More than 100 movers and shakers attended the Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust karakia ceremony on one of its orchards near Kerikeri recently.
By Susan Botting of Local Democracy Reporting
Tipene said the karakia simultaneously gave thanks for the start of the trust’s 2026 picking season and New Zealand’s nationwide kiwifruit harvest.
The ceremony was held at the trust’s Pukerau orchard at Waipapa.
Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust (NHFT)’s $5.8m 2026 kiwifruit harvest is now begun.
Leaders from Māori business, the kiwifruit industry, councils, and government attended the ceremony for NHFT, one of New Zealand’s biggest Māori trust kiwifruit growers.
Ngāti Rehia kaumātua Kipa Munroe offered the pre‑harvest karakia in the kiwifruit orchard.
He said its purpose was to acknowledge and bless the environment and Papatūānuku for providing this year’s harvest.
“It’s thanking Papatūānuku for allowing all of this to happen on the whenua here,” Munroe said.
Ngāti Hine kuia Te Miringa (Millie) Nicholson buried eight kiwifruit in the ground as part of the ceremony.
Each of the trust’s six orchards contributed a kiwifruit to be buried, along with two additional kiwifruit representing other Kerikeri and Waipapa Seeka‑managed orchards.
Munroe said this part of the ceremony was planting the seed for future harvests.
Zespri head of Māori alliances Nigel Grey said the company was looking to further embed a karakia into the start of each year’s national harvest.
“It’s important to hold on to tikanga. It’s all part of who we are and what we do.”
“We can’t lose these things. It's so important to make sure our kawa (customary practices) still exist,” Grey said.
NHFT is one of New Zealand’s biggest non‑corporate growers, running Northland’s largest Māori‑owned kiwifruit operation.
The trust has 32.17 canopy hectares of gold kiwifruit and expects to produce about 480,000 trays this season.
Tai Tokerau’s regional economic development trust chair Geoff Crawford said the operation was important for Northland’s economy and a key part of the North’s expected $80m kiwifruit harvest this season.
Northland’s strong Māori economy and leadership would play a critical role in shaping the region’s future, Crawford said.
“Collaboration with iwi and hapū will help unlock land development, cultural enterprises and sustainable resource management that benefits everyone.”
Seeka Northland regional orchard manager Dave Potts said the karakia was also a blessing for the people involved in the harvest.
The company is working with NHFT to develop staff orchard management skills towards its kiwifruit enterprise becoming self-sustaining.
NHFT is one of three national finalists in Māori farming’s 2026 Ahuwhenua Trophy – Excellence in Māori Horticulture.
It is the first kiwifruit orchardist in the award’s 93-year history to make these finals from outside the Bay of Plenty.
The trust's kiwifruit team supervisor Rob Manuel is also a finalist in the 2026 Ahuwhenua Young Māori Grower Award.
NHFT reinvests earnings from its kiwifruit operation rather than pay dividends to shareholders, in a bid to grow the asset base for descendants.
Trustee Waihoroi Shortland said this brought economic sovereignty, honouring the call of Ngāti Hine rangatira Te Ruki Kāwiti.
Tipene said the karakia ceremony built on traditions from the past.
Kāwiti had taught his people to think beyond their own generation.
The trust’s gaze was constantly on the future.
“We keep building, always together and optimistic,” Tipene said.
Far North Mayor Moko Tepania said the trust’s approach towards sovereignty was a template for Northland Māori.
– LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
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