Ngāti Tūwharetoa are descended from Ngātoro-i-rangi, the tohunga who navigated Te Arawa canoe and have held ahi ka in the Taupō catchment for seven generations.  We are made up of 26 active and vibrant marae and 32 hapū.  Ngāti Tūwharetoa are privileged to still hold a hereditary ariki under the leadership of Te Ariki Tumu te Heuheu

Ngāti Tūwharetoa hold 41% of whenua Māori (not including Taupō Waters and the general title land purchased) in the Taupō Catchment.  Predominately these lands are governed by ahu whenua trusts who run successful forestry, beef and sheep farming in their own right.

For Ngāti Tūwharetoa, the glistening waters of Lake Taupō and the tributaries are a direct link to our whakapapa, each other, and our place – all starting at the source Kāhui Maunga.

This presentation gives a small insight into the commitment of Ngāti Tūwharetoa to the holistic health of our Taupō waters that have spanned generations. This has primarily been led by the way in which we manage our whenua – the water is a mirror of what happens on the land.