HERITAGE REVITALISATION
He Tangata — People Are the Most Important Thing
At the heart of the Hiona Heritage & Reconciliation Initiative is a simple, profound belief:
he tangata, he tangata, he tangata
— it is people, it is people, it is people.
Before buildings can be restored, before tours can be guided, before funding can be secured, relationships must be built.
This page introduces the community facilitation work that is weaving those relationships together, and the remarkable people and organisations who have chosen to walk this journey with us.
What Is Community Facilitation?
Community facilitation is the deliberate, relationship-centred work of connecting Hiona St Stephen's to the wider community — iwi, local organisations, funders, and neighbours — so that the vision for cultural heritage tourism can be realised with authentic partnership, not just good intentions.
In March 2026, the Vestry of Hiona St Stephen's formally endorsed a Memorandum of Understanding appointing a volunteer Community Facilitator to carry this work forward. This arrangement acknowledges a simple reality: the Parish stewards one of New Zealand's most significant bicultural heritage sites, and progress requires dedicated relationship-building capacity that a small volunteer Vestry cannot provide alone.
The facilitation role is grounded in four guiding principles:
Te Tiriti o Waitangi — partnership, participation, and active protection of Māori interests
Whakawhanaungatanga — relationships before tasks; community before self-interest
Transparency — all activities and communications reported openly to the Vestry
Mana Ōrite — mutual respect between all parties
The Hiona Heritage & Reconciliation Initiative
Hiona St Stephen's Anglican Church — built between 1862 and 1864 specifically for Māori, using timber supplied by Te Whakatōhea — holds within its walls one of New Zealand's most complex and profound bicultural histories. It has served as courthouse, fortress, barracks, prison, and house of worship. It is a place of faith and suffering, of raupatu (land confiscation) and resilience, and of the ongoing journey toward hohou rongo — reconciliation.
The cultural heritage revitalisation initiative draws inspiration from the Boston Black Heritage Trail model, which uses guided tours and community engagement to share the stories of a historically significant but often overlooked community.
Our Community Facilitator
Ivor Jones — He Tangata Digital Media
Ivor Jones (Ngāti Tamateatutahi/Kawiti) serves as Volunteer Community Facilitator under a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Vestry in March 2026.
Ivor facilitated the presentation to Te Whakatōhea Rangatira at Te Taumata Hui on 6 November 2025, establishing the foundation for ongoing iwi engagement. He represents the initiative to external stakeholders — including Te Whakatōhea Iwi, Ōpōtiki District Council, Heritage New Zealand, and potential funders — with the Vestry's full endorsement.
"Hiona St Stephen's represents something profound — a place of healing, of shared history, of reconciliation between Māori and Pākehā — and I feel called to serve it."
— Ivor Jones
📧 ivor.jones@htdm.maori.nz | 🌐 htdm.maori.nz | 📞 +64 272 013 347
Our Organisation
Ōpōtiki Parish of Hiona St Stephen's Anglican Church
128 Church Street, Ōpōtiki 3122
admin.opotiki@waiapu.com
The Parish is governed by the Vestry, which formally endorsed the Community Facilitator role through the signed MoU. The Vestry's Bishop's Warden, Lois Watson, signed the MoU on 30 March 2026, reflecting the Parish's commitment to progressing this kaupapa with transparency and good faith. The Parish is part of the Waiapu Diocese, the senior Anglican body for the region
Key Partners & Supporters
Te Whakatōhea are the mana whenua of Ōpōtiki and the essential partners in everything this initiative aspires to achieve. The timber used to build Hiona St Stephen's in the 1860s was supplied by Te Whakatōhea — the church's very bones carry their contribution. The stories held within these walls are, at their core, Whakatōhea stories: of sovereignty, loss, resilience, and the ongoing journey toward justice.
Without genuine Te Whakatōhea partnership, there is no authentic cultural tourism — only cultural appropriation. The November 2025 hui with Te Whakatōhea Rangatira was the beginning of what the initiative hopes will become a long-term governance and creative partnership. Special acknowledgement is made to Te Rangatira Te Riaki Amoamo, kaumātua and historian of Te Whakatōhea, whose lifelong dedication to preserving and sharing the histories of his people has been a profound inspiration for this initiative.
Community Organisations
Te Tahuhu o Te Rangi, Te Ao Hou Trust, and Ōpōtiki District Council, are community organisations who have been engaged in early conversations about this kaupapa.
Trust Horizon is a local Charitable Trust representing Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki, Kawerau, and Kaingaroa Village, and a significant community funder for the Eastern Bay of Plenty. The Trust has granted over $40 million in community funding across the region, with a focus on health, community facilities, marae, education, arts and culture, and energy-related community benefit. Trust Horizon's strategic priorities include Transformational Investment in Community Pride and Work-ready Rangatahi — both of which align closely with the Hiona heritage tourism initiative.
Trust Horizon has demonstrated their support through a 2026 Energy Contribution Grant.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
Heritage New Zealand is identified as a key external stakeholder. Hiona St Stephen's is a nationally registered heritage site, and Heritage New Zealand's support is anticipated as the initiative progresses through development phases.
