Trust Tairāwhiti approved grants for regional events and educational opportunities for Tairāwhiti locals in its latest funding round.
Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki Trust was the largest funding recipient this round, receiving $16k towards the Waerenga-a-Hika Hai Miringa Mahara exhibition. The exhibition will commemorate 160 years since the Battle of Waerenga-a-Hika in 1865.
The exhibition will open at Tairāwhiti Museum on 18 November 2025.
Te Rūnanga o Tūranganui-a-Kiwa received $15k towards Kura Reo ki Tūranga, a four-day wānanga bringing together te reo Māori experts to share their mātauranga, helping increase participants' te reo Māori capabilities. Last year, the wānanga brought together more than 100 learners. This year, Kura Reo ki Tūranga was held at Whakato Marae, Manutūkē, building on the momentum of the 2024 wānanga.
Other Communities Fund recipients this month:
- Uawa Horse Sports Incorporated - $14k towards its 2025/26 calendar of events, targeting learner to experienced horse riders in Tairāwhiti. Activities will include hands-on clinics, club days, support programmes and kaupapa-led events that make horses more accessible for tamariki, rangatahi, wāhine and whānau.
- Hinemaurea marae ki Wharekāhika - $3k towards a taonga preservation wānanga, inviting locals to learn and understand what to do if they find taonga. The hope is that the exhibition and wānanga will enable the hapū and hāpori in Wharekāhika to interact with taonga tuku iho (treasures of cultural heritage and significance).
Regional Event Fund recipients this month:
- Gisborne Classic Chardonnay Group - $15k towards the annual Chardonnay Affair event, taking place in 2026. The event targets out-of-region visitors interested in wine, food and culture. These visitors are likely to spend money on food, accommodation, transportation and other expenses and typically have an appetite for extended stays in the region.
- Firstlight Wine & Food Festival - $15k for the Gisborne Wine and Food Festival 2025. The festival attracts a wide demographic of wine and food enthusiasts and boosts Gisborne’s reputation as a location for premium wine and culture experiences.