Kaupapa
He aha te kaupapa?
About
Karuwhā seek to engage Aotearoa New Zealand in a conversation about identity
and history in order to help people know the story they are a part of. We do this by connecting communities through haerenga, story and service.
We also research important and less-well-known stories about our shared past. Take a read of these papers and theses by clicking the link below.
Karuwhā run workshops on the New Zealand story, and are available to speak by invitation at your conference, hui, school or church.
He aha te pūtake
HISTORY
Karuwhā Mission Trust (a registered charity) began in 2005. It was formed by a small group of young New Zealanders that began making journeys to Waitangi over Treaty commemorations in February.
This group wanted to understand the whys of our national past, and the ongoing impact on our current society. The Trust has continued to facilitate a group at the Waitangi commemorations each year and has recognised the need and desire within Aotearoa for haerenga to other significant places.
"Over the last few years our Marae has built a solid partnership with Karuwhā Trust who have been gracious in working side by side with us to serve our people and to host the nation as part of the Waitangi Day Commemorations. The main reason I value this partnership is because I personally feel that our Marae and Karuwhā Trust share common values."
Ngati Kawa Taituha
Waitangi Marae Chairman
Ko wai mātou
Who we are
KAIRANGI - PATRON
RT REV TE KITOHI WIREMU PIKAAHU
Karuwhā Trust is privileged to have the Bishop of Te Tai Tokerau (Northland-Auckland), The Right Reverend Te Kitohi Wiremu Pikaahu LTh, MTh (Oxon) as patron. Bishop Pikaahu was ordained Bishop in 2002. Bishop Pikaahu is of Ngāpuhi descent.
TARATĪ - TRUSTEE
DR. ALISTAIR REESE
Alistair lives with his wife Jeannie on a farm in Paengaroa, Bay of Plenty. He has postgraduate degrees in Theology, History and Tikanga Māori. His PhD in theology from the University of Auckland focused on reconciliation and Pākehā identity. Alistair is an adjunct Fellow at the University of Otago and his research and speaking interests include post-colonialism, reconciliation and prophetism. Alistair is involved in local and national efforts to promote reconciliation between Māori and Pākehā and exploring understandings of what an indigenous form of Christianity might look like.
TARATĪ - TRUSTEE
Rev. NEIHANA REIHANA
Neihana is from Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Ranginui. He was raised in Porirua in a whānau of four. He has a Bachelor of Business in Marketing and Management, and spent five years as a secondary school teacher in both kura Māori and mainstream schools. Now, he is focused on completing Postgraduate studies in Theology, while juggling clergy commitments for Te Pīhopatanga o Te Tai Tokerau, under the Māori Anglican Church in Tāmaki Makaurau. Neihana is passionate about Christian formation, mātauranga Māori, and encouraging others to be all they were meant to be in Christ.
TARATĪ - TRUSTEE
BLAIR FRANKLIN
Blair was born in Birkenhead, North Shore, and is of Scottish and English ancestry (but leans more fondly towards his Scottish ancestry!). He graduated with a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Property from the University of Auckland in 2003. Since then he has worked in various areas of law, and currently practices property and commercial law. He has a keen interest in sport, and currently coaches rugby. He is interested in New Zealand culture and reconciliation.
TARATĪ - TRUSTEE
Dr. SAMUEL CARPENTER
Dr Samuel D. Carpenter (Ngāti Pākehā/ Ngāi te Tiriti) grew up in Pukekohe, in the rohe of Waikato-Tainui, where his Cornish ancestors settled in the 1860s. He graduated from the University of Auckland with Law and Arts degrees in 2002 and practised law for several years, including with Chen-Palmer in Wellington. He worked for a decade in the Wellington Treaty sector as an historian – for the Waitangi Tribunal, the Office of Treaty Settlements, the Crown Law Office, and Te Arawhiti/ Office of Māori-Crown Relations. In 2021 he was awarded his PhD, which explored early New Zealand political thought, and is currently Lecturer in History and Research Fellow at Laidlaw College (Auckland). He is a founding trustee of Karuwhā Trust and his personal research page is nzhistorian.com. His biography of Karuwhā – Henry Williams is to be published in 2026.
TARATĪ - TRUSTEE
LORRAINE TAOGAGA
Lorraine was born and raised in Te Awaroa (Helensville) in the Kaipara region. She affiliates to Ngāti Whātua ki Kaipara, Te Uri o Hau hapū, and carries Tainui whakapapa, including Ngāti Mahuta, Ngāti Mahanga and Ngāti Te Wehi hapū. She is also of Western Samoan descent. Lorraine brings twenty-eight years of teaching experience spanning the primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors. She completed a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Auckland in 2004 and a Master’s of Theology at Laidlaw College in 2019. From 2020 to 2024, she lectured in Mātauranga Māori and te reo Māori within the Initial Teacher Education programmes, including Bi-Cultural Relationships at Laidlaw College, shaping future Christian educators to walk wisely within Aotearoa's shared story. At the heart of Lorraine’s work is whakapono — faith expressed through action. Her involvement in the Karuwhā Trust is grounded in her conviction that there must be space for Tāngata Tiriti to examine their faith and its practical application in honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Lorraine is the grandmother of three mokopuna: Willow Rae Sel, Aria Rose Te Rongopai, and Te Awaroa Thomas James. Her deep desire is for them to grow up in an Aotearoa where Te Tiriti o Waitangi is honoured not as a relic of history, but as a living covenant — a foundational framework for respectful and enduring relationships in Aotearoa New Zealand.
TARATĪ - TRUSTEE
Rev. Dr. NATHAN MCLELLAN
Rev. Dr. Nathan McLellan is the CEO and a Senior Teaching Fellow at Venn Foundation. After studying economics and finance, he worked as an economist at the New Zealand Treasury and as a private consultant, before going overseas for theological study (including a Ph.D., in Christian ethics at Southern Methodist University). He is passionate about supporting others to develop a sound and deep understanding of the Christian faith and the way it relates to all aspects of life. He serves on several not-for-profit and commercial advisory boards and is an ordained in Anglican minister in Te Pihopatanga o Tai Tokerau. Nathan now lives in Tāmaki Makaurau, is married to Bronwyn and they have two sons.
Haerenga Lead - Hīkoi ki Waitangi
NAOMI REESE NICHOLAS
Naomi has been on part of the Karuwhā team since 2018. She has a Bachelor of Arts (History & Geography), Masters of Social Work. Naomi is passionate about place based education, creating spaces for the outworking of community and being an awesome Tāngata Tiriti. She lives in the rohe of Tauranga Moana with her hoa tane and pēpē.
Kaiwhakahaere Tautoko
Melody Cooper
Melody is of Scottish (3rd generation) & English (2nd generation) descent, and has been part of the Karuwhā team since 2024. Before that she was an eager participant on a number of the Karuwhā haerenga. She has a Diploma in Christian Ministries, a Bachelor of Arts (Conflict Resolution & International Studies) & a Post Graduate Diploma in Development. Melody is committed to the life long journey of learning & outworking what it looks like to be a faithful follower of Jesus - and seeing that being outworked in various ways, including how to be faithful tāngata Tiriti, and an active global citizen. She lives in the rohe of Tāmaki Makaurau.