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  | First Nations' Futures Program Newsletter Ke Alaula: "The Dawning" | February 2007 - Vol 1, Issue 1 | | | | In This Issue | | | | | Quick Links | | | | | | | Aloha Mawae, | |  E nga mana, e nga reo, e karangatanga maha, tena koutou tena koutou, tena koutou katoa. He mihi nunui tenei ki a tatou, e nga tangata whenua, huri noa i te moana nui a Kiwa. Tena tatou katoa - ka mau te wehi!
The First Nations' Futures Program (FNFP) is underway! Welcome to this first edition our program newsletter. The FNFP is a leadership development initiative between indigenous communities in Aotearoa, Hawai`i and Alaska, with support from an academic consortium including Stanford University, University of Hawai`i and Te Wananga o Raukawa. For more information please link to our website.
In our first issue of the First Nations' Futures newsletter we introduce to you our program staff, institute facilitators and first cohort of fellows. It is the bringing together and sharing of mana'o (knowledge) that will lead to the common purpose of learning how to improve the well-being of our communities and steward our assets in perpetuity. | | | | | * FNFP would like to acknowledge the Christensen Fund for their grant assistance. The Christensen Fund continues their effort in “backing the stewards of cultural and biological diversity” by serving as a primary funder for the First Nations’ Futures Program (FNFP). The Christensen Fund’s mission to support efforts of biodiversity is served via the FNFP with a shared motivation to “work to secure ways of life and landscapes that are beautiful, bountiful and resilient.”
* The fellows took part in a three day Ngai Tahu Water Forum, which recently concluded on February 5th. The forum was a major part of the FNFP's first place-based project in Aotearoa. The fellows took active facilitation roles in the forum to open discussion regarding the important subject matter of water sustainability. A major result of the forum was the opening of communication lines between all stakeholders and improved understanding of environmental, social, and cultural responsibilities regarding our precious water resources.
* While in Aotearoa the fellows joined in on the cultural festivities for Ngai Tahu's Waitangi Day Celebration, February 6th 2007 at Onuku marae near Christchurch. The main Waitangi Day festivities for Ngai Tahu occured at Awarua marae, Bluff.
* The 2007 application process for Kamehameha fellows will begin soon. Be sure to constantly check the FNFP website for important updates. | | | | | |  Brett Eruera Ellison is one of three Ngai Tahu fellows. Brett was born and raised on the family farm at Otakou. His early years were balanced between understanding the changing environmental conditions necessary to ensure profitability from the land, whilst increasingly appreciating the linkages between ancestors and the surrounding natural environment which forms an integral component of the identity that is Te Rūnanga o Otakou. The relationships developed between whānau, the family farm, the marae, and the wider-community remain strong, and form an integral part of who he is today. Brett Ellison's education has been largely local, although several years were spent in England employed as a financial manager. In recent years tertiary studies have focused on human geography at the University of Otago (Te Whare Wānaka o Otakou). Having completed a bachelor of arts in 2004, he's presently finishing his Masters thesis entitled ‘Grassroots responses to Marginalization: Community based-development in rural South Africa’.
Brett Ellison has worked closely with Dr. Gail Tipa (Kāi Tahu) developing indigenous planning, management and research tools on the lower Taieri River. This process has involved consultation, facilitation, and encouragement of indigenous participation in environmental management. He is increasingly interested in exploring alternative and diverse strategies in biodiversity protection, of which indigenous communities will play an important role. A key theme for all his future work will be translating Kāi Tahu visions of environmental management into tools to be used by future generations. | | | | |  Leslie Kaiu Kimura is one of five Kamehameha fellows. Tracing her 'ohana lineage back many generations to Waimea, Hawai’i, Kaiu is a student of Ka Haka 'Ula o Ke'elikolani, Hawaiian Language College at UH-Hilo where she is pursing a Masters degree in Hawaiian Language and Literature. Kaiu is a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools class of 1996 and went on to pursue a bachelor of arts degree at UH-Hilo in Hawaiian Studies. She completed her studies there in the year 2000. While at UH-Hilo, she participated in the first UH-Hilo student exchange program with the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand where she spent a semester studying Maori language and culture.
Kaiu lectures for the Hawaiian Language College, teaching first level Hawaiian language. She has also worked for the 'Aha Punana Leo in various positions including the facilitator of Hale Kipa 'Oiwi, an outreach program to other Native American communities and indigenous groups worldwide, working towards language and culture revitalization, and has also developed language curriculum offered to Hawai’i’s business community. Kaiu is currently the Experience Coordinator at the 'Imiloa Astronomy Center of Hawai'i where she played an integral role in developing exhibits and programs. Her passion and commitment is to her community and to the return of the Hawaiian language as a living, thriving language of Hawai'i. | | | | |  Noa Lincoln is one of five Kamehameha fellows. Noa was born in Kealakekua and raised in Ma'alaea Harbor on Maui. He boarded at Kamehameha Schools from the seventh grade, finishing top 2% of his class. He received his bachelors of arts from Yale University in Environmental Engineering.
Noa Lincoln has studied environmental management techniques all around the Pacific from Palmyra to Costa Rica and since graduation has worked with involving students in conservation and cultural oriented projects. Currently he serves as the Education Coordinator for the Bishop Museum's Amy B.H. Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden located in Kealakekua, Hawai'i where he focuses on teaching a mix of ethnobotany and modern science to students and adults. | | | | |  Tipa Mahuta is the sole Waikato Tainui fellow. Tipa, of Huntly, represents Waikato-Tainui on the Waikato Conservation Board and is a Trustee of Te Reo Irirangi o Tainui. She is on the Tainui Group Holdings Board as a representative of Waikato Raupatu Trustee Company Ltd, and has been a Director of the Raupatu Trustee Company Ltd and a member of the Te Arataura since 2003.
Tipa Mahuta represents Kahui Ariki (the Maori Sovereign on the Waikato Raupata Lands Settlement Act 1995) and is a strong advocate for mana whenua issues. | | | | |  Jamie Anne Kawailehua Makasobe is one of five Kamehameha fellows. Jamie's 'ohana comes from Kane’ohe and Waianae, Oahu. She has been raised a majority of her upbringing on the Windward side. She currently serves as Communications Coordinator and Office Manager for Paepae o Heeia, a non-profit organization, that helps to take care of He'eia Fishpond while perpetuating cultural sustainability for communities of Hawaii through education.
Her studies include a Bachelors of Arts Degree from the University of Oregon, double majoring in Public Relations and Television Broadcasting. | | | | |  Daniel Naho'opi'i is one of five Kamehameha fellows. Daniel serves on the Board of Directors of Hawai'i Maoli, a non-profit entity of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs, where he facilitates cultural and educational grants and contracts that provide services and support to the Native Hawaiian Community -- Helping Hawaiians to build strong and healthy communities.
Daniel Naho'opi'i also serves as a Manager in the Hawaiian Databook & Doc. division for the Kamehameha Schools Bishop Estate. | | | | |  David O'Connell is one of three Ngai Tahu fellows. David is of Ngai Tahu, Ngai Mamoe and Waitaha descent. He has worked for his iwi (tribe) for 14 years; 5 years in the tribal Whakapapa (Genealogy) Unit, 4½ years for his local tribal council Te Taumutu Rūnanga and 4½ years in the tribal Environmental Unit. He has managed this Unit for the past 2 years. Whilst working, he had completed a Bachelor of Arts (Majoring in Māori) at Canterbury University.
David O'Connell has held tribal representative positions on the Canterbury Aoraki Conservation Board, the Te Waihora Eel Management Committee, and currently serves as a customary tangata tiaki (resource manager) for Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere) and 30 kilometres of the Canterbury Bight coastline. He was the Ngāi Tahu member of the Steering Committee of the 3rd International Wildlife Management Congress and assisted in organizing the Indigenous Day Conference of that Congress. He's been an active member of Te Taumutu Rūnanga for 18 years and has held the position of Alternate Tribal Representative, and is currently the Treasurer, Marae (Meeting House) Development Portfolio Leader, and Chair of Te Taumutu Charitable Trust. His most recent achievement has been policy development for, and project management of, the Te Waihora Joint Management Plan – a shared tribal / government plan for the Ngāi Tahu owned lakebed and adjoining Crown Conservation lands. | | | | |  Brendon Te Tiwha Puketapu is one of three Ngai Tahu fellows. Brendon has been the Chief Executive Officer for Te Tapuae o Rehua Ltd, which is based on Christchurch, for just over two and a half years. This company is a partnership between Ngäi Tahu and the larger tertiary institutions in Te Waipounamu. Prior to this he has held senior management positions in the public sector – the Ministry of Education, New Zealand Qualifications Authority, the Ministry for Mäori Development and the State Services Commission. His academic background includes Mäori studies, development studies and organizational theory and practice.
Brendon's iwi and hapü commitments are focused on the settlement of the Whanganui river claim -- though he is also involved in the planning, establishment and implementation of strategies and structures in iwi education, social and economic areas for Te Atihaunui a Paparangi. He continues to contribute to Whanganui iwi affairs through his role as deputy chair of the Whanganui River Mäori Trust Board, his advisory role with Te Puna Mätauranga o Whanganui (an iwi education authority), and related iwi (tribal) projects. Brendon has served on various boards and councils in the past 20 years. Besides his iwi involvements, Brendon is currently an Associate Director for Paraninihi ki Waitötara Incorporation – a farm-based incorporation on the west coast of the North Island and he sits on the Board for the New Zealand Council for Education Research (NZCER). | | | | |  Neil J.K. Hannahs is the Director of the Land Assets Division for Kamehameha Schools. He is responsible for the team that manages Kamehameha’s 347,000 acres of agriculture and conservation lands in Hawai'i. Born in Honolulu, Mr. Hannahs is a graduate of Kamehameha Schools. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in political science, as well as a master of arts in education from Stanford University. Mr. Hannahs joined the Kamehameha Schools staff in 1974. Prior to assuming his current position, he served Kamehameha Schools in a variety of roles. He coordinated development of Kamehameha Schools’ Strategic Plan for 2000-2015. As manager of Kaka'ako Improvement, he was responsible for creating a master plan for the redevelopment of fifty-four acres of land owned by the Kamehameha Schools in Honolulu’s Kaka'ako Community Development District.
Mr. Hannahs currently serves as chairman of the Hawai'i Public Television Foundation Board of Directors and President of the Land Use Research Foundation. He is also a trustee of Queen’s Medical Center, sits on the Board of Directors for Bishop Museum, and serves as a State Committee Member of the Hawaii Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). He has served as president of the Kaka'ako Improvement Association, Chair of Queen Lili'uokalani Children's Center Advisory Council, Executive Producer of "Schifrin Symphony No. 1: Lili'uokalani," Vice-Chair of the Historic Hawai'i Foundation Board of Trustees and as Treasurer of Pacific Islanders in Communications. | | | | |  Mawae Morton has affiliations with several iwi, including Ngäti Tuwharetoa, Ngäti Pukenga, Te Atihaunui a Paparangi, and Ngäti Maniapoto. Mr Morton holds a Bachelor of Agriculture degree from Massey University and a Master of Public Policy degree from Victoria University of Wellington. He has served in key Maori governance roles, notably as Chairman of the Tauponuiatia Management Board on appointment by the Tuwharetoa Maori Trust Board; and as a founding Trustee and Director of the Putahitanga o nga Ara Trust, which is the governance entity for the Pouakani Treaty Settlement. Mr Morton has held several policy positions with the New Zealand Government in the area of Maori development, Maori land and natural resource management, and Treaty of Waitangi issues. As a Senior Consultant with KPMG Consulting and in private practice, Mr Morton advised many Maori trusts and incorporations on Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiations, governance issues, strategic planning and business planning.
Mr Morton currently works as the Strategic Resources Manager within the Endowment Group at Kamehameha Schools in Hawai`i. This role is part of the management team for KS’ 365,000 acres of agriculture and conservation land in Hawai'i. It also involves business and program development. Mr. Morton has acted as the interim program director for the First Nations’ Futures Program since it was first proposed three years ago. He is currently also Senior Vice President of Planning with a new corporation, Hawai'i BioEnergy, formed by Kamehameha Schools, Maui Land & Pineapple Co., Grove Farm, Vinod Khosla and Brasil BioEnergia. | | | | | The fellows are currently in the midst of the program's first place based project in Aotearoa. Together they will tackle an intense project curriculum, with a water resource management focus, where they will be required to lead the process.
The project includes a water resources forum hosted by Ngai Tahu which brings together world class scientists, resource managers and fellows to discuss sustainable management of water. Consistent with the principles of the FNFP, the Aotearoa project will balance western and indigenous approaches to resource management and leadership.
In our next issue we will report on the inaugural First Nations' Futures Institute held at Stanford University in September 2006. Noho ora mai ra, naku na
Mawae Morton First Nations' Futures Program
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