The Whānau Trust Playbook
Alright, listen up — nothing sparks whānau drama faster than whenua, wills, or money. One minute we’re all at the tangi sharing kai… the next minute cousins are arguing over a single blade of grass.
Future-proofing the whānau = doing the mahi now, before everyone loses it.
🌿 Keeps the whenua safe and shares together.
🌿 Stops the land from getting chopped into micro-slices nobody can use.
🌿 Gives us a legal shield so the loudest cousin can’t just take over.
🌿 “I thought I was in charge” cousin → Nope. Paperwork first.
🌿 “But Nan told me…” → Did Nan tell the lawyer too?
🌿 The Partner With Opinions → Sweetheart, zero legal say. Sit down.
🌿 “We’ll talk later” crew → Spoiler: later never comes. Avoid.
🌿 Steady and reliable (no disappearing for three years).
🌿 Can read documents without panicking.
🌿Stands up to the loudest cousin without drama.
*No, aunty can’t be a trustee just because she makes a killer boil-up.*
🌿 What the whenua really means.
🌿 How decisions get made.
🌿 Who actually does the mahi?
🌿 How tamariki and mokopuna benefit.
“We sorted this. We protected this. We held this for you.”
That’s leadership. That’s aroha. That’s future-proofing, sibling-style.