Hēmi Sundgren
Guest writer
Hēmi Sundgren (Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Raukawa, Te Ātiawa ki Whakarongotai, Ngāti Koata) is the chief executive officer of Ngāti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust and a member of the Te Here-ā-Nuku negotiating team. Hēmi has held a number of senior executive, advisory and negotiation roles for Te Ātiawa (Taranaki) and Taranaki iwi, including work on the Mounga Taranaki settlement completed in 2024. His current focus is on iwi development, environmental stewardship, and advancing the aspirations of Te Tauihu whānau. He writes about the Nelson Tenths as both a contemporary issue of justice and a deeply personal intergenerational story for many Māori in Te Tauihu. Hēmi has also acted in a senior advisory and negotiation capacity for Te Ātiawa and Taranaki iwi, and most recently with respect to the Mounga Taranaki settlement claim, which was completed in 2024.
