Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors and 2023 voting process

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Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors 
Hāwea/Wānaka Substitute Land
2023 Voting process for Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors to establish their representation

Are you a successor to the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA land? 

SILNA stands for the South Island Landless Natives Act 1906. This Act of Parliament provided for the transfer of land in Te Waipounamu/the South Island and Rakiura/Stewart Island to Māori located in Te Waipounamu/the South Island who had insufficient or no land.

You can read more about SILNA here.

Most SILNA land transferred to the people to whom it had been allocated. However, the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA land that was allocated to 50 individuals did not transfer from the Crown.

Here one of the successors(external link), Theo Bunker, speaks to the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA history. E te Manukura, moe mai rā.

More on the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA history can be found here(external link).

The names of the 50 people who were allocated the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA land can be found here(external link) as the ‘List of original Grantees for Hāwea-Wānaka’.

Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Successors

Te Kooti Whenua Māori/Māori Land Court is responsible for identifying the successors to the individuals allocated the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA land.

The current list of identified successors can be found here(external link).

To succeed to a desceased person on the list, apply to the Te Kooti Wheneua Māori/Māori Land Court- Te Waipounamu using the form here.(external link)

Further information about the succession process go to: SILNA | Māori Land Court (xn--morilandcourt-wqb.govt.nz)(external link)

Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors are entitled to redress under Section 15 of the Ngāi Tahu deed of settlement.

Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors are encouraged to keep their contact details current with Te Kooti Whenua Māori/Māori Land Court via the online form: 

Update your details - Hāwea Wānaka Substitute SILNA block | Māori Land Court (xn--morilandcourt-wqb.govt.nz)(external link)

Hāwea/Wānaka Substitute Land

The Hāwea/Wānaka Substitute Land is committed to the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors under section 15 of the Ngāi Tahu deed of settlement.  

It has an area of approximately 50.7 hectares. The Substitute Land, known locally as ‘Sticky Forest’, is located north-east of Wānaka township, and south of where Lake Wānaka feeds into Mata-Au/Upper Clutha River. 

Te Arawhiti administers this land and has contracted a private company to regularly inspect the land, and advise on forestry management. 

 

2023 Voting process for Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors to establish their representation

It was identified that representation was needed for the successors for the period before the Substitute Land transfers. Further information about why representation is needed is available here.(external link)

Te Arawhiti, along with Te Puni Kōkiri, facilitated a process for Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors identified by Te Kooti Whenua Māori/Māori Land Court to establish an interim representative body. 

The ‘2023 Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Successors: Establish Your Interim Representation’ information booklet can be found here. [PDF, 12 MB]

Nominees in 2023

A total of 14 valid nominations were received by Election Services.  These 14 nominees were the candidates for election to represent the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors.

Voting Phase- 16 October to 27 November 2023

Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA successors had the opportunity to vote in favour of up to five of the nominees to form the representative body. This process was overseen by Election Services, as the independent returning officer. Voting closed on 27 November 2023.

Formation of representative body - April 2024

On 15 April 2024 the five highest polling candidates met to form the representative body and named it the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Group. The Terms of Reference for the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Group can be found here [PDF, 15 MB].

The members of Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Group appointed Lorraine Rouse as their Chair.

On 15 April 2024, Te Arawhiti provided the Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Group with information as to the Substitute Land committed to the successors, and the parties discussed a process to position the successors to make the decisions required of them under Section 15 of the Ngai Tahu Deed.

The Hāwea/Wānaka SILNA Group is currently considering next steps, including future communications to the successors.

Further updates will be posted on this webpage.

Questions related to this topic can be emailed to SILNA@tearawhiti.govt.nz