Hikurangi Enterprises Limited
Hikurangi Enterprises was formed in response to a Hapu cluster economic development plan that recommended the establishment of an entity to drive economic development and employment across the Waiapu area. It was envisioned that this entity would support the whanau and hapu clusters, landowners and the wider community. At the time this included communities between Waipiro Bay and Rangitukia on the East Coast.
Due to rapid growth since its inception, HEL now reaches whanau, hapu and communities throughout Te Tairawhiti. Projects have involved research and development of the medicinal cannabis industry, bioactive extracts for natural health products and kanuka oil extraction, in Aotearoa. Whanau, landowners and rōpū have been employed and supported in various stages of the growth of the company including the growing and harvesting of plant materials.
For more information about these activities, browse our Pitopito Kōrero page and Events & Resources page.
Vision
Moemoeā
Mai te hauora, me te whai rawa, ka ora te wairua me te tinana o te whanau, me te whenua
Healthy and wealthy whanau and whenua
The well-being and contentment of our whanau and the land
Mission
Whāinga
To increase household income via sustainable economic development by creating a whanau/hapu business model that supports opportunities for job creation and increases local economic development.
Nāti Kai
In 2020, HEL started providing weekly Kai Boxes for low-income whanau in the area and this kaupapa has grown into Nāti Kai, the provision of a subscription vegetable box and/or fruit bag to increase the capability and capacity of local food resilience. This project has been driven and supported by local growers of the Tairawhiti Growers Cooperative.
Unfortunately, Nati Kai has closed indefinitely from the May 2024.
Whare Ora
Around the same time, the Whare Ora project was initiated with the development of a construction building site in Gisborne to help meet the housing needs of whanau and community in Te Tairawhiti. The Whare Ora Building project supplies a variety of sizes of whare (houses) that have been architecturally designed and meet or exceed the New Zealand standards required in building and housing compliances.
For more information please browse our Whare Ora page.
Hikurangi enterprises
Our Directors
Sheryl Smail
Independent ChairSheryl is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors with extensive governance experience. Since 1995, she has worked with a diversity of Tairawhiti-based entities in governance, management, mentoring and consulting roles. Currently she is the chair of Beetham HealthCare Ltd and on the boards of Beetham Village Ltd and Alzheimers NZ.
Panapa Ehau
Executive DirectorA co-owner in a number of Māori land blocks in the ancestral estate of Te Papa Tipu o Uepohatu. With more than two decades of business experience in housing development, social enterprise, and education and community development Panapa is focused on developing sustainable inter-generational economic pathways that utilise and enhance local natural resources. Panapa currently has a specific focus on the development of local resiliency in kai and housing provision. Panapa currently serves as a trustee of Hikurangi Huataukina Trust and on the board of Rua Bioscience.
Elizabeth Ngarimu
Non-executive DirectorA trustee for many Māori land blocks and board member of Te Raa Limited, a local company developing manuka and kanuka products. Also, a director on Harataunga Tapui Limited, a company of collective land blocks in Coromandel with Ngati Porou shareholders that are involved in housing and Taiao restoration. Elizabeth brings experience from her involvement in Māori land as well as local Matauranga Māori onto the board table. She is also a trustee of Hikurangi Huataukina trust.
