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Office of Upoko

Customary Leadership

The Office of Upoko provides a mana to mana interface that supports Chairs, leaders and rangatahi.

The position of Upoko is an enduring form of customary leadership within Ngāi Tahu (Ngāi Tahu Settlement Act).

The authority of Upoko is captured in the following pēpēhā:

The pēpēhā by Te Matenga Taiaroa of Kāi Te Ruahikihiki, who declared his authority in Te Waipounamu:

Ko au te Upoko me te hiku o tōku motu

I am the head and tail of my island

The pēpēhā by Ngāi Tūāhuriri Upoko Pita Te Hori:

I ahu mai ōku ture i tōku tipuna i a Tūāhuriri

My laws come from my ancestor, Tūāhuriri

Duties of Upoko

  1. Atawhai the people, protect their rights and maintain harmony within the tribe;
  2. Determine and represent the obligations of ture-wairua;
  3. Be the active face of the rangatiratanga and mana of Ngāi Tahu and its engagement with the Crown;
  4. Maintain and actively assert the customs (kawa, tikaka, riteka and ture) and traditions of mana atua, mana takata and ariki tapu;
  5. Act as Ngāi Tahu representatives for treaties and covenants held with the Crown;
  6. Protect the tribe from the predations of other iwi;
  7. Maintain the authority of the ancestors of Ngāi Tahu in Te Waipounamu; and
  8. Protect the reserves and their usage, kainga nohoanga, mahinga kai and the obligations of Ngāi Tahu to Raki and Papatūānuku.

Murihiku Upoko

Tā Tipene O’Regan

Michael Skerrett

Terry Nicholas

In this section

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    • Office of Upoko
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Latest news

Strong interest in offshore maritime energy development

... including offshore wind, tidal, and wave energy opportunities … Today (Tuesday 11 October), strong representation from Ngāi Tahu, led by Kaiwhakahaere Lisa Tumahai, Gail Thompson (Awarua Rūnaka), Terry Nicholas (Hokonui Rūnanga and Murihiku Regeneration), and supported by Jacqui Caine - Office… Read more

© 2022 Murihiku Regeneration • Website by RS

  • Home
  • About Us
    • Meet the team
    • Structure and Context
    • Office of Upoko
    • Te Rūnaka o Awarua
    • Waihōpai Rūnaka Inc.
    • Ōraka Aparima Rūnaka
    • Hokonui Rūnanga
    • Our Partners
      • MSD Community Connection Service
    • Job vacancies
  • Events
    • Science and Innovation Wānanga
      • Hon Dr Megan Woods
      • Tā Tipene O’Regan (Upoko)
      • Dr Michael Stevens
      • Terry Nicholas
      • Ivan Hodgetts
      • Riki Parata
      • Jana Davis
      • Dr Andrew Forrest AO (Fortescue Group)
      • Professor Sally Brooker (University of Otago)
      • Guy Waipara and James Flannery
      • Professor Frank Griffin and Milton Munro
      • Aditi Cook (Ministry of Education)
      • Rangatahi Tumeke Group
      • RPS Group
      • Mike Shatford
  • Our Mahi
    • Southern Ocean - Murihiku ki te Tonga
      • Subantarctic Islands
      • The Ross Sea Sector
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    • Green Energy
      • Clean Energy Workstream
        • Working Group - Meet the Team
        • Renewable Energy Strategy
        • Documents - Key Reading
        • Have your say
      • Hydrogen and Green Energy
      • Hydrogen and Climate Change
      • Bell Bay Hydrogen Cluster
      • Lake Onslow Hydro Scheme
    • Tiwai Future
      • Preliminary Closure Study
      • Cultural Significance of Tiwai Point
      • Environmental significance of Tiwai Point and surrounds
      • Tiwai Point - a contaminated site
      • Key documents and further reading
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    • Te Ao Tūroa - Environment
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      • Te Tapu o Tāne Ltd
      • Climate change
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    • Te Ara Aukati Kore - Education, Training, and Capability
      • LEARNZ Hokonui Restoration: Tech in Te Taiao
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    • Building Sustainable and Resilient Communities
    • Regional System Leadership
    • Just Transition
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