Response to Rahui Papa, Chairperson of Te Arataura
The views expressed by Te Arataura and TGH towards investment in ASCT differ significantly. Rahui expressed the importance of investment in social, cultural, environmental and economic sustainability; however, Craig focused primarily on financial returns, which he confirmed was the primary expectation of TGH. The differing stance at governance level is the reason behind the direction of current tribal investments and the prioritization of economic growth.
In response to the development of a new highway leading away from the Waikato region, it is highly likely that the government strategically developed the new highway to be accessible to mainstream tourism providers such as Hobbiton near Matamata. Furthermore, the new highway bypass is only an additional 10-minute drive from Huntly, and close to both Hopuhopu and Ngaruawahia, the headquarters for Te Kīngitanga (Ministry for Culture & Heritage, 2005). The new highway could be seen as an opportunity to establish ASCT within the Waikato region.
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As stated earlier, the tribe could consider developing a cultural tourism package with Waitomo Caves which has been operating successfully for over 125 years. Waitomo Caves is owned by the Waikato-Maniapoto iwi and located within the Waikato region. After conducting a case study at Waitomo Caves, the business has expressed interest in the potential development of a cultural tourism package with Waikato-Tainui. The head office of Waitomo Caves (THL) is located in Auckland and a large proportion of the business includes rental cars and campervans, such as Maui and Britz, which can be linked to ASCT, through providing private transportation to the free independent traveller (FIT) market. The potential development of ASCT in Kawhia, as the original landing site of the Tainui Canoe to New Zealand, was also part of the cultural tourism package centred on an ‘eco- cultural corridor’. A scoping study was commissioned by Waitomo Caves (Davis, 2015) exploring possible expansion into this area.
The promotion of ASCT requires collaborative planning and thinking. ASCT must be marketed at a global scale, and investment in communal and private transportation from the Auckland Airport needs to be undertaken to ensure overseas guests visit the Waikato to experience what the tribe has to offer. I believe that investment in adjoining sustainable eco-friendly accommodation such as a hotel, motel or lodge is crucial, to ensure visitors enjoy the full experience of Te Kīngitanga and the Waikato people. In simple terms, ASCT is about competing with mainstream tourism providers such as the Novotel hotel chain, rather than competing with existing Māori cultural tourism providers. However, the major distinction is that these businesses are driven by tribal entities and infused with tribal culture, employing skilled tribal descendants with a focus on sustainability.
Historically, the Waikato people have lacked involvement in tourism, and particularly cultural tourism. Culture was not seen as a commodity, but rather a part of life, and the selling of that culture sits uncomfortably for many Māori. Unfortunately, due to lack of investment, Māori have been denied the rewards that cultural tourism can generate, such as long-term employment, independence and cultural preservation. Waikato has a reputation for being a tribe based on humility and perseverance, despite massive upheaval such as the illegal confiscations of Waikato lands in the 1860s. Although our ancestors did not receive any monetary return for their excellent hospitality of guests, they established a reputation of manaaki and aroha to all people, including global leaders such as Nelson Mandela, Queen Elizabeth and the Royal Family, the Prince and Princess of Japan, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, the Royal leaders of the Pacific Island Nations, indigenous leaders throughout the world and many prime ministers of New Zealand. The teachings of our ancestors have been instrumental in educating the next generation, so they can grow with pride and integrity, producing long-term benefits for the collective.
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With regard to the sharing of knowledge, ASCT does not require the exhibition of the tribe’s most precious and sacred knowledge. ASCT entails the need for whānau, hapū and iwi to collectively decide what is suitable and appropriate to share with guests. For example, a tailored exhibition can be designed for different tour groups such as schools, businesses, other iwi, Pākehā and overseas tourists, which will require the employment of a multi-lingual translator or the use of translation kits. The tribe can consider sharing the general history about Waikato-Tainui; however, the stories must be delivered by the tribe from a true, empowering and positive perspective. If tribal members are driving ASCT themselves, the intention and purpose behind our ancestors’ teachings will be maintained for current and future generations. I believe it is also important to acknowledge those leaders of the past, such as Sir Robert Mahuta, who made huge sacrifices and worked tirelessly to put in place the Waikato Raupatu Settlement 1995 and the Waikato River Settlement 2010. The leadership of the past had strategically planned in advance for the future wellbeing of the tribe, on most occasions without any form of income or compensation. Tribal investments such as education grants, scholarships and the recent revenue generated from the Settlement’s Relativity Clause were possible because of the drive, clever thinking and determination initiated by past leadership.
Response to Craig Stephen, Chief Investment Officer of Tainui Group Holdings
In his comments, Craig immediately dismissed the value of allocating $20-$30 million of tribal funds towards a cultural centre at Hopuhopu, without a feasibility study being conducted. He claims that such a development may become a ‘white elephant investment’ even though the tribe has not undertaken a sustainable investment of this kind in the past. However, Craig advocates for substantial tribal investment of $300 million, including significant tribal land, in another western-based development at Ruakura, which obviously highlights the priority and direction of TGH governance. Also, it was emphasised that Māori tourism providers are generally ‘mum and dad type operations that employ only 5 employees’. ASCT is not focused on developing small family-run businesses like the majority of Māori tourism businesses in New Zealand. ASCT is targeted at an iwi-level capacity, to maximise full potential within the industry, and compete with the multitude of Pākehā-owned tourism businesses that exist, in order to be financially sustainable.
In response to the statement made by Craig regarding the ‘potential of creating a white elephant’, I believe that investments in the Novotel/Ibis Hotels in Hamilton can be viewed in the same light. The number of visitors to Hamilton CBD has fluctuated over the past five years in particular, especially since the development of The Base Shopping Centre in Te Rapa, which attracts a significant clientele. The philosophy behind the development of
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these hotels is not unique as they represent replicas of overseas mainstream tourism providers that rely heavily on conflicting businesses such as the Casino to attract customers. As a result, the hotels will require continual upgrading and maintenance to compete for future customers. Furthermore, the Novotel Tainui Hotel at Auckland Airport is ‘outperforming the other Tainui hotels’ because the investment caters for a significant number of international tourist travellers, which signifies the vital importance of the tourism industry for the future growth of the tribe.
All due diligence, feasibility studies and planning to identify information such as the ideal location, consents, risks and costs will need to be undertaken before any development can proceed. The product must be delivered by indigenous peoples with a cultural element and sustainable long-term focus. As Māori culture is the second reason why international guests visit New Zealand, following the natural landscape, Waikato-Tainui and other iwi are in an ideal position to lead this major growth industry. I believe it is vital to recognise and celebrate the unique attributes of Waikato-Tainui and their ability to deliver an authentic cultural experience through Te Kīngitanga. An experience of this kind would be timeless, unique, traditional, and sustainable and would not be found in any other country throughout the world.
Overall, despite the differing views between Te Arataura and TGH, the response from Waikato-Tainui governance is generally positive towards the potential development of ASCT in the Waikato. Although governance highlighted the challenges and requirements for such an investment, it is vitally important to ensure the goals of achieving ASCT are achieved, which includes the direct involvement of whānau, marae and hapū throughout the initial planning, operation and delivery process of the enterprise. After all, can TGH or tribal governance provide any single form of investment that contributes significantly to the social, cultural, environmental, economic and sustainable growth of the tribe?
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