Nau mai, haere mai,
Whangaroa Papa Hapū was formed out of a shared desire to hold and protect the stories of our hapū and whānau. It grew from kōrero, relationships, and the coming together of people who knew that our history needed to be gathered, understood, and carried forward with care.
Between 2011 and 2018, whānau gathered evidence, researched and recorded our history, before submitting these historical claims to the Waitangi Tribunal. This marked a journey toward healing, recognition, and addressing the impacts of historical grievances experienced by our hapū and whānau.
We bring together the stories, histories, and kaupapa that have shaped our journey to this point. We share where we have come from, the work that has been carried out, and what lies ahead — so that whānau can understand, reconnect, and take part in shaping what comes next.
The focus of Whangaroa Papa Hapū is on caring for the integrity of our kōrero and supporting a hapū-led path forward, where decisions are made by hapū and guided by the collective aspirations of ngā hapū o Whangaroa.
Whangaroa Papa Hapū works toward supporting this journey, helping to ensure ngā hapū o Whangaroa are prepared and positioned to engage with the Crown for the benefit of whānau now and our mokopuna to come.
Hono Mai | about connection
Hono Mai is an invitation for hapū and whānau to stay connected and informed as work continues on kaupapa that affects ngā hapū o Whangaroa.
By registering your details, we can share updates as this work develops, including updates on Treaty settlement-related activity and other areas of importance to our hapū. This supports timely and accessible communication with whānau.
Sharing your details also helps build an accurate picture of our people. This informs planning and communication, and supports appropriate representation of hapū and whānau when engagement opportunities arise.
Registration is about connection and communication. It does not hand over authority or make decisions on behalf of hapū. Participation is entirely voluntary.
Your details will be held securely and used only to keep you informed.
Mā Wai Tēnei | about who
Registration is open to:
- whānau who affiliate to any marae or hapū within the Whangaroa rohe
- whāngai, registering on their own behalf, or by their legal Whangaroa guardian
If you prefer to simply download the registration form, your completed copy can be sent to our Kaitiaki Rēhita Whānau at admin@whangaroahapu.org.nz
If you have any questions or need support, our whānau are here to help.
Ahau | indigenous digital database
Honouring Māori rights in the data realm is an urgent and growing priority. In Aotearoa, government agencies hold significant amounts of data about Māori, raising important questions around access, use, protection, and control.
The Āhau digital database is an indigenous–led platform introduced to Whangaroa Papa Hapū in 2021 by co-founder Ben Tairea. Following an eighteen month establishment and trial phase, weekly training sessions were delivered in 2023 to build capability among interested hapū members.
Eight whānau and two hapū kaitiaki now manage their own databases, with one further kaitiaki having established an independent hapū database. This reflects the long-term vision of enabling ngā hapū o Whangaroa to hold and manage their own data.
Āhau is a decentralised digital archive, created by Māori, for Māori, and grounded in tikanga at every stage. It supports the wider movement for Māori data and digital sovereignty, contributing to a global conversation about what Indigenous sovereignty looks like in the digital space.
As a distributed application, data is stored only on the user’s own device or within networks of their choosing. In essence, users retain ownership and control of their data. Information can be accessed both online and offline, with optional pātaka (cloud-based storage) integrated into the platform. This enables individuals and hapū to determine what is shared, and who can access it.
The software is open source, enabling other Indigenous communities worldwide to adapt it to suit their own needs. It represents a different vision of the internet — one that is localised, values-driven, and designed to serve communities rather than profit.
Whangaroa Papa Hapū has implemented Āhau not only as a secure digital archive to be transitioned to hapū. kaitiaki, but also as a communications database for whānau who whakapapa to Whangaroa tūpuna.
Information collected through registration is securely stored and will transition to hapū kaitiaki once they are identified and confirmed. Whānau may also choose to provide consent to receive ongoing communications directly from Whangaroa Whangaroa Papa Hapū.
Over the past two years, this kaupapa has been sustained through voluntary effort. We gratefully acknowledge those who have generously given their time and support. the contributors for their generous support.