Saturday 28th October saw the respective Chairs of Te Rūnanga o Moeraki, Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua and our very own Dardanelle, along with the CEOs from both Meridian and Genesis signing the Kawanata.
The celebration was hosted by Arowhenua and can I say, they did an amazing job. The day began at 12 midday with a Powhiri for the staff and dignitaries from the generator companies, followed by a cup of tea and some beautiful kai. It was awesome to hear the incredible oratory skills of both Justin Tipa and Tewera King as they gave their whaikōrero. It was also heartening to see so many Waihao faces, especially those who had been involved in the negotiations along the way, Jennifer Thomas, Suzanne Eddington and Jo McLean. It must have been a proud moment to see all the hard work finally get to the sign off point.
The occasion was filmed and photographed by the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu Communication and Engagement Team. It was a momentous occasion given that these consents only come up for renewal every 35 years. There was a focus on passing the rākau to our rangatahi from here and many of us will be too old and doddery in 35 years’ time to be a part of any negotiations. In fact, it was mentioned more than once that this Kawanata should serve as a benchmark for future iterations, and that each one should be an improvement on the last.
