Ko te ahurei taiao, He tupu hāpai, Kia tau te wa. Our future for nature requires a unique spiritual and uplifting action.
Te Ahutai is led by Ngāti Rēhia and will be carrying out pest control on Ngāti Rēhia whenua Māori.
A whenua Māori pest management plan has been developed to support the wider Purerua-Mataroa peninsula’s Predator Free 2050 (PF2050) programme and to support the aspirations of Te Runanga o Ngāti Rēhia of the restoration within Ngāti Rēhia whenua.
Each working block will be carried out differently by Te Ahutai with the overall objective of eliminating possums and feral cats from the Purerua Mataroa peninsula. Te Ahutai will also continue the suppression of rats and mustelids on Ngāti Rēhia whenua.
With estuarine systems, wetlands, coastal areas, bush blocks, Ngāti Rēhia whenua has a lot of potential to truly become a safe haven for our native biodiversity to thrive.
Our logo was the winning design by Grace Walsh. She chose the fernbird (Mātātā) as it is a unique NZ Native Bird, not often recognised and would spark curiosity. If a Fernbird is present, it is an indicator of the health of the whenua as it requires ecologically diverse habitats that are rich in food supplies. It can only fly short distances and is again, an indicator of successful pest control within the whenua as these birds spend almost all of their time just off the ground, dating and hopping in and out of vegetation.
Their waiata are beautifully haunting and can be heard before they are seen as they are well camouflaged, with feathers that look like a kahu huruhuru. The colours of the text mirror the Ngāti Rēhia logo. The unfurling of the mamaku fern signifies new life and new journeys which will be created within Te Ahutai. The two taiaha incorporated into the tail pointing down in guard position along with the kahu huruhuru to reflect Ngāti Rēhia protection of Te Ahutai. The Fernbird is believed to see into the future – a wise oracle.
