Totaranui Nama Ono Trust is the legal entity responsible for the land block Totaranui A1D2B2B.
Situated adjacent to SH35 between Te Puia Springs and Ruatōrea, Totaranui A1D2B2B is a land parcel of 126.74 hectares, comprised largely of rolling hill country, with small areas of both river valley flats and steeper land.
The land slopes largely to the north and northwest, and the two deeply incised streams intersecting the block also flow northwest to meet the Makatote Stream flowing northeast to join the Mata River, a tributary of the Waiapu River.
Te Pa o Penu (Rongo I Te Kai marae) stands on land surrounded by Totaranui A1D2B2B, and both are part of the same Totaranui whenua. The block was known as a prolific provider of sufficiently large Totara for waka. The last recorded was a beast in the bush behind what is now the Ponderosa homestead, less than one kilometre upstream from Penu. It was named Rongo-i-te-Kai and dedicated for a large waka. The Hauhau war intervened and the selected tree was diverted at peace time to the church build at Whareponga in about 1875.
Records of shareholders are held by the Māori Land Court and available online here, but addresses for most shareholders are out of date and the Trustees are keen to connect with as many shareholders and descendants as possible to ensure good communication and active participation in decisions and activities on and around the whenua.
Trustees are elected by the 400+ shareholders based on provisions in the Trust Deed (below).
Nama Ono 