Ko Wai Tātou - Who we are
Te Maru o Kaituna
Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority is a co-governance partnership made up of iwi representatives from Tapuika Iwi Authority Trust, Te Kapu Ō Waitaha, Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa Trust, Te Tāhuhu o Tawakeheimoa Trust, Ngāti Whakaue, and council representatives from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Toi Moana, Rotorua Lakes Council,Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Tauranga City Council. It is a permanent joint committee of the four councils.
The purpose of Te Maru o Kaituna is the restoration, protection, and enhancement of the environmental, cultural and spiritual health and well-being of the Kaituna River.
This Pouwhenua situated along the lower Kaituna River represents the many eels once presided in the river during earlier times, however, overtime the local iwi have experienced a depletion of eels within the wider catchment.
Te tini a tuna (Kaituna Action Plan) acknowledges the Kaituna River is a pātaka kai (food basket) and provider of kai awa (food sourced from the river).
This pouwhenua is symbolic of the protection of the fisheries and increase of habitats. The kupenga (net) design depicts a hinaki a woven basket trap used to catch tuna (eel). The tūpuna positioned uppermost is the atua māori Rongomai (protector & advocate) as Rongomātāne he was atua of cultivated plants.
Authority representatives
Your Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority representatives are:
| Organisation | Representative | Alternate | ||
| Tapuika Iwi Authority Trust | Dean Flavell (Chair) | Geoff Rice | ||
| Te Kapu Ō Waitaha / Tapuika Iwi Authority Trust | TBC | TBC | ||
| Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa Trust | Piki Thomas | Rawiri Kingi | ||
| Te Tāhuhu o Tawakeheimoa Trust (Ngāti Rangiwewehi) | Nicki Douglas | Erin Thompson | ||
| Te Komiti Nui o Ngāti Whakaue | Maru Tapsell | Manu Pene | ||
| Bay of Plenty Regional Council | Councillor Matemoana McDonald (Deputy Chair) Councillor Te Taru White (informal member) |
Councillor Jane Nees | ||
| Rotorua Lake Council | Mr Nick Chater (Lake Community Board) |
Councillor Tania Tapsell | ||
| Western Bay of Plenty District Council | Councillor Grant Dally | Deputy Mayor John Scrimgeour | ||
| Tauranga City Council | Commissioner Shadrach Rolleston | Commissioner Bill Wasley | ||