Mangakino in 1947.
MANGAKINO based Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani Incorporation is one of two finalists for this year’s Ahuwhenua Trophy for the top Māori dairy farm.
Opotiki based Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board is the other finalist.
How a Wairarapa hapū came to own 30,486 acres (12,337 Ha) of King Country borderlands is the result of a New Zealand Government welching on a deal.
Wairarapa Moana hapū had valuable landholdings and customary fishing rights for tuna in and around Lake Wairarapa in the nineteenth century.
By the late 1800s continual pressure from farmer settlers and Crown coercion led to the hapū gifting the lake to the Crown in 1896 in exchange for other lands in the Wairarapa.
The Crown did not honour the agreement and was not prepared to source lands in the Wairarapa. In 1915 with great reluctance, hapū leaders at the time accepted the land known as the Pouakani 2 Block in Mangakino.
The hapu had no access to the land until 1946 after construction of the Maraetai dam by the Ministry of Works – which commenced major works without seeking consent of the WMI landowners.
The crown also took 2,000 acres (809 Ha)of the Pouakani 2 Block under the Public Works Act for the dam infrastructure. From 1947 to 1983 Māori Affairs developed the Pouakani lands.
The first whānau from the Wairarapa moved to Mangakino in 1948 to begin farming – 87 years after gifting the Lake to the Crown the owners finally had control of their own whenua.
The block was initially developed into twenty 100 acre (40.4 Ha) dairy units and two large sheep and beef units with the remaining lands planted in radiata pine.
WMI currently consists of 12 dairy units across 4,300ha, three dairy support units comprising 1,900 ha and two forestry blocks totalling 6,100ha.
It aims to produce five million milksolids from its 12,000 cow herd and is the largest supplier to milk processor Miraka Ltd, of which WMI is a cornerstone shareholder.
WMI continues under the stewardship of the mokopuna of the original 230 owners, Kingi Smiler (Chair), Te Horipo Karaitiana (Deputy Chair), Anne Carter, Sonya Rimene and Brad Tatere.
The Committee’s aspiration is to continue to nurture their taonga for future generations guided by the overarching philosophy of kaitiakitanga.
WMI has entered one of its dairy units into the Ahuwhenua Trophy Competition, which has a milking platform of 300 hectares, milking 980 cows and producing 416,000 kg/MS.
This is managed by Kim Turner and her 2IC, Haley Webber.
The two finalists will each hold a public field day at their respective properties. Each day runs from 9.30am – 2.00pm and all are welcome.
Further details, including start point addresses, will be posted on the Ahuwhenua Trophy website and Facebook page
Thursday, March 28, 2024 – Wairarapa Moana ki Pouakani Incorporation
Thursday, April 2, 2024 – Whakatōhea Māori Trust Board
The winner will be announced at the awards dinner held on Friday 17 May 2024 at the Globox Arena, Claudelands Event Centre, in Hamilton.
The Ahuwhenua Trophy is the most prestigious award for excellence in Māori farming and was inaugurated 91 years ago by the great Māori Leader, Sir Apirana Ngata and the Governor General at the time, Lord Bledisloe.
The objective was and still is to encourage Māori farmers to improve their land and their overall farming performance with an emphasis on sustainability.
On a three year rotational basis, the Trophy is competed for by Māori farmers and growers in the sheep and beef, horticulture and dairy sectors. This year the competition is for dairy.
