The Te Waipounamu Investment Plan is intended to support the language aspirations and goals of groups and individuals affiliated to Te Ātiawa (South Island), Ngāti Kōata, Ngāti Kuia, Moriori, Ngāti Mutunga (Chatham Islands), Rangitāne (South Island), Ngāti Rārua, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Toa Rangatira (South Island), Ngāti Apa ki Te Rā Tō.

The Investment Plan conceptually reflects a waka, with an overarching vision “He Tai Tonga, He Wai Hono, He Manu Inutai” to express the rich heritage of coastal life and navigation that connects all iwi within Te Waipounamu. It recognises the independent identity of each iwi, at the same time it acknowledges the mutual reliance that each has to work together in unity towards language revitalisation goals.

Paulette Tamati-Elliffe(Te Mātāwai Board Member)
Rita Powick (Tokomaru Waka)
Harata Te Aika (Ngāi Tahu)
Kiwa Hammond (Moriori)
Nuki Takao (Tainui Waka)
Dina Kahaialii (Tainui Waka)
Janis de Thierry (Kurahaupō Waka)
Ward Kamo (Ngāti Mutunga ki Wharekauri)

Te Pae Motuhake mō Te Waipounamu (Te Waipounamu Cluster Panel), representing iwi and Māori, will monitor the plan alongside Te Mātāwai. All Māori language stakeholders within Te Waipounamu and iwi listed in the Te Waipounamu cluster of iwi have a direct interest in the implementation of the plan.

Te Pae Tawhiti : “He Tai Tonga, He Wai Hono, He Manu Inutai” guides the waka, and informs the three investment principles:

1) He Tai Tonga incorporates the many tai; Te Tai Poutini, Te Tai o Mahānui, Te Tai o Marokura, Te Tai o Āraiteuru, Te Ara a Kewa, Te Moana Tāpokopoko a Tāwhaki, Te Moananui-a-Kiwa, and Te Tiritiri o Te Moana (which captures the link through the papa moana to the Chatham Rise to Rēkohu-Wharekauri).

2) He Wai Hono refers to implementation; Te whakakotahitanga o te whakaaro, o te hiahia kia tutuki tahi tātau i ō tātau wawata katoa mō te reo; ko ngā awa e rere iho ana i ngā paemaunga (Kāpuna o Rākaihautū, etc), ko ngā puna wai ora o Te Waipounamu whānui.

3) He Manu Inutai encompasses beneficiaries/stakeholders; Ko te mana ake o ngā iwi, o ngā hapū, o ngā whānau, o ngā marae hoki (all receiving sustenance from the Investment Plan with the ‘tai’ component of ‘inutai’ linking back to the strategy ‘Tai Tonga’).

1)Te Whakaterenga increasing collaborative planning and promotion of te reo Māori revitalisation at a regional, inter-iwi, intra-iwi level.

2)Te Kōrerotanga increasing social, community and iwi based opportunities to be immersed in te reo Māori; and opportunities for tamariki, taiohi, mātua, and kuia and koroua to engage in te reo Māori.

3)Te Whakatūnga opportunities to accelerate engagement that benefits Māori language revitalisation.