Raahui Pookeka and the Tuuhono Hauora team responded to the need.
As a registered Community Housing Provider (CHP) est. August 2021, we explored how best to serve whaanau who wanted (and needed) a place to call home. We focused on government owned properties, to build our portfolio. We believed the deprivation in our community, was due to government policies therefore they needed to give back, some of what they had taken. With a current portfolio of 59 houses we aspire to have 220 by end 2025 (old and new builds).
Te Whare Oranga (community gym), Te Puna Ora (rongoa Maaori), Kaahui Tuuwaa (Mara/Pare Kore) and Pookekatia Te Iwi have addressed low employment opportunities; unaffordable rental houses; high dependency on government hand-outs, expensive food prices and inaccessible healthcare.
What continues to make Matawhaanui Trust sustainable is not only its clear vision, strong infrastructure, prudent budgeting, consistent accountability and unwavering leadership – is its WORKFORCE. Without our people, we would perish.
My report acknowledges those unborn generations as we are in exciting times of Mana Maaori Motuhake. By 2030, we would have reclaimed Raahui Pookeka as a prosperous, peaceful and vibrant place to live.
Paimarire.
General Manager -Pou Arahi
Joyce Maipi
To Taatou Hapori
The Community We Serve
Our Strategic Partners
