About Joanne
Joanne is the founder of Ngaa Hau e Whaa Consultancy a Whenua Māori Advisory, supporting whānau and trusts with governance, succession, and papakāinga development.
I was born in Kirikiriroa and now live in Raahui Pookeka with my two tamariki, Levi and Tori. My mother, Colette, is of Paakehaa descent and my father, Hira, is of Maaori descent.
In the early 1990s, I began working alongside my father on succession for our whenua and collating our whakapapa. This journey – now spanning over 36 years – has taught me valuable lessons that I share with my tamariki, grounding our whaanau in our identity and responsibilities to the whenua. In 2015, my father and I created the idea of Ngaa Hau e Whaa, driven by a desire to help Maaori navigate succession and shareholdings in whenua Maaori, research their whakapapa and puuraakau, and uphold the whenua Maaori status. The kaupapa also aimed to tautoko whaanau in reconnecting with their whaanau whaanui, marae, and hapuu.
On 24 June 2017, Ngaa Hau e Whaa was part of a piloted waananga hosted by Waikato‑Tainui in Kirikiriroa, where I presented an introduction to Maaori land succession. This waananga highlighted a clear need for more initiatives to help Maaori succeed to their whenua, strengthen Maaori trust governance and structures, and increase papakaainga and home ownership opportunities.
What began as one waahine paddling the waka alone has grown into a kaupapa with momentum. In 2023, I restarted and expanded the initiative, growing it into a small pakihi Maaori with three additional team members – the foundation for what is now evolving into Te Ara Whakatupuna Tupu Ake (TAWTA) Programme.
This hiitori forms the foundation for TAWTA – a kaupapa built on lived experience, whaanau connection, and a vision to empower Maaori to reclaim, utilise, and protect their whenua for generations to come.
Services
Specialist advice for whānau, trusts, and incorporations navigating whenua Māori governance, succession, and papakāinga development. We combine legal, planning, and tikanga knowledge to create practical pathways that honour your tīpuna and protect whenua for future generations.
About
Supporting kaitiaki of whenua Māori
Whenua Māori Advisory is based in Waikato and works alongside whānau across Aotearoa. We help you make informed decisions about collectively owned land, strengthening governance, relationships, and long-term plans grounded in tikanga and practical expertise.
He ara whakamua mō whenua
Our approach weaves tikanga Māori, community aspirations, and regulatory requirements into one coherent plan. Whether you are updating a trust order or dreaming of papakāinga, we focus on practical steps that move your whenua forward.
Testimonials
The information provided guidance and gave me confidence to search for what we want to know and learn.
— Wikitoria – Kirikiriroa
— Wikitoria – Kirikiriroa
Looking forward to going home and having a meeting with my whaanau to get our vision sorted.
— Tiriana – Auckland
I appreciated that it was an open forum where the majority participated in discussions.
— Mita – Cambridge
Waananga material prepared for us, acts as a guide in my research of whaanau
whenua.
— Dell – Australia
Insights
Our Insights section provides educational resources that encourage a deeper understanding of Aotearoa New Zealand’s hitore, te ao Māori, and the foundations that continue to shape our communities today. Explore hitore on Te Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni (1835), and significance of Te Kīngitanga (the Māori Monarchy), Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including conversations around “Māori privilege.”
Through these insights, we aim to promote informed learning, critical thinking, and meaningful kōrero grounded in historical context, cultural understanding, and respect.
Whenua Māori Advisory 