E Tū Nei Au – a celebration of resilience, return, and remembrance.
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, in partnership with Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi and Opus Orchestra, proudly presents E Tū Nei Au – a commemorative and creative event that honors the past, celebrates the present, and charts the way forward for Ngāti Awa.
To be held on Sunday 22 June 2025 at Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae, E Tū Nei Au marks two powerful milestones in the iwi’s journey: the 20th anniversary of the Ngāti Awa Settlement Act 2005, and 150 years since the first opening of the Mataatua Wharenui.
“E tū nei au – Here I stand – speaks to the strength and endurance of our people,” says Reuben Araroa, Chief Executive of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa. "E Tū Nei Au is a powerful moment for our iwi. It’s not just about looking back; it’s about grounding ourselves in who we are and reaffirming our resilience. The event invites our people to return home to unite and honor a significant chapter in our journey as Ngāti Awa.”
"Since the Settlement, we have focused on the pathway created by our elders to continue the strengthening and rebuilding of our iwi. Our cultural identity is stronger. Our wharenui has returned. Our institutions have grown. We continue to invest in our future aimed at reclaiming our identity that underpins our ability to successfully lead and collaborate within our rohe and across the motu”
“We want our mokopuna to look back on this not just as a commemoration, but as a declaration. That transformed remembrance into inspiration, and legacy into leadership. Like our ancestors before us, we now create moments of meaning for future generations.”
“The commemoration of the settlement holds significant importance not only for Ngāti Awa but also for the broader citizenship of Aotearoa,” adds Professor Wiremu Doherty, Chief Executive of Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. “It marks the moment governments were held to account for historic injustices, setting a precedent that truth and accountability matter. The detailed reports produced during this time captured the history of Ngāti Awa and now serve as vital repositories of mātauranga māori.”
“Future generations now have recorded accounts of our people’s past—before and after the arrival of pākehā—ensuring the endurance of our knowledge, reo, and cultural identity. The Settlement is a signal to our tamariki and mokopuna that governments can and must be held accountable.”
“Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi was itself a product of the opportunities that emerged from Settlement. As we reflect on the 1990s and this defining era for Ngāti Awa and the country, it is important to remember the unity we must restore—particularly as settlement boundaries often divided what was once shared. This kaupapa is both a celebration and a challenge: to continue reconnecting and rebuilding.”
The day unfolds in two parts:
Part One: A special kaupapa kōrero / panel discussion and Q&A featuring Ngāti Awa uri who were pivotal in the 2005 Deed of Settlement. This is a space for reflection, dialogue and intergenerational connection.
Part Two: The premiere performance of The Journey of Mataatua Whare – a stunning orchestral composition by Dame Gillian Whitehead, brought to life by Opus Orchestra. This powerful composition traces the sacred journey of Mataatua Wharenui: from its birth in Whakatāne, to its long absence and displacement, and finally, its rightful return home to Ngāti Awa.
This significant event invites uri to return to the whare, to stand in unity, and to participate in a day of remembrance, resilience and reconnection. E tū nei au – we stand not just to remember, but to affirm who we are, and where we’re going.
He tono tēnei ki a koutou ngā uri o Ngāti Awa – haere mai, noho mai, tū mai.
Event details:
📍 Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae, Whakatāne
📅 Sunday 22 June 2025
🕚 11:00am start
RSVP: runanga@ngatiawa.iwi.nz
This event marks the beginning of a series of commemorative events to be held throughout 2025 with our Ngāti Awa affiliates Te Tohu o Te Ora o Ngāti Awa – Ngāti Awa Social & Health Services, Te Reo Irirangi o Te Mānuka Tūtahi – TumekeFM/SunFM and Te Whare Wānanga O Awanuiārangi, each acknowledging the enduring legacy and achievements of Ngāti Awa as we honour the past and look boldly to the future.
“Ko Ngāti Awa te toki, tē tangatanga i te rā, tē ngohengohe i te wai.”
Ngāti Awa is the adze whose bindings cannot be loosened by the sun or softened by the rain – a reflection of both our strength and adaptability.
For media inquiries, please contact Tāwera. Alternatively, follow our Facebook event page.
Tāwera Simpson-Rangi | Communications Lead
🏢 Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Awa | 📞 07 3070760 | 📧 tawera@ngatiawa.iwi.nz | /@ngatiawaiwi