There’s extra than simply cash to being rich, says the chief government of highly effective iwi Ngāi Tahu.

In the 25 years because the tribe acquired $170 million as a part of its historic Treaty settlement, the South Island iwi has grown their companies and investments to nearly $2 billion.

Arihia Bennett, the chief government of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, advised Q+A that whereas they preserve an in depth eye on what they’re investing in, that’s not their sole focus.

“The way we’re measured in society is always about your economic wealth, it’s not about … your health is actually your wealth. If I don’t have health … if my family don’t have good health, if they don’t have that opportunity to have good food, a roof over their head, good education and health, then I’m not wealthy at all,” she stated.

“The most critical part to being wealthy is your health.”

Bennett stated regardless of the tribe’s financial institution steadiness, it’s at its coronary heart, a whānau enterprise, which is concentrated on ensuring its investments and actions preserve future generations in thoughts.

“If things get out of sync, or out of kilter, we get our ears pulled and quickly back into perspective.”

Like many companies in Aotearoa, the iwi has been hit onerous by the pandemic. At the height of the pandemic, over 300 employees of their numerous tourism companies had been laid off, and the tribe misplaced $25 million.

The chief government stated the important thing to using out the onerous occasions is to not work in isolation.

She stated the iwi is engaged domestically, regionally, nationally and internationally.

“Ngāi Tahu spends a lot of time looking at research offshore. We are invested in relationships with a lot of learning institutions in America.”

That has seen the tribe start to work in inexperienced power, comparable to hydrogen.

“Although we are steeped in our traditions and where we are form, we’re also quite innovative.”

Q+A with Jack Tame is Public Interest Journalism funded by NZ on Air