Governance

Margaret Mutu, Chairperson

Margaret is also Te Rarawa from Ahipara and Ngāti Whātua, from the Northern Wairoa on her father’s side and of the Robertson clan of Scotland on her mother’s side. She is the Chairperson of Karikari marae and of Kāpehu Marae (in the Northern Wairoa).

Margaret has three adult children and six grandchildren. Her home is on Karikari beach, and she works at the University of Auckland where she is the Professor of Māori Studies. She specializes in Māori language and society, He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Māori Claims against the Crown, Māori rights and Constitutional Issues, Resource Management, Fisheries, and Conservation.

She has published many journal articles and book chapters, and four books. The books include one with her uncle, McCully Matiu on her hapū, Te Whānau Moana: Ngā Kaupapa me ngā Tikanga; with several other Hapū Researchers on our iwi, Ngāti Kahu: Portrait of a Sovereign Nation; and one on Māori rights, The State of Māori Rights. Local, National, and International Media call on her frequently to comment on Māori issues. Margaret has a BSc in mathematics, an MPhil with 1st class honours in Māori studies, a PhD in Māori studies and linguistics and is a Fellow of The Royal Society of New Zealand Te Apārangi. She also holds a Diploma in Teaching and a Certificate in Company Direction.

As Chairperson of Te Rūnanga, Margaret has led several claims against the Crown to the Waitangi Tribunal, pursued legal action against Councils on Resource Management Issues and participated in many actions taken in pursuit of the recognition of Māori Rights. She was the lead Claimant Researcher for the successful Muriwhenua Land Claims and is the Chief Negotiator for Ngāti Kahu’s Claims against the British Crown.

She has represented Ngāti Kahu on the National Iwi Chairs Forum since its inauguration in 2005. Within the Forum she chairs the Aotearoa Independent Monitoring Mechanism which monitors the New Zealand Government’s Compliance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. With Dr. Moana Jackson, she set up and chairs the Independent Working Group on Constitutional Transformation – Matike Mai Aotearoa.

She also chairs Te Pou Tikanga which deals with Te Tiriti o Waitangi matters within the Forum. She has represented Ngāti Kahu, Māori Congress and then National Iwi Chairs Forum in United Nations Indigenous Rights Forums. She has also served on many other committees and boards including the New Zealand Conservation Authority, the Board of the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) Ltd and the Board of Enquiry into the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement.