Current Rongomaiwahine Iwi Trustees, as of 2025, and their respective Marae;
- Apaapa-A-Rangi: Sapphire Cooper, Desna Whaanga-Schollum
- Kaiuku: Glenn Webber
- Mahanga: Jody Rarere, Hinepua Morrison
- Ruawharo: Pikihoro Tuhi, Iriapa Williams
- Te Atihau: Paul Ratapu, Fiona Wairau
- Te Rākato:
- Tuahuru: Stephanie Tibble, Kenross Campbell
Hui-A-Tau
After 5 years of dedicated service to our iwi, the Rongomaiwahine Iwi Trust Board wishes to
announce that our Chair, Paul Ratapu, has stepped down from the role of Chair. We thank
him for his skills, time and passion during his tenure. Paul remains on the Board in his role as
Trustee.
The Board also wishes to acknowledge the commitment and mahi of Darren Te Rangi,
Elizabeth Palmer and Huia Dyjak who have stepped down from their Trustee roles. We look
forward to acknowledging them all in the New Year.
Finally, we warmly welcome Desna Whaanga-Schollum and Iriapa Williams to the Board in
2026. The Board has appointed Stephanie Tibble as Interim Chair for the next three months,
ensuring stability and continuity while the Board works through the next phase of leadership.
We appreciate the willingness of all our Trustees to serve and look forward to the mahi ahead
in 2026.
The next Hui-A-Tau / AGM will be held on November 2026.
Mahanga Marae
Ko wai ahau?
Ko Rakauwhakatangitangi te Maunga
Kopuawhara te Awa
Kurahaupo me Takitimu nga Waka
Ko Tamatakutai te Tupuna Rangatira
Te Hoko Whitu o Ngaitu the haapu
Ko Mahanga te Marae
Ko Bob raua ko Wahati oku matua tupuna
Ko Ruby raua ko La oku Matua
Ko Zion taku pepi
No Mahanga Ahau.
I schooled mostly in WGTN - Have studied at: Victoria and Te Wananga o Raukawa.
Why did you want to be a trustee?
I have been apart of our Marae trust for some years now and wanted to do my part for our iwi.
What plans do you have whilst in this role?
To do the best job I can do for the people of Mahanga and Rongomaiwahine in general.
Ko wai ahau?
Ko Rakauwhakatangitangi te Maunga
Kopuawhara te Awa
Kurahaupo me Takitimu nga Waka
Ko Tamatakutai te Tupuna Rangatira
Te Hoko Whitu o Ngaitu the haapu
Ko Mahanga te Marae
Ko Heeni Te Wiki Biggs tōku mama
Ko TJ Tupai tōku whangai
No Mahanga ahau
Ko Jody Rarere tōku ingoa
Why did you want to be a trustee?
To ensure whānau have a voice.
What plans do you have whilst in this role?
To create a nurturing environment for future Rangatahi to thrive.
Apaapa-A-Rangi Marae
sapphire.cooper@rongomaiwahine.iwi.nz
Ko wai ahau?
Why did you want to be a trustee?
What plans do you have whilst in this role?
Ko wai ahau?
Ka whiowhio mai te hau
Mai i te motu tapu o Waikawa
Pōrutu ana te tai
Rere ana te wai
Tū tonu te pā
Tū tonu tō mātou kāinga
Ko Taipōrutu.
He uri au nō Rongomaiwahine, nō Kahungunu.
Why did you want to be a trustee?
My work, individually and through Indigenous networks, seeks to regenerate mauri-ora through a culturally, socially, and environmentally equitable world.
One that upholds the mana of Place. Taipōrutu, Te Māhia-mai-Tawhiti, is my turangawaewae. An ancestral home that regenerates, heals, and resets. This ahikā relationship is increasingly rare in our contemporary professional world. The iwi Trustee position is an opportunity for me to maintain manaakitanga and whanaungatanga with Rongomaiwahine ūkāipō.
What plans do you have whilst in this role?
‘Te kai a te rangatira he kōrero, te kai a te ariki he whakarongo.’
I understand that my first job is to listen, with all my senses. Head, heart and gut. My time as a trustee sits within a humbling continuum of past, present, and future kaitiaki. I offer a responsive approach to the role and aim to adapt tools, networks, knowledge, and opportunities I gain in other territories to meet Rongomaiwahine needs.
Through whakapapa, we inherit the rights and responsibilities to nurture and care for the mauri of our territory, an intergenerational commitment linking mana atua, mana tangata and mana whenua. We claim our kaitiaki roles as uri of Rongomaiwahine, ariki tapairu lineage. I am interested in how we might evolve our iwi leadership to embody the strengths, attributes, and characteristics of Mana Wahine, and thereby recentre our unique ancestral identity.
Tuahuru Marae
stephanie@rongomaiwahine.iwi.nz
Ko wai ahau?
Ko Tairea te maunga
Ko Te Pō nui a Hine te waiū
Ko Hine te Rongo te whare tipuna
Ko Tuahuru te marae
Hokowhitu ki te moana. Hokowhitu ki uta.
Ko te Hokowhitu o Ngāi Tū te hapū
Why did you want to be a trustee?
I tū ahau ki tēnei Poari ki te hāpai i ngā mahi a ōku pakeke kia tū a Rongomaiwahine i runga i tōna anō mana motuhake.
I want to support the mahi done by those that have come before us to uphold the mana and mātauranga of Rongomaiwahine hapū and whānau.
What plans do you have whilst in this role?
Kei te hiahia ahau ki te hāpai i te māramatanga, ki te whakaū i te whanaungatanga me te mahi ngātahi i runga i te tika, te pono me te aroha, hei painga mā ngā uri whakaheke
To promote transparency and strengthen connections and work together towards our collective future - making the right choices at the right time, being accountable and treating each other and others with care and respect.
Ko wai ahau?
E whitu ki te moana
E whitu ki uta
E whitu ki te wāhi ngaro
Te Hokowhitu o Ngāi Tū
Why did you want to be a Trustee?
I’ve walked behind strong people who cleared the way for us – Uncle Bob Rārere, Pauline Tangiora, Mini Westrupp, Tuehi Rātapu, Joe Hema. They showed what it means to serve. I want to carry that forward, keep the door open for our mokopuna, and honour the work they started.
What plans do you have for this role?
My focus is Tūhonohonotanga – bringing our kids back together. Too many are running in different directions. I’ll keep leading wānanga about Rongomaiwahine, whakapapa, tikanga, kawa. We need to know who we are, so our rangatahi stand strong and proud.
Kaiuku Marae
Ko wai ahau?
Tena koutou - He mihi nei no tetahi o nga mokopuna o Rongomaiwahine, me ona rangatira e rua, a Tamatakutai me Kahungnunu. Ko Heke Taurima te tino kuia o taku whanau, he mokopuna ahau no Paku Tehau (Webber).
Why did you want to be a trustee?
Mahia has always a place that has been special to me as I have been nutured by my Rongomawahine whanau. Being a trustee provides with an opportunity to give something back to my turangawaewae
you have whilst in this role?
I respect the work done by the whanau to develop the strategic plan, and whilst in this role I hope to make a contribution to it being implemented. Ka ora ai te iwi.
@rongomaiwahine.iwi.nz
Ko wai ahau?
Why did you want to be a trustee?
What plans do you have whilst in this role?
Ruawharo Marae
Ko wai ahau?
Why did you want to be a trustee?
What plans do you have whilst in this role?
pikihoro@rongomaiwahine.iwi.nz
Ko wai ahau?
Why did you want to be a trustee?
What plans do you have whilst in this role?
Te Atihau Marae
Ko wai ahau?
Ko Puke Karoro te maunga
Ko Haunui te awa
Ko Ngā-Heru-mai-tawhiti-o-Waikawa te wānanga tapu
Ko Maramahātea te urupā
Ko Te Atihau te marae
Ko Kurahaupō te waka
Ko Ngāti Hikairo te hapū
Ko Rongomaiwahine te iwi
Why did you want to be a trustee?
To work with our beneficiaries to uphold and strengthen the mana motuhake of the whānau and hapū of Mahia-mai-tawhiti, through the maintenance and handing down of the Tikanga and Kawa of our old people.
What plans do you have whilst in this role?
- Support and foster Te Reo me ōna tikanga within the whānau and on our marae at Mahia-mai-tawhiti. - Restore our Whenua and Moana. - develop Mahia-mai-tawhiti into a environmentally, socially, healthy and economically sustainable place for our beneficiaries and future generations to enjoy and thrive in.
Ko wai ahau?
Ko Rongomaiwahine tōku iwi
Ko Ngāti Hikairo tōku hapū
Ko Kurahaupo tōku waka
Ko Te Atihau tōku marae
Ko Puke Karoro te maunga
Ko Haunui toku awa
Ko Fiona Wairau tōku ingoa
- Mahia Māori Committee - Former Secretary
- WDC Māori Standing Committee - Mahia Mai Tawhiti Takiwa Representative
- Te Tumu Paeroa - Advisory Trustee
- Wilfred and Pani Kereru Whānau Trust- Trustee
- Rongomaiwahine Iwi Trust - Board Trustee
Why did you want to be a trustee?
Supported by my loving husband and whānau, I am humbly proud to be given the opportunity to be part of the board for Rongomaiwahine Iwi Trust, I believe we will prosper guided by the aspirations and values chosen by our people.
What plans do you have whilst in this role?
To nurture the wellbeing and development of our people. this has always been and will continue to be my passion, my pride and my honour.