Ngarimu Blair
2010 Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader Award Recipient
With a vision to develop both his people and the social environment around him, Ngarimu Blair works on behalf of Ngati Whatua o Orakei to draw on the riches of MÄori heritage in creating unique spaces and instilling a sense of place, identity and pride.
A geography and MÄori graduate from the University of Auckland, Ngarimu has spent the last 12 years promoting tangata whenua issues around sustainability, protection of sacred sites, restoration of bio-diversity and Maori community issues. He is also a trustee of the Ngati Whatua o Orakei Maori Trust Board and former director on all of its companies.
Ngarimu is also playing a leading role in establishing and managing Auckland’s largest ecological restoration project, at Bastion Point, and is currently developing plans to create a sustainable urban village at Orakei which could see many of his tribe afford to return to their ancestral lands in central Auckland. Ngarimu’s vision is that these projects will harness 21st century technology while returning some of the traditional values of kaitiakitanga.
Committed to revitalising Te Reo, art, haka, waiata and other Maori cultural assets, Ngarimu leads the teams organising the annual Matariki Festival and Waitangi Day events at Bastion Point with the aim of encouraging Aucklanders to experience and enjoy the Maori culture that exists in their city.
In bringing these projects to fruition, Ngarimu has built and led numerous teams of dedicated staff and volunteers, and instilled in them his passion for what might be achieved. Described as a charismatic leader, Ngarimu leads by example and is recognised as someone who “gets things done”.
Ngarimu considers his leadership to be ever-evolving and is committed to continual learning and to knowledge gained through defeat and mistakes. A keen observer, he takes on board the teaching of others and is able to apply those teachings to improve his contribution. As a mentee of the late Sir Hugh Kawharu, Ngarimu says he learned the benefits of patience and observation at a time when he was hasty and impulsive in trying to bring about change. Understanding the value of shared wisdom and of principled leadership, Ngarimu is keen to develop tikanga training for people of his age.
A geographer and tribal historian, Ngarimu’s work has also involved treaty claims research and negotiations. A consensus builder and articulate and precise communicator of ideas, Ngarimu has worked through negotiations with Government and, at times, competing iwi to find a way of managing the shared ownership of significant mountains such as Maungakiekie and Maungawhau. His patience in working towards an outcome while bringing people on board has elicited wide praise and expectation of what more Ngarimu might achieve for MÄori development and, more widely, for New Zealand.
“I take great strength from understanding the trials and tribulations of my ancestors who despite the loss of their entire tribal estate, it’s despoliation and the inter-generational scorn they faced from new comers managed to maintain a humble foot-hold in Auckland and all the while, welcoming one and all.”