Hokianga’s Aporo Pomare transformed with Northtec

Hokianga’s Aporo Pomare transitions from corporate world to sustainable future with NorthTec

When Aporo Pomare (Ngati Hau, Ngati Kaharau) talks about the land something magical happens. It’s a combination of the light that is kindled in his eyes and the sheer magnetism of this quietly-spoken Hokianga elder that can’t help but inspire any listener.

Working as a student at NorthTec’s Rāwene campus learning about sustainable rural development is a far cry from the corporate world he used to inhabit. “I was a mortgage analyst broker. When Housing Corporation sold their mortgages to the private sector they came under the control of Westpac. I worked for them administering papakainga loans.” It was a high-pressure role and he was often dealing with people who were under stress.

“It was pretty intense. Often our customers were facing potentially hard times such as mortgagee sales. There were a lot of mediation skills required.”

In 2003 Mr Pomare left his banking career to care for his ill mother. After she passed on he worked for the Tainui Trust board in the Waikato. His ability to forsee tough economic times ahead then led to another life changing decision.

“I could see the economic downturn coming and decided to return to the Hokianga and reconnect with our ancestral land.”

Mr Pomare’s brother was already living on the land having been assisted by his brother to get a papakainga loan to build a whare there in the early 1980s. It was after returning to the Hokianga that Mr Pomare enrolled at NorthTec.

“NorthTec fitted into the journey because I wanted to resurrect my good growing skills. I came and listened to the tutors talking about the programme and was particularly struck by what they had to say about the emissions trading scheme and protecting our waterways. I was interested in looking at our land use practises and developing ways to aid and revive the land rather than using practises that are detrimental.”

Mr Pomare now advocates such an approach to his wider whānau and hapū. He sees many economic benefits to changing their approach. “We could build a career by planting trees and using them to lock in carbon as a way of offsetting farming activity, especially in Pangaruru where there’s been a real change from planting trees in order to harvest them to thinking about their capacity to capture carbon.”

Biochar – a product that locks up carbon and soil nutrients – is also something he’d like to explore further. “It is a basic process and I would like to become involved in using it. As a result of my studies I can see economic pathways for utilising our land, such as setting up a produce growing cooperative with my fellow classmates on land on a river plateau and operating a credit scheme where we accrue ‘green dollars’ by working on each other’s properties.” He is also investigating become a certified organic grower. “There’s a premium to be earned for organic produce.” Compost making is another passion. “It’s all about the rejuvenation of the soil.”

The whole learning process has been an organic one. “There is an organic learning process going on, on the campus as a whole. You’re learning that what you don’t use, you put back into the soil. You feed the soil to feed the plants.” The maramatanga cycle is also used to keep the group’s gardening activities in tune with earth and moon’s natural cycle. “All credit to our tutor Bernie’s teaching methods – I’ve really enjoyed it!”

The Rāwene students and tutors have been an important part of his journey. “I’ve been involved in many different organisations but the Rāwene students stand out because of the way that they really support one another. The construction class, the te reo class have all helped us. They’ve helped us to establish our tikanga when it comes to garden work. We say a karakia to open and close the day and don’t work in the gardens on a Sunday. It makes me feel really close to papatuanuku when I watch those tikanga being observed.” Mr Pomare, in turn, contributes his musical skills to the te reo class. “Now I have some waiata that I can sing when I’m planting!”

Mr Pomare firmly believes that keeping it simple and staying connected to the land is the way forward in tough economic times.

“Shifting back from the city couldn’t have happened at a better time for me. There are definitely opportunities here. I really appreciate having taken the step and come here to NorthTec. It’s been the vehicle that has inspired me to realise the heartfelt ideologies that I have within me.”

ENDS

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