Te Mātāwai Tumu Whakarae Poia Rewi has announced he will step down as CE in March 2025 after 4.5 years at the helm dedicated to te reo Māori revitalisation by iwi and whānau Māori.

During this time, Poia (Ngāti Manawa, Tūhoe, Te Arawa, Ngāti Whare, Tūwharetoa) has considerably grown the capability and capacity of Te Mātāwai. Starting with just four fulltime staff in 2020 he’s increased this to 38 full time staff today, including nine FTE’s in Pae Motuhake regional roles.

Reikura Kahi, Te Mātāwai co-chair says it has been an honour to have someone of Poia’s high calibre and passion for increasing te reo Māori use.

“Poia is a deeply humble but truly excellent leader who is well-respected across Aotearoa and loved by all his kaimahi. Since starting at Te Mātāwai he has developed our unique community model, which has seen eight Kāhui established, each with a Pae Motuhake board of reo Māori champions,” she says.

This year Poia worked alongside the Board to set a new strategic vision for te reo Māori illustrated through a waka journey to Hawaiki Tipuna in 2027, with the future destination for te reo revitalisation being Hawaiki Mokopuna in 2040.

“We are grateful to Poia for all he’s achieved as Tumu Whakarae. As a skilled expert in te reo Māori, tikanga, whaikōrero and research we’ve benefited from his immense pūkenga and the direction he’s taken us.

“Most of all though, we’ll miss Poia’s authenticity, his manaakitanga towards all people, and his unwavering commitment to te reo Māori revitalisation all day, every day,” Reikura says.

Poia says although he is sad to leave Te Mātāwai, he’ll continue living its vision ‘Kia Ūkaipō Anō te Reo - restoring te reo Māori as a nurturing first language within homes and communities’.

“I have achieved all the objectives set out for me upon my appointment, and more. Now, I want to spend quality time with my whānau. I also want to support the kāinga, hapori and iwi I moved away from, where there’s still a huge desire for reo and tikanga,” he says.

The search for a new Chief Executive will begin in the new year.

© Scoop Media