Tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake
Mana Ngāti Whātua
The Rūnanga is responsible for upholding and strengthening the mana and prestige of Ngāti Whātua through tino rangatiratanga and the development of marae and cultural initiatives. Mana Ngāti Whātua envelops strategies including ‘Mua’ cultural heritage, ‘Reo’ language revitalisation, and ‘Toi’ arts & creativity.
"We will chart a course that reflects our mana and ensures a legacy of strength for generations to come."
Toi: Arts & Creativity
TOI: Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua holds a sacred responsibility to support the creative expression of a strong, vibrant, and distinctive Ngāti Whātua identity through the unique arts and stories of our people.
The arts have always been a powerful way to express identity, interpret the world, and share important messages. They allow us to highlight issues, celebrate beauty, and preserve knowledge. Our Toi Arts and Creativity Strategy seeks to nurture creative talent and elevate the status of Ngāti Whātua and its unique artistic heritage.
Ngāti Whātua Heru Hāpai
MUA: The Ngāti Whātua Heru Hāpai tohu and phrase have been adopted by Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Whātua as its brand and logo.
The tribal lands of Ngāti Whātua are vast, and in ancient times, leaders would travel great distances to maintain ahi kā (the home fires) among the iwi. Heru Hāpai symbolises this leadership. Ngāti Whātua leaders were renowned for leading from the front, and the heru—a comb worn in the topknot—represented this style of leadership.
The heru is a proud symbol. Combined with hāpai, meaning upright, it becomes a tohu (symbol) that embodies the mana of Ngāti Whātua. Beyond its physical form, the heru has deep cultural significance. It secures the hair, maintaining its tapu (sacred) nature and, by extension, the mana of the wearer and the iwi as a whole. It is a tangible expression of leadership, layered with meaning.
The heru also reflects the significance of the head as a sacred part of the body. The heru in the chief’s topknot carries the same status as the chief’s head, symbolising leadership in a universal sense, beyond reliance on any one person. It is neither male nor female, making it a timeless and inclusive representation of leadership.
Our ancestors understood its importance, using the heru to uplift, unite, and maintain a presence across Ngāti Whātua’s expansive rohe, even amid contested boundaries. Heru Hāpai remains a powerful emblem of pride, mana, and the enduring leadership of Ngāti Whātua.
Reo Revitalisation Strategy
“Ko au, ko Ngāti Whātua!”
REO: Our Reo Language Revitalisation Strategy is part of a broader initiative called “Ngāti Whātua Heru Hāpai.” The strategy aims to begin rediscovering, restoring, and safeguarding te reo as a living, spoken language. It places particular focus on the quality, accuracy, and promotion of Ngāti Whātua’s unique dialect – te reo o Ngāti Whātua-ake. A critical factor in the success of this strategy will be encouraging the use of te reo within the homes of Ngāti Whātua whānau.