Graeme Neho

Graeme Neho was born in Wellington in the early fifties and was raised with 14 older siblings on the Far North Peninsula area at a place called Kapowairua (Spirits Bay). At the age of 5 years Graeme and his parents returned to live in Te Hapua so he could begin Primary School there. Most weekends he and his older siblings would ride on horseback to Kapowairua to help with the stock work on their whanau farm. He grew up in Te Hapua knowing most of the elders. Graeme attended Kaitaia Primary and spent 4 years at Kaitaia College then gained a 5-year carpentry apprenticeship with Rogers and Walker. Graeme was Married to wife Daphne in 1974 and had 3 children and currently has 9 grandchildren. He has helped to build several Māori Affairs homes, including his own in the Te Hiku area. He has helped to build and renovate several Marae in the Far North and has been privileged as a fluent Māori speaker over many years to be asked to be a kai korero on these Marae. In 1995 Graeme was elected as chair of the Ngāti Kuri Trust Board and remained in the role until he stepped down in 2011 to be trustee where he remains today. In 2008 he along with 4 other tribal members of Ngāti Kuri were elected to represent the tribe during the Treaty of Waitangi negotiations with the Crown. This process was completed in 2013 and Settlement was achieved in 2014. Graeme has been an active community supporter and has also been a chair of the Muriwhenua Incorporation for 4 years. He has represented Ngāti Kuri on Te Hiku Forest with Summit, Te Hiku Fisheries, and on Te Oneroa a Tōhe Beach Board. He also wrote the History of Tōhe that sits in the Beach Board Plan. Graeme is a recognized Historian for Ngāti Kuri and firmly believes he still has the time and energy to contribute to the decisions that will improve the Health and Spiritual values of Te Oneroa a Tōhe.