About Us

Within the history pages of the Raahui Pookeka community, many accounts have been written of a hapuu (subtribe) whose lives were intrinsically connected through whakapapa to maunga, whenua and awa. A community built around many  Marae across east and west riverbanks promoted connection rather than division to live, cohabit and work together as mana whenua and tangata tiriti for the greater good of a thriving community.

Leadership was abundant, prosperity was shared, unity in community was the social norm. Many have passed on but their legacy lives on.

Inspite of the current challenges we face, here in the “poho” of the Kīingitanga, ancestrally named and inherently known to us to Raahui Pookeka, Matawhaanui Trust are harnessing that same resilience our forefathers portrayed by applying the same values and vision into the mahi we do with whaanau, marae, hapori and hapuu.

Matawhaanui, now in our 6th year, have achieved much and will continue to reclaim our posterity through purposeful relationships, collective efforts, and affirmative action setting high aspirations for ourselves, our whenua and taiao and our future leaders and generations to come, street by street, whaanau by whaanau.