Pārahirahi: A case study of Māori tribal leadership

Abstract

‘Pārahirahi: a case study of Māori tribal leadership’ explores the changing nature of marae-based, kin-accountable leadership over time and generations in Pārahirahi, Ngāwhā, Northland. It examines leadership in the context of the relationships between people and land. This thesis takes an historical perspective, discussing leadership and early relationships between people and the wider ancestral landscape encapsulating Pārahirahi and the Ngāwhā geothermal resource, through to contemporary times where leadership is applied by the Pārahirahi C1 Trust. A basic theme throughout the chapters is the opportunities and constraints for applying tribal leadership. The thesis begins by describing the underpinning principles of tribal leadership as a contextual basis to lead into the case study. It utilises the concepts whakapapa and mana as the theoretical basis of leadership, both of which underpin leaders’ rights and responsibilities to serve their kin-community. From this theoretical platform, the thesis then outlines issues in understanding and applying whakapapa within contemporary tribal leadership contexts. The thesis then moves the discussion to the second contextual framework, which concentrates on the origins of leadership through the trajectory of marae. From this point onwards throughout the remainder of the thesis, the case study of leadership in Pārahirahi becomes the central focus. It discusses the disruption of mana whenua and leadership in the Ngāwhā landscape through the Native Land Court. It describes leadership responses to the Court hearings in the face of land alienation. Finally, the thesis outlines the emergence of two contemporary domains of leadership: the trust context, which acts as a contemporary governing body and leadership forum over the Pārahirahi tribal estate. The second domain is the context of Treaty claims. This thesis concludes discussing continued challenges facing the Pārahirahi trust including: the issue of disconnection of marae from their tribal estates; the disconnection between marae and the Trust as the body that exercises leadership in relation to the landscape; and the complexities in applying the twin elements descent and kinship in contemporary leadership.