THE HERITAGE TOURISM INITIATIVE
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 tourism 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. At Hiona, the proposed experience centres on:
Pōwhiri and welcome — appropriate cultural protocols honouring Te Whakatōhea traditions
Guided interpretation — exploring the church's history including the 1865 events, land confiscation, military occupation, and reconciliation
Whare Taonga documentary screening — Māori Television's Whare Taonga (Series 4, Episode 3), a 30-minute authentic documentary that serves as the heart of the visitor experience
Reflection and discussion — opportunities for cultural exchange and dialogue around our shared history
The initiative is guided by the Māori cosmological framework of Te Kore → Te Pō → Te Ao Mārama — from the fertile void of infinite potential, through the transformative work of development, to the bright world of realised vision. We are currently in Te Pō: the essential season of relationship-building, consultation, and preparation that happens before the initiative can come into the light.
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 is a heritage tourism development specialist and digital media practitioner who brings direct experience of successful cultural tourism models, including the Boston Black Heritage Trail, and deep personal connection to the kaupapa of reconciliation and bicultural storytelling.
Ivor facilitated the landmark 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 Iwi
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.
Te Tahuhu o Te Rangi
Te Tahuhu o Te Rangi is the primary Whakatōhea cultural entity engaged in early conversations about this kaupapa. Introductory hui in March 2026 opened respectful, exploratory dialogue about how this organisation might play a role in guiding and supporting Hiona's cultural tourism aspirations. This is a relationship being nurtured for the long term.
Te Ao Hou Trust
Te Ao Hou Trust is a Māori community trust with a strong focus on education, represented in early engagement by Darnelle (Curriculum & Administration). The trust's work with rangatahi aligns naturally with the heritage education dimension of the Hiona initiative, particularly as programming for events like Easter Week is developed.
Ōpōtiki District Council
The Ōpōtiki District Council has been identified as an important institutional supporter as the initiative gains visibility. The Council's Emergency Management Manager, who holds wide community networks across the district, was among the first connections made during the March 2026 introductory hui in Ōpōtiki. Council support will be important for connecting the initiative to the district's wider tourism and economic development strategy.
Trust Horizon
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 previously supported the upgrade of Ōpōtiki's iconic Deluxe Theatre, demonstrating a track record of investing in heritage and cultural assets that matter to the community.
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga
Heritage New Zealand is identified as a key external stakeholder and is named in the MoU as one of the bodies to whom the Community Facilitator is mandated to represent the kaupapa. 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.
