<p style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size:12px">The Whakauae Team at the end of our hikoi with Richard Steedman</span></em></p>

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<p>In late August, the Whakauae team visited the former Potaka P&#257; site at M&#333;kai as part of our commitment to learning more about Ng&#257;ti Hauiti, its people and its sites of significance. Richard Steedman (Ng&#257;ti Hauiti, Ng&#257;i Te Ohuake, Ng&#257;ti Tamak&#333;piri, Ng&#257;ti Whitikaupeka), Hap&#363; / Iwi Facilitator and Strategic Advisor for the M&#333;kai P&#257;tea Waitangi Claims Trust as well as a former director of Whakauae, was our iwi guide for the day.</p>

<p>After convening at the Hauiti office in Utiku, we left State Highway 1 travelling east along M&#333;kai Road through the Awarua blocks to M&#333;kai Station. From here it was a h&#8153;koi of two &ndash; three hours over farmland to reach the Potaka P&#257; site beneath the foothills of the Ruahine Ranges. Expansive views across the Rangit&#8153;kei whenua were afforded from the P&#257; site. Here, Richard shared k&#333;rero, whakatau&#257;k&#299; and waiata with us about some of the key iwi events that have taken place at, and around, Potaka P&#257;.</p>

<p>On the return h&#8153;koi, we side-tracked to explore a small stand of bush that included the largest and oldest t&#333;tara tree most of us had probably ever seen. Richard explained some of the uses our iwi had historically made of the various kinds of foliage growing in this stand of bush. We returned to Whanganui late in the afternoon well exercised (!) and having added to our shared kete of knowledge.</p>
