Ngaropi Cameron speaks as a panelist at He Ara Whakamua New Plymouth on 24 July 2012.

The Families Commission joined with Taranaki Whanau to hold a wananga in 2012 as part of the He Ara Whakamua series. Ngaropi Cameron was one of the speakers at this seminar, and was asked to address the kaupapa: “Taranaki – Wealthy Again. This time all of us."

In the early 1800's Taranaki Maori were the primary land owners and leading business partners, exporters, contributors and innovators in a developing and flourishing agricultural environment that impacted substantially on the Taranaki economy and the New Zealand economy.

The land wars of the 1860s, followed by legitimised land confiscations, served to erode that generation of Taranaki Māori of not only their land, which was their sustaining life source, it stole that life force from all the following generations. Five generations on, and against all odds we are still here, and positive about our future.

The He Ara Whakamua speakers were invited to respond to the following question: How is it that Taranaki Whānau will regain its wealth over the next 60 years?

He Ara Whakamua is a national series of wananga held in Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin, New Plymouth and Whakatane as all day discussions examining the opportunities available to New Zealand society as we build pathways together to vibrant futures.