Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ranginui Iwi

05/06/2026

The honour of representing our iwi is never lost on me. Sometimes it’s a heavy load, but always it is a privilege I carry with humility and pride.

Last week, with the backing of our boards, our kaumātua, and our people, I stood before the Waitangi Tribunal to present Ngāti Ranginui’s position on the Government’s proposal to weaken or remove Treaty principles from legislation. The first time I have given evidence since 1998 when many of us were witnesses for our iwi claim.

I was nervous, yes, I still get nervous, but these nerves came from a place of deep respect for our people, also, knowing that I got to share the bench and room with some of the most formidable fighters for Māori, Annette Sykes, Ringahuia Hata, Natalie Coates, Matanuku Mahuika, Tuku Morgan, Donna Flavell, Donna Awatere, Tania Waikato, Chris Tooley, Hone Harawira, Shane Bradbrook, Prof Margaret Mutu and the list goes on…the kaupapa demanded that we show up. It was also powerful to witness the brilliance of the young Māori lawyers in the room, many of whom proudly introduced themselves as uri of Tauranga Moana, carrying the sharpness, confidence, and dignity of our tupuna, knowing they are part of the promise of our future.

Our message was simple and firm:

Diminishing Treaty principles is a breach of Te Tiriti, a breach of our settlement, and a breach of the promises made to us and many other iwi.

In the weeks where we have lost sentinels of Māori leadership, intelligent, articulate and passionate advocates for our people, it made it even more poignant. I didn’t know them as intimately as others, but I know what they have done for our people, for our country. I know the legacy they left, as did many.

Our tūpuna held the line for us. It’s is both appropriate and our obligation to hold it for those who come after.

To the crown - Honour your word.

I’ll always be a servant to the people,
Charlie

02/06/2026

Te Tinihanga o Ngā Mātāpono o te Tiriti – the Treaty Principles Reform Urgent Inquiry

Before the Waitangi Tribunal - Wellington, June 02/03, 2026.

For those that would like to watch the urgent inquiry hearing. Here is the link and the schedule of speakers is in the comments.

Ngāti Ranginui is in the 3.50pm - 5.00pm block.

Terms and Conditions for ViewingPermission to view the live strea...

01/06/2026

🌿🔥The Crown can’t apologise to Ngāti Ranginui one year and break its promise the next.✊🚫

Ngāti Ranginui is raising serious concerns about the Government’s proposal to remove or weaken Te Tiriti o Waitangi provisions across legislation a move that takes Aotearoa backwards and breaches commitments made to our people.

Tomorrow, Tuesday 02 June, Charlie Rahiri, Chair of Ngāti Ranginui, will present evidence on behalf of Ngāti Ranginui to the Waitangi Tribunal’s urgent inquiry into the Government’s Treaty Principles Review in Wellington.

Rahiri says “The Crown’s failure to engage with iwi and hapū, including Ngāti Ranginui, on these reforms is a direct breach of Te Tiriti and undermines the settlement promises made to our people.”

When our settlement passed in Parliament last year, Minister Paul Goldsmith acknowledged the Crown’s wrongdoing and the need to rebuild trust. He said:

“This has been a long time coming and I thank the Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Settlement Trust and the negotiating team for their enduring efforts.”

“During the New Zealand Wars in Tauranga and the subsequent bush campaign, the Crown inflicted a scorched earth campaign that devastated the hapū of Ngāti Ranginui.”

And he promised a new relationship with Ngāti Ranginui on behalf of the crown

“No settlement can fully compensate for the Crown’s injustices… but it does represent a commitment to establish a partnership that begins to restore the Crown relationship with Ngāti Ranginui.”

Yet today, the same Government is dismantling the very Treaty protections that give meaning to those words.

“The Proposed Reform is a retreat from Te Tiriti. It risks re‑establishing the narrow perceptions and negative treatment of Te Tiriti that have harmed Ngāti Ranginui and all Iwi for generations.” Said Ngāti Ranginui chair, Charlie Rahiri. “The Crown is now repeating the very behaviours it apologised for. Instead of healing past breaches, it is aggravating them. We must protect the rights of our people, our hapũ, of te Iwi Māori.

Weakening Treaty clauses threatens the foundations of our mahi across Tauranga Moana in a number of areas including:
• our ability to exercise tino rangatiratanga in our own rohe, our reo and our matauranga
• environmental restoration and kaitiakitanga
• protection of wāhi tapu and cultural heritage
• health, wellbeing, and whānau safety services
• education partnerships and pathways
• fisheries and aquaculture management

Te Tiriti provisions in law ensure the Crown must uphold its obligations when making decisions that affect our people. Removing them removes accountability.

Rahiri said, Ngāti Ranginui stands in full support of Ngāti Hine (Wai 682) and all iwi opposing this regression on Te Tiriti.

We will continue to participate in the Tribunal process, uphold our settlement rights, and protect the interests of our hapū and whānau.

Charlie will present in the afternoon session between 3.50 - 5.00pm.

31/05/2026

🌿 TAURANGA MOANA OPE KI KOKOHINAU MARAE 🌿

Ngāti Ranginui | Ngāi Te Rangi | Ngāti Pūkenga

Kua hinga te tōtara haemata o te wao nui a Tāne. Kei te maringi ngā roimata aroha mōu e Pāpā Hirini. Moe mai rā.

Mō te hunga kāore i tae ā-tinana atu i te Rāhoroi, ka haere tētahi ope tuarua āpōpō ki te tuku mihi aroha ki a Tā Hirini Moko Mead me tōna whānau.

For those who missed the opportunity on Saturday, a second ope will travel tomorrow to pay respects to Sir Hirini Moko Mead and his whānau.

🐚 Rā: Mane, 1 Pipiri 2026

🐟 Wā: 12.00pm te ope

🌊 Tae mai: 11.30am

🪸 Wāhi: Kokohinau Marae, Te Teko Road, Te Teko

28/05/2026

19/05/2026

Representatives of the three iwi of Tauranga Moana, the owners of Mauao recently undertook a four-hour hīkoi to witness the slips and the impact on our ancestral mountain firsthand. What they share in this video comes from a place of deep connection, responsibility, and aroha.

Mauao is not just a landscape, it is an ancestor entrusted to iwi as kaitiaki, to remember its stories, to care for its wellbeing, and to protect its mana for future generations. Seeing the scars upon it brings a profound sense of mamae(sadness), not only for the physical damage, but for what it represents.

While Mauao carries deep significance for its iwi owners, it is also a place that belongs in the hearts of the entire Tauranga community. Generations have walked its tracks, found peace on its summit, and drawn strength from its presence. Its healing will take time, care, and patience but it will be a shared journey. Together, with respect for the leadership of Mauao Trust in collaboration with Tauranga City Council, and a collective commitment to its wellbeing, we can support Mauao’s recovery for the benefit of all.

16/05/2026

Our Kaumatua and tikanga exponents are experts! The court agreed.

POTL contended that it had already funded iwi participation to a considerable level, covering planning, legal and cultural expertise, and that no further cost orders should be made…

…In a joint reply, Ngāti Ranginui Fisheries and Ngāti Ranginui Iwi… said the cost of time spent by a trustee, kaumātua, kuia or other member should be eligible for cost recovery…

"Otherwise, all 'iwi and hapū time' would be unrecoverable, other than those of their experts and lawyers," they said.

The Iwi also submitted that trustees, kaumātua or kuia were not invoicing as per a Western model, rather they were being guided by the kaupapa.

The court agreed with the iwi's position🙌🏾🙌🏾

Judge Kirkpatrick said the port funding some work did not negate the unpaid cultural labour done by others.

"The kaumātua, kuia and other iwi and hapū members who actively participated in the proceedings represented their iwi and/or hapū as experts on the cultural matters before the Court," he said.

"Their role is more analogous to that of in‑house counsel or in‑house experts.

"There is no principled reason why, as experts on cultural matters, iwi and hapū should be precluded from any consideration of costs in respect of their time preparing for and giving evidence."

A company that dragged local iwi and hapū through years of litigation only to walk away at the eleventh hour has been ordered to pay for the cultural work it failed to do itself.

13/05/2026

Here is the link to the role:

https://tinyurl.com/5xfb4bbj

16/02/2026

In light of the recent severe weather events that have impacted our rohe and whānau, we are calling our people together for a Marae Resilience Wānanga.
This wānanga will focus on strengthening the preparedness, safety, and resilience of our marae and hāpori, ensuring we are ready to care for our whānau, uphold our tikanga, and protect our taonga when challenges arise.
Further details will be shared once arrangements are finalised.
Your presence, whakaaro, and experience are vital as we work collectively to support one another and build stronger pathways forward for Ngāti Ranginui.
Nō reira, please mark this date in your calendars and share this pānui with your whānau.
Register for this free wānanga here https://ranginui.co.nz/hui-registration/

14/02/2026

“Tupu te toi, ora te toi, whanake te toi. Te toi i ahu mai i Hawaiki”

Grow the treasure, sustain the treasure, develop the treasure. The treasure that stems from Hawaiki. Nā Kīngi Tāwhiao.

He mihi kau atu ana ki Ngāti Kahungunu, ki te Taiwhenua o Tamatea, ngā tohunga o te manaakitanga, ngā ringa raupā i whakakotahi mai i a tātou ki Waipukurau a Ruakūhā. Tēnā Kōutou.

Ki ngā kapa katoa i tū pakari, i tū maia, e kore rawa e mimiti te aroha me te mihi ki a koutou.

Ki ngā Taipakeke o Ngāti Ranginui, koutou i hāpai te kaupapa, i korowaitia te tira haere, koutou te whakakanohi mai te ohaaki o te kapa, nei rā te reo whakamiha.

Te Kapa Haka o Ngāti Ranginui, kei whea mai!

Congratulations to all the kapa who stood proudly yesterday at the Takitimu – Te Kahu o te Amorangi regional competition in Waipukurau.

We are incredibly proud that Ngāti Ranginui, Tauranga Moana will once again take the stage at Te Matatini, standing alongside Te Rangiura o Wairarapa, Te Kapa Haka o Kahungunu, and Matangirau in Waikato next year.

You carry forward not only the pride of our people, but the teachings handed down by our kaumātua. Those that showed us that excellence is not an act, but a responsibility. Their legacy reminds us that when we teach, we lift others; when we strive for excellence, we honour those who paved the way.

We hope you all take some time to rest before we all turn to support Tutara Kauika, Te Paringa Tai, Te Aranga and the Pakeke teams that will take the stage at the Mataatua Regionals next weekend.

Tihei Takitimu e!
(Photo credit Te Matatini Society Incorporated)