Tom Roa

Waikato-Maniapoto

Kaupapa kōrero: He whakawhitiwhitinga whakaaro i te wero a Te Ouenuku Rene

Employed by the University of Waikato since 1997.

Member of Te Kauhanganui/Te Whakakitenga o Waikato since it’s inception; former Chair; former member and Chair of Te Arataura (Executive of Waikato-Tainui); former Chair of Iwi Chairs’ Forum: Trustee and former Chair of Waikato Raupatu Lands Trust and of Waikato Raupatu River Trust; Trustee of the Maniapoto Māori Trust Board and its successor Te Whare o Te Nehenehenui Trust; Trustee and Marae Committee member of various marae and Māori Land Trusts. Member of The Waitangi Tribunal, Pouhere Taonga Kaumātua/Advisor/Consultant of various organisations incl. Māori Tourism Board; ACC; Oranga Tamariki; tribal historian of Waikato-Maniapoto.

Tom presents locally, nationally, and internationally and often has his opinion widely sought on Waikato-Maniapoto history, tikanga, and reo, with publications and translations in those and many other areas.

Tom asserts that after the Invasion of the Waikato and, in particular, the ‘pāhuatanga’ of Rangiaowhia, his very Christian ancestors lost a faith in the Church; and in the Ministers who abandoned them. However they, and he personally, did not lose faith in the base Christian tenets: Love God. And love thy neighbor as thyself.