THE WHAOA CHARITABLE TRUST INC (2005)
The Trust is a Mana Whenua
Trust whose beneficiaries are the descendants of the original Maori owners of the Paeroa Maunga Block (Rotomahana -Parekarangi
3a) awarded by the Native Land Court in 1888. Their principal line of descent is from TAMATEWARO a son
of Whaoa whose grandfather MAAKA migrated to New Zealand on the the Arawa canoe. This land contains:
THE WAIOTAPU GEOTHERMAL FIELD
The Waiotapu Geothermal Field is located at the
northern end of the Reporoa Valley, 23 km southeast of Rotorua City. With a surface area of 17 km2 and a natural
heat discharge rate of some 550 MW, it is one of the largest fields in New Zealand. The country is
short of generation capacity and commercial energy interests believe that on current economics, geothermal offers the lowest
cost additional supply. Much of this land was acquired from tangata whenua in the early 1900's
and protected as a Scenic Reserve. It is currently unavailabe for commercial development for envionmental impact reasons,
however modern technology and the
need for renewable energy could well see future governments
pressured into making some of this resource available in the national interest.
The trust
acts as a kaitiaki (guardian) to ensure these lands remain protected and not exploited by government sponsored commercial
interest or other Iwi who do not have mana whenua.
The Whaoa Charitable Trust Inc is
NOT a mandated Iwi Authority or Representative body - but challenges Ngati Tahu's claim of mana whenua over the
same land. Ngati Tahu formed a collective with another
branch of Ngati Whaoa who descend from WAIHUKA also a son of Whaoa and was first recognised as the Ngati Tahu - Ngati Whaoa Iwi in the Maori Fisheries Act 2004 and the Affiliate Te Arawa
Iwi & Hapu Settlement Act 2008.
