First hui to approve Te Puia ownership handover

The signing of the proposed vesting arrangements for Te Puia NZMACI this month are (from left) Te Ururoa Flavell, and Malcolm Short. Photo/file

The first hui to discuss the Te Puia and New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute vesting process will take place next week.

A vesting agreement has been initialled that will ultimately transfer ownership of Te Puia and New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute from the Crown to iwi.

Relevant iwi members now have the chance to vote in support or opposition to the vesting through an endorsement process.

The first hui to discuss the vesting is being held this Tuesday with the owners of Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust.

Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust chairman Malcolm Short said he was delighted to get to this stage.

"If approved the Te Puia New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute business will transfer into the ownership and control of a new entity, the Te Puia New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute Limited Partnership."

He said the partners would be Wahiao Tuhourangi o Whakarewarewa, the hapu of Ngati Hurungaterangi, Ngati Taeotu, Ngati Kahu and the Pukeroa Oruawhata Trust on behalf of Ngati Whakaue.

Mr Short said the Pukeroa Trust hui, at the Rotorua Novotel at 5.30pm, would explain the proposed vesting and answer any questions.

"Our hui will be presented by David Tapsell, one of our own trustees who assisted us in the complex negotiations process to have this business returned to Maori ownership."

The three hapu will have their own hui on June 28 and Wahiao Tuhourangi o Whakarewarewa on July 9.

Mr Tapsell said he was excited about the future of Te Puia in Maori ownership.

He said the partnership would ensure the training of the next generation of carvers, weavers and sculptors would continue.

Once the endorsement process is finished, an official signing of the Vesting Agreement will take place. The vesting will then be finalised by way of an Act of Parliament next year.

The land on which the tourist attraction operates in the Whakarewarewa Valley was returned to iwi in 2009.