Background

Hey there! Did you know that the Whangaruru marine environment is facing some serious challenges? Overfishing, pollution, climate change, and habitat loss are causing big problems for the plants, animals, and people who rely on the ocean. That’s why we need to act now to restore and protect our marine environment. It’s also super important to raise awareness and educate everyone about why our oceans are so valuable!

Moemoera (Vision) – The Thousand Year Plan

Hey there! Want to hear something cool? In 1990, we took a look way back to the year 1590 and then peeked into the future to the year 2490 to imagine what our world could be like. We call this our “Thousand Year Plan.” In our culture, we believe that understanding the past helps us shape the future.

Whangaruru is our special place, a name that means “a place of shelter.” For over 500 years, it has been a home to our people, the tangata whenua (indigenous people), and more recently, to newcomers who joined us along our beautiful shores.

The lands and waters of Whangaruru have given us so much—shelter, warmth, and food. But they provide more than just the basics. They give us fresh air, stunning sunrises and sunsets, the phases of the moon, tides, winds, and all kinds of weather. Plus, we have amazing fish, trees, birds, and insects that make our world magical and nurture our souls.

But today, things aren’t as great as they used to be. Our rivers and ocean are polluted, wetlands have been destroyed, and the creatures that live at the bottom of our waters are struggling to survive. The temperatures are rising, the water is becoming more acidic, and many fish are disappearing. Climate change is real, and we need to act fast to make things better.

So, how do we give back to our lands and waters? We need to rediscover the wisdom of our ancestors and combine it with modern knowledge to restore and protect our environment. It’s time for us to take the lead in caring for Whangaruru.

That’s where the Mohimohi Moana project comes in! Our goal is to bring abundant life back to our waters and lands. We want to use sustainable fishing practices, create ocean gardens, and move from just hunting and gathering to actually gardening the sea.

We also like to support the Whangaruru catchment area by getting rid of pests and harmful weeds, so our magnificent trees can grow again on our hillsides and in our valleys. We want to hear the birds singing, insects buzzing, leaves covering the forest floor, and see our rivers running clear into a vibrant ocean full of life.

Join us on this journey to make Whangaruru flourish once again!

Mohimohi Moana Logo

Mohimohi Moana is about taking care of the ocean.
In the logo design the letter M reinforces Mohimohi Moana, a proclamation aligning with Nature’s guardians and protectors of the moana. The letter M also stands for our Mokopuna (grandchildren) who are the ones who will inherit these lands.

The symbol in the middle symbolises two kaitiaki of Ngāti Wai, the Stingray a guardian in the moana; and the Sea Hawk a guardian above the moana.
When they are in motion the moana parts and waves are caused, a sign of life in motion.

Mohimohi Moana – Taking Care of the Ocean

Hey kids! Did you know that as Tangata Whenua (people of the land), it’s our job to take care of our waters and lands? That’s where the Mohimohi Moana project comes in! We’re on a mission to help Whangaruru become more beautiful and full of life again.

Here’s what we’re doing:

  • Sustainable Fishing: We’re using something called Rahui to fish in a way that doesn’t harm the environment, making sure there’s plenty of fish for the future.
  • Ocean Gardens: Instead of just catching fish, we’re growing plants and animals in the ocean, like gardeners of the sea!

But that’s not all! We’re also:

  • Restoring Whangaruru: We are supporting community initiatives in cleaning up our lands and waters by getting rid of pests and harmful weeds. This way, our amazing trees can grow tall again on our hillsides and in our valleys.
  • Bringing Back Wildlife: We want to hear birds singing, insects buzzing, and see leaves covering the forest floor. We want our river waters to be clear and flow into an ocean full of life.

Join us and be a part of making Whangaruru a magical place once more!

Ocean Garden

An Ocean Garden is a special area in the sea where we grow and take care of native marine plants and animals. Our project plans to create an Ocean Garden with a few cool features:

  • Wetlab: This is a controlled environment where we can test and study biological samples to learn more about the sea life.
  • Marine Hatchery: This is where we take care of Broodstock and spat (baby sea creatures) to help them grow and develop just like they would in the wild.

As part of this project, we’ll also gather and recover mātauranga moana, which is the traditional Māori knowledge about the sea and its species. We’ll learn from our whanau and hapu about how people used to grow Maara Moana (sea gardens) in the past, how different species interact in the marine ecosystem, and how we historically gathered kaimoana (seafood).

We’ll focus on identifying important species like paua (abalone), scallops, crayfish, snapper, mussels, and seaweed, as well as new species that are appearing because of rising sea temperatures.

Benefits of a Marine Garden

A marine garden can bring lots of benefits, such as:

  • Healthier Marine Environment: By increasing the variety of habitats and connecting them, we make the marine environment stronger and healthier.
  • Scientific Research: We can learn a lot about marine life by studying how different species grow, survive, and behave in the garden. Plus, you can join in as a kaitiaki (guardian)
  • Fun and Learning: The Ocean Garden will be a great place for the public to visit, observe, and learn about marine life. You’ll get to see amazing sea creatures up close and discover how important and beautiful our oceans are.

Join us in creating the Ocean Garden and help make our marine environment flourish again!

Mohimohi Moana Advisory Group.

Robert Carpenter
Howard Reti (Chair)
Lamia Hoori
Albert Pita
Perry Davis
Louise Clarke
Karen Field
Nicole Miller
Keir Volkerling
Bruce Williams

Taurikiriki Roopu

Paige Causer
Andre Hetaraka (Chair)
Hazel Hetaraka – Ryder
Brodie Hetaraka

Kaumatua & Kuia Advisory Group

Robert Carpenter (Chair)
Howard Reti
Lamia Hoori
Albert pita
Perry Davis

Howard Reti: Mohimohi Moana Project Coordinator

Howard Reti of Ngāti Wai, Ngāpuhi and Ngati Awa descent was brought up along the Ngāti Wai coastline in Whangaruru. A traveller worldwide, his favourite place has always been Whangaruru where he led outdoor education programs for youth. He also delivered Noho marae wananga on Cross-cultural education and Education Outside the Classroom for trainee teachers from Auckland University for over 20 years.

He is an author of two children’s books written in Maori and English Tangata Nunui Tangata Nohinohi (Humans Big and Small) and He Purakau Kina mo nga Tamariki ( An Urchin Story For Children).
“Writing books is one way to give back to the moana to create awareness and educate about our customary values and practices of our ancestors.”

Howard

Ngāti Wai (The Water People)

“Ko nga mana katoa o Ngāti Wai kei te wai, i ngā taniwha me o rātou manawa,”
said by Morere Piripi, kaumatua of Ngāti Wai, and later translated by Witi McMath as,
“All the mana of Ngāti Wai comes from the sea, from its guardian taniwha and their spiritual force”.