Trustees

He mokopuna ahau nā Tamehana Gardiner, ā, he waimarie ahau i te tipu ake i raro i tōna maru i Rotomā, i te wā i tū tonu ai te whare tawhito i runga i tō tātou whenua, arā, Rotomā No. 1 Trust. Ko te kāinga tērā i whakatipuhia ai au ki ngā uara o tō tātou iwi. Kei ahau he hōnore nui te tū hei kaitiaki mō Te Tahuna, me te mōhio ko tēnei he ara e taea ai e au te whakahoki atu ki tō tātou whānau me tō tātou hapū. I am the mokopuna of Tamehana Gardiner. I was fortunate to be raised by him at Rotomā during the time when the old farmhouse still stood on our Rotomā No. 1 Trust land. It was there I was brought up with the values of our people. It is a privilege to serve as a Trustee for Te Tahuna, as it gives me the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the development and wellbeing of our whānau and hapū. My background spans education, general management, and Director-level roles across the health and Māori sectors. I have long been committed to advancing the wellbeing of Māori, and this role as a Trustee is another pathway to help uplift the mana of our whenua, our whānau, and our future generations. I am deeply committed to supporting the aspirations of our tūpuna and helping shape a thriving future for us all. “Ko te amorangi ki mua, ko te hāpai ō ki muri.” “The leader at the front, the supporters behind.” This reflects the importance of strong, collective leadership — where each person has a role to play — and aligns with the spirit of service and responsibility held by Ngāti Pikiao and Tamateatutahi.

He uri whakaheke ahau nō Hiria Te Warihi. Ko Tally Arapeta Williams tōku koroua, ko Cathy Williams tōku māmā.Whenua, whakapapa and whānau are mātāpono that guide my thinking and contributions to Te Tahuna Trust.

I have governance experience across a number of entities and enjoy the challenge of being a good kaitiaki who makes mokopuna decisions.

I’ve worked in the public sector for most of my life and see the benefit of bringing the tools and experience from that mahi, to advance our collective aspirations.

Rau Egelen is 69 years old, married with five children and 14 moko. Rau has lived in Rotoiti most of his life, working for Mercury.

He’s been a Trustee for three years, is active at the marae, golf club, and sports clubs.

Ko Pini Tahana tenei. No nga whānau Tahana me Malcolm ia. I tipu ia ki Tapuaeharuru. He tamaiti o te Pa. I have spent my working life at the Māori Land Court, retiring after 35 years in 2017.

I am the cultural monitor for the Rotoiti-Tapuaekura Marae sewage scheme project. Additional responsibilities encompass marae and hapū support, patronage and vice presidency of Hinehopu Golf Club, and committee member of the Rotoiti Sports Club. Most recently nominated as a trustee of Te Tahuna Trust.

Kia mau kite whenua.

I tipu au mai te kōpū o tōku māmā ki te pito ki te rāwhiti o Te Rotoiti I kite ai e Ihenga, ka titiro ki runga ko toku maunga ā ko Matawhaura e tu whakamana ana, ka titiro ki waho ko tōku roto e haruru mai ana, karapotia au ko toku Marae, ko Tapuaeharuru, ko toku hapu, ko Ngāti Tamateatutahi, Ngāti Kawiti, ko toku Iwi Ngāti Pikiao e kakapa mai ana.

He mokopuna ahau nā Lewis Te Tikao Gardiner, ko Davey Gardiner tōku pāpā.

As a newly appointed trustee for Te Tahuna Trust, I bring my professional experience in share register services with strong skills in governance support, accuracy, and shareholder communication, offering practical knowledge of shareholder engagement, with a sound understanding of compliance and reporting.

My aspiration is to protect and enhance the whenua, ensuring it remains a taonga for future generations.