Kevin English
Having lived in Whakakī for some time now and been through two major flooding events, I began thinking about what and how we could do something about the current climate changes we are facing within the Whakakī Community. Cyclone Gabrielle enabled us to begin in earnest, forming a small community group that set about looking after our village, due to the flooding that was happening in Wairoa and the uncertainty of utility services to the wider district, (for us in Whakakī) that was power services, and in a big way Communication with the outside world! So taking a small backward step, my background is Fire Service Volunteer of some 37 years, Ambulance Service as a fulltime EMT on Wairoa Station( since retired) 23 years, a former Qualified Fitter/Welder. During Cyclone Gabrielle I was able to communicate with a couple of people (Whanau that were in the Beehive Bunker), One question that I got asked was, what do we need in the village – we assessed that communication was a problem, the message was passed onto our Whanau in Tatau Tatau o Te Wairoa, and within hours a starlink was delivered to us to set up at the Marae, so that we could establish communication and enable us to put to rest all the misInformation going out to our whanau, not just in New Zealand but from concerned whanau around the World! This was the beginning of Whakakī Resilience Group – It is indeed a pleasure to chair and lead such an amazing group of people – more to come in further stories. Nga Mihi
Ka titiro iho ki te wai horoi a oku tipuna te wai kaukau o Te Rahui
Haruru mai a Ngati Hine ki te tarawhiti e
Ko te waka tapu e rere mai ki Aotearoa ko Takitimu
Ko Whakaki nui a rua te wai u
Ko Whakaki toku Marae
Ko Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairoa te mana ki te mata o papa
Ko te turangawaewae poutokotoko o Hine Tepairu
Tihei mauri ora!
Kia ora! I’m Kahu Walker. One of the Whakaki Resilience Group.
My connection to Te Tairawhiti and in particular my homelands in Whakaki comes from my fathers whakapapa. Through him I belong to the Walker/Waikawa whanau with Hirini and Hinepua Walker being my koroua. I am proud of my strong connection and whakapapa to Whakaki and Te Tairawhiti, a place of significant cultural and historical importance. I have a deep bond with the land, its people, and its traditions. For these reasons I am proud to be part of the Whakaki Resilience Group. I am actively involved in community service as a Justice of the Peace and Issuing Officer.This role further enhances my commitment to upholding justice, fairness, and the well-being of the community.
Motivated by a strong desire to contribute to my homelands I also recognize the
importance of safeguarding the precious resources of our environment and aim to work closely with all stakeholders to ensure that Whakaki remains a safe and viable place for all.
Ko Richard Brooking toku ingoa,
Ko Ngati Porou me Ngati Kahungunu ki te Wairoa oku Iwi,
I te taha toku Mama,
Ko Orangi te Maunga, Ko Hereheretau te Whenua, Ko Whakaki nui a Rua te Waiū, Ko Ngati Hine, ko Ngati Hinepua me Ngai te Ipu oku Hapu, Ko Whakaki te Marae.
My wife Mana Tomlins and I live in Haumoana and have 3 children and two mokopuna…so far. I am semi-retired but retain directorships and Trustee roles in several organizations including: Independent Facilitators Ltd (IFL), Whakaki Lake trust, Patunamu Forest Ltd, Whakaki Resilience Group, NZ Food Safety Science Research Centre Board and Te Ara Whakamana – Mana Enhancement Ltd.
I have developed the following set of skills and experience during my 55-year working life:
Strategic advisor for Māori development: A knowledge of Māori customs and procedures and a broad understanding of Māori social, cultural, environmental and economic development. Experience of Iwi, hapū and whānau development with community, Marae and land trusts.
Governance: Experienced in corporate, environmental and community economic development. Member of the NZ Institute of Directors.
Business acumen: Extensive knowledge base including local and central government, risk / financial / health & safety / human resource management. Business development including social, economic, environmental and cultural experience.
Strategic planning: Community and business level including problem-solving, teamwork, group facilitation, data analysis and decision-making.
Communication: Extensive communication skills spanning audiences from Board-level to stakeholders, including the public. Proficient author of reports and position papers, an experienced presenter and public speaker.
I believe in the following maxim which was provided many years ago by futurist John Schaar:
The future is not some place we are going to; it is a place we are creating. The paths are to be made, not just found…and the process of making them will change both the maker and the destination.
Nikki Solomon
Nikki is a Whakaki resident who is deeply invested in the long-term safety and strength of her home. Living on her family property and working with the team at Property Brokers Wairoa, she maintains a strong pulse on the local landscape and the needs of the people within it.
Ko Orangi Te Maunga
Ko Purua-Aute Te Awa.
Ko Ngati Hine, Ngati Hinepua, Ngai Te Ipu Nga Hapu.
Ko Whakaki Te Waiū.
Ko Whakaki Te Marae.
Ko Margaret Rose Brown taku ingoa.
Born in Wairoa. Grew up in Whakaki with my grandmother. I went to Whakaki Primary School and on to Wairoa College, moved down to Hastings in the 1990’s with my tamariki. Cyclone Gabrielle was very devastating for the East coast, Wairoa and Hawkes Bay. Being unable to get back home after Gabrielle was so hard. I decided to move back home in 2024. That same year I was asked if I would like to join the Resilience Group.
This Group is doing wonderful things for our little village, and I am very privileged to be a part of it.
Angie Smith
February 14th 2023 was a day we will never forget as extensive flooding from Cyclone Gabrielle devastated our region and beyond. Whakakī was cut off from the nearest towns of Gisborne and Wairoa, cut off from basic food, fuel & medication supplies. Critically, when the power was cut off there were no communications in or out of our village, and little did we realise the extent of the devastation and the loss of lives. A national state of emergency had been declared.
It’s not a matter of IF another flood event (or tsunami, or earthquake) will hit our region, it’s WHEN. We have learned from experience that we must rely on our own solutions. For future adverse events, emergency preparedness will help protect our community. That is the role of the Whakakī Resilience Group Charitable Trust – fundraising, fully resourcing an emergency hub, facilitating training in emergency response, having both the strength and compassion required to help guide community recovery and long-term resilience planning.
Each of our trustees brings unique experience to the Trust and volunteers their time and energy to help whānau. Angela has a deeply grounded commitment to the people, marae, lake and lands of Whakakī. Her academic achievements include a Postgraduate Diploma in Māori Enterprise and a Master of Management in Strategic Management, providing a strong foundation for the complex governance, strategic thinking, and advocacy needed during times of crisis and rebuilding. As a trustee, Angela contributes not only professional expertise, but also a deep sense of serving her whānau and her community. Her governance and management experience spans numerous organisations where she has developed the leadership, accountability, financial oversight, and collaborative decision-making skills essential for supporting communities facing environmental, social and health challenges.
Kia kaha tātou ki a tātou – Let us be resilient unto ourselves.
Millie Byrne
Millie brings decades of experience in community service, technical operations, and emergency readiness — a combination that has shaped her lifelong commitment to strengthening the people and places she belongs to.
Raised in Whakakī, Millie’s foundations were built in a community where service, resilience, and collective care were not just values but daily practice. Those early teachings have guided every stage of her career and continue to anchor her position within the Whakakī Resilience Group Charitable Trust.
Millie’s professional background spans national scale projects and critical public sector work. She served in equipment logistics for the nationwide rollout of New Zealand’s first cellular network, ensuring end to end tracking and safe delivery of specialised equipment to sites from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island. She later contributed to New Zealand’s Y2K readiness effort under the Prime Minister’s Y2K Task Force, supporting national IT continuity during one of the most significant global system transitions in modern history.
For nearly twenty years, Millie served at Victoria University of Wellington’s School of Mathematical and Computing Sciences. Alongside her administrative responsibilities, she played key roles in emergency management, fire and evacuation leadership, student safety, and building security. Her approach — calm, reliable, people first — earned the trust of staff, students, and senior leadership alike.
When Cyclone Gabrielle struck, Millie was among those who stepped forward immediately. The devastation was personal, and the response was instinctive: protect the community, support whānau, and help rebuild the resilience of Whakakī.
Today, Millie brings this same depth of experience and unwavering commitment to the Whakakī Resilience Group Charitable Trust. Her leadership reflects a lifetime of service — grounded, steady, and deeply connected to the whenua and people she serves.
“Resilience comes from our tīpuna — a strength that guides us to uplift our people and ensure our village stands strong long after us. When Cyclone Gabrielle struck, and we saw its devastation firsthand, we did what our ancestors taught us: we stepped forward, like many others, to help strengthen Whakakī’s resilience”.
