Trustee Declaration & Customary Rights Context

Te Pūtaiao Trust operates in alignment with tikanga Māori, Te Tiriti o Waitangi, and the ongoing exercise of Māori customary rights in whenua and moana, including within the Hokianga.

I am the Trustee of Te Pūtaiao Trust, a Hokianga landowner, and a direct descendant of an ancestor who signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The customary rights guaranteed under Te Tiriti were affirmed as continuing rights and have not been relinquished.

The screening and assessment tools developed or supported by Te Pūtaiao Trust are not instruments to define, measure, or validate Māori customary rights. Rather, they are intended as guidance tools for developers, project proponents, agencies, and organisations whose activities may have the potential to affect customary rights, taonga, or kaitiaki responsibilities.

These tools are designed to support early awareness, better decision-making, and responsible engagement by identifying where proposed activities may intersect with customary interests, environmental stewardship obligations, or Treaty responsibilities. They are preventative and educational in nature, not determinative.

Te Pūtaiao Trust’s role is to promote informed processes, uphold tikanga-based principles, and encourage practices that respect enduring customary relationships with land, water, and resources. The Trust does not replace Māori authority or customary governance and does not act as a substitute for direct engagement with affected whānau, hapū, or iwi.

Contact

For enquiries related to:

• the Customary Rights Screening Tool - available soon

• research and submissions

• environmental and policy work

Location: Aotearoa New Zealand