By Marisa Balle
Wakatü’s Ropata Taylor has his mind and heart set on upskilling future generations and says investing in future leaders will help the Incorporation to become world leaders in indigenous business, as Marisa Balle reports.
Doing old things new ways. That’s how Ropata Taylor of Wakatü Inc. successfully showcases the fruits of his lands. In a region that boasts premium vineyards, prime real estate, truly golden beaches and Abel Tasman National Park – Aotearoa’s most visited park, Ropata’s emphasis is on indigenous excellence.
His main role is as the general manager Manaaki for Wakatü which administers the assets derived from the Nelson-Motueka-Golden Bay Tenths on behalf of the mana whenua families who descend from the Iwi – Te Ätiawa, Ngäti Rarua, Ngäti Tama, and Ngäti Koata. He says his biggest task is one of communication:
“I communicate our commercial business to our owners in a cultural context and the reverse, I communicate our cultural values – of who we are as the families of Wakatü – to those operating in the commercial arena.”
Wakatü has approximately 3000 shareholders and a current asset base of around 250 million. It’s projected to reach five billion by 2012.
“We’ve worked hard to involve the ‘we’ – Wakatü listens carefully to its owners and tries to give effect to what they want, and when the owners say good things about its effort, it tells us we’re succeeding,” says Ropata.
The collectively owned Mäori business grows apples, pears, kiwifruit, and grapes on their lands. They have investments in commercial and residential property, seafood, forestry, wine and tourism. Their strategy is to become vertically integrated into the value chain so that they grow the product, process it and market it themselves, or use partners who have similar values. But what clearly stands out when exploring the degree of Wakatü’s success is their commitment to Mäori values.
Ropata says he is proud of Wakatü’s ability to make a direct contribution to the livelihood of their people.
“We give to our people; a lot of money is invested into our community, our young people, our marae. We’ve established ourselves as bastions of our community. I think that we measure our success in how we give effect to our values and how we communicate that to everybody, whether your an owner, from an Iwi, or a customer from New York, the message is consistent about what we stand for and who we are.”
Ropata says that Wakatü recognises that through aligning cultural values with the commercial operations, Wakatü will better realise the aspirations of the people. It’s this message that he also believes is shared by other indigenous
peoples. In 2006, he attended a tradeshow hosted by NIGA – the Native Indian Gaming Association, to promote Wakatü’s Indigenous brands – Kono Seafood and Tohu Wines. It was there that he met and formed an important relationship with a woman named Tina Osceola, President of AIANTA – the American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association.
Ropata’s ideas have been well received by AIANTA and other Native American groups like AIO (American Indians for Opportunity) who have travelled to Aotearoa to visit Wakatü’s food and beverage operations.
With a keen focus on revolutionalising the industry through innovative cultural tourism Ropata believes working with Native America could strengthen Wakatü’s approach to business. By forging both commercial and social ties with like minded groups such as AIANTA, which is the equivalent to the New Zealand Mäori Tourism Council, Ropata has his eye on fostering an indigenous tourism industry that reinforces Wakatü’s aspirations to honour and sustain tribal traditions and values.
“In an international context, a formal network between Native peoples provides an opportunity for direct trade,” adds Ropata. “Together we can bring cultural integrity in tourism, develop industry-wide respect for our cultures, focus on the protection of intellectual and cultural property, and support one another through mentoring, sharing and learning.”
As an advocate for the development of a indigenous tourism network, he explains that tourists will be given the best opportunity to experience the world through native eyes.
“Our challenge is how we, as indigenous peoples, communicate the breadth and diversity of our products and experiences. We’re not selling our culture. We’re shouting our culture for the entire world to hear. We decide who we are.”
Ropata also sits on the Kaiteriteri Recreation Reserve Board, and as the past Chair of the Nelson Marlborough Conservation Board he’s been extensively involved in conservation, resource management, economic development, social distribution and political advocacy. He describes Wakatu’s stance on Native Business as being unashamedly commercial and unashamedly native.
“We recognise the urgency needed to make money and address poverty issues, but equally we recognise that it is how you make money that really counts. Will your ancestors and the generation to come be proud of what you’re doing?”
A key priority for Wakatü is to focus on succession leadership. It is one of the only organisations that currently offers a directorship programme and cadetships to develop the next generation to take over their considerable commercial interests. This future oriented style embraced by Wakatü is what Ropata believes will help the Incorporation to become world leaders in indigenous business.
“We know what we’re charged to do. We are generating wealth to lift our people above the line of poverty. We are creating financial resources so that our people live longer and take an active role in our economic welfare. We are investing in our future leadership, contributing to our collective development and advocating on behalf of our community.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT:
WWW.WAKATU.ORG
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