About Te Ātiawa in Te Tau Ihu

Te Ātiawa in Te Tau Ihu

Te Tau Ihu has a rich and colourful pre-European history and was the focus of much travel and conflict between different iwi. The area was nationally renowned among Māori for its bountiful animal life, resources and trails to other parts of Te Waipounamu.

Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui Trust is the statutory authority representing Te Ātiawa members across Te Tau Ihu.
Whilst only one of the 9 iwi within Te Tau Ihu, Te Ātiawa has defined rohe where the iwi holds manawhenua, manamoana, and kaitiaki status (guardianship) over land, water and sea within its tākiwa or territory.

There are three separate rohe of Te Ātiawa within Te Tau Ihu, being: Totaranui – Marlborough; Whakatū – Nelson/Tasman; and, Mohua – Golden Bay. Each rohe is (generally) managed by a different Unitary Authority. To provide sufficient support to those individual rohe, Te Ātiawa has rohe specific management offices to provide support and advice to whānau, territorial authorities and government agencies. In terms of resource consent processes, it is best to contact the head office of Te Ātiawa first to ensure the correct process and contacts can made.

Iwi interests as a whole may also be affected where an activity is to occur within, adjacent to, or affecting an area recognised in the Ngāti Kōata, Ngāti Rārua, Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu, and Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui Claims Settlement Act 2014 as a Statutory Acknowledgement Area. In those circumstances, it would be prudent to make contact with the relevant rohe office of Te Ātiawa as the Iwi will be involved in the management of the area.