Tatau Pounamu Collective
Collectively nurturing our future
Tatau Pounamu (TP) is a vision for Eastside Rotorua to be a safe place where every tamaiti (child) reaches their potential. The meaning of Tatau Pounamu reflects this – those who were historically in a Tatau Pounamu space during Maori battle were provided a safe haven, as a place of security.
The Tatau Pounamu Collective (TPC) is a community collective of stakeholders using environmental and health initiatives to engage with the Rotorua Eastside community. The collective is working towards providing a safe haven for tamariki (children) on the Eastside, providing an opportunity for them to reach their full potential. The whakaaro (plan) behind the Tatau Pounamu Collective mahi (work) comes from a community-led approach that supports many people and organisations to work together towards a shared vision.
A number of different champions support Tatau Pounamu in different ways and at different levels. The champions currently around the table include:
- Te Roro o te Rangi
- Uenukukopako
- Hurungaterangi
- Department of Internal Affairs (DIA)
- Mokoia Community Association (MCA)
- Department of Conservation (DOC)
- Owhata Primary School
- Eastern Rotorua Kāhui Ako (including approx 5 Eastside schools and 12 ECE’s)
- Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC)
- Horizon Education Consultancy
- Hannahs Bay Ratepayers Association
- Eastside Residents
- Owhata Medical Centre
- Public Health Nurse
- Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC)
- Rotorua East Lions Club
- Plunket
The Tatau Pounamu Collective has made a commitment to using community-led principles in working alongside our residents to identify and meet their needs. These principles include working collaboratively and using a strengths-based, capacity building approach to work alongside our Eastside communities. The collective covers an area from the Waiohewa Stream to the Puarenga Stream.
The TPC team
Pou Ao (environmental lead), Pou Pori (social wellbeing lead), Pou Awhi (support & coordination lead). The Pou work closely together to implement the Tatau Pounamu 2019 strategy, alongside the TPC champions, Taiao (environment) and Piripoho (health & wellbeing) working groups, volunteers, residents, and other stakeholders.