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The hosts of this hui

This hui was been co-organised by the Rakiura Tïtï Islands Committee, the Waihopai community, and the Kia Mau Te Tïtï Mo Ake Tönu Atu research team and Ronda Peacock from the Zoology Department of the University of Otago (the “Mahi Mob”).

The spur to hold the conference came from a request from the Foundation for Research Science and Technology to broaden the perspectives being gained in the Tïtï research project by involving other natural resource users and managers. The tïtï (sooty shearwaters, muttonbirds) chicks are taken each autumn and winter by Rakiura Mäori. The kaitiaki of that traditional harvest are guiding a research project to assess its sustainability or otherwise. You can read about these remarkable birds and the tïtï research project on our web site at http://www.otago.ac.nz/Zoology/titi/index.html

The research project is guided on a day-to-day basis by the Rakiura Tïtï Islands Committee (pictured below) on behalf of the wider Rakiura Mäori birding community. Most sessions of the hui were chaired by members of the Committee.

The Rakiura Tïtï Islands Committee pictured at the 2001 ‘Permit Day’ hui at Takutai o Te Titi Marae, Colac Bay. The committee members work as volunteers organising, managing and guiding the traditional birding and affairs to do with the 36 Tïtï Islands as a whole. This committee acts as research director and ethics committee for the Tïtï research project on day-to-day matters, but the important decisions concerning the research are decided by the community as a whole at permit day or special hui.

The marae hosting this hui belongs to the Waihopai community of Invercargill. Murihiku Marae is situated in Invercargill and sits on 10 acres of land. It is the Local Marae for the Iwi of Kai Tahu, Kati Mamoe and Waitaha, Mäori of New Zealand.

Although not technically correct, the complex as a whole is called “The Marae”. The “Marae” is actually the land in front of the Wharenui (Meeting House) where Manuhiri (visitors) gather while waiting for the Powhiri (ceremonial welcome), by the Mana Whenua (the Home people). The area between the two groups is called the Atea - the place where any words, which may be spoken in anger, fall. When we enter the Wharenui, we remove our shoes so that we do not (symbolically) take any of the problems from the outside, inside.

The Marae complex is made up of the following buildings: The main building, the Wharenui, was opened in February 1990. The Wharekai (Dining Hall) was opened in June 1983 and comfortably seats 130 people. The Wharekai also contains a meeting room, offices, kitchen, ablution areas and three pantries, stage for entertainment. Both the Wharekai and the Wharenui are used for a variety of functions such as weddings, for sleeping, funerals, and entertainment, by a variety of individuals and organisations such as schools, universities and local government.

Murihiku Marae is always available for people to come and visit for as long as they want. The Marae is staffed by volunteers who welcome and care for every visitor.

Murihiku Marae

The hui was well fed by the Murihiku Marae’s ringawera (cooks) pictured below in their hui Tee-shirts.

Ringawera at Murihiku Marae

This hui would not have been possible without the generous financial support of the Foundation for Research Science and Technology to the Kia Mau Te Tïtï Mo Ake Tönu Atu research project and additional support of the Zoology Department of the University of Otago. The Public Good Science Fund grant to Rakiura Mäori allowed us to keep registration, meal and accommodation costs to a minimum and so allow as many stakeholders as possible to attend.