Water is the lifeblood that connects places and people. Through our waterways, our whānau has connected deeply not only to our home at Ruamāhanga Farm but also to many incredible people across the Wairarapa and now throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. At the end of August, we experienced a milestone when our close friend and collaborator, Sam Ludden also from the Wairarapa, alongside our immediate Riddiford whānau, were honoured with national Freshwater Champion Awards by the Nelson-based Cawthron Institute.
Sam, who serves as Hau Pou Kaitiaki (environmental officer) for Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, was recognised for his tireless efforts across the region. His mahi includes supporting the Ahu Collective’s kaupapa Māori planting programme, the Mokomoko Project along the Waipoua River, and various Wairarapa Moana restoration initiatives. Sam uses art, storytelling, ceramics, and restoration activities to connect people with freshwater issues, while mentoring others and advocating for iwi perspectives.
Ruamāhanga Farm Foundation has had the pleasure of collaborating with Sam on our environmental education programme, Te Reo o te Wai. A highlight over the last three years has been a day when tamariki from participating schools are welcomed onto Hau Ariki Marae. Sam acts as the Kaikōrero for each school during the pōwhiri, providing a meaningful space for the tamariki to share poems and songs about their experiences with us in te taiao (the environment). This is followed by a clay and kōrero session where Sam guides each class in making an ipu whenua; traditionally a vessel for the placenta. On this occasion, these small clay pots hold the children’s hopes and dreams for the future of the Wairarapa Moana.
Tamariki from Kahutara School with Sam Ludden at Hau Ariki Marae 2025
When presenting our whānau with our award, the judges noted the intergenerational and community-oriented way that my sisters Liz and Lucy, my mother Yvonne, my husband Rod Sugden, and I work. They particularly appreciated how we place children and young people at the heart of our efforts to restore wetlands and native bush remnants along the Ruamāhanga River.
At the ceremony, many attendees commented on the power of the young voices woven through our mahi. In his acceptance speech, Rod shared how he is inspired by the children’s words about water, quoting an eight-year-old student from Kahutara School: “I like the cold sparkling awa because it is so mysterious… it is as bright as heaven.”
Our farm has been cared for by our family since 1907. Establishing the Ruamāhanga Farm Foundation (RFF) four years ago has given us, as tangata tiriti, a fresh foundation to act as stewards of the whenua and its waterways. This stewardship extends beyond our farm and into neighbouring properties within the recently formed Waihinga Catchment Group. To be acknowledged in the family actions category, at this early stage of our journey means a lot to us. We owe a massive thank you to Maddy Glover from the Greater Wellington Regional Council for nominating us, and to everyone who endorsed our application. Many thanks to the Cawthron Institute and Tasman Bay Media for creating a promo video about RFF’s work – see here
The awards were presented at the Freshwater Champions Forum. The event featured panel discussions. Rather than a dry hour of science and statistics panelists spoke compellingly about power of people coming together. A recurring theme was the paradox of conservation: in order to move quickly, we must first learn to move slowly. We have to make time to listen and cultivate spaces for shared understanding to grow.
Panellist Te Ao Te Rangi Apaapa described how his work on the Taiea te Taiao ecological corridor project in the King Country had succeeded by weaving traditional Māori knowledge together with the practical lived experience of local farmers. Naomi Aporo, who hails from the Wairarapa, also spoke poignantly about the need for self-reflection rather than pointing fingers at others. When asked by an audience member about the need to advocate a clear vision, she gently indicated how problematic that can be. Again and again, it seems successful action on the ground comes through an almost imperceptible whisper rather than a roar.
I returned home uplifted and grateful for the collaborative spirit we are so fortunate to experience here in the Wairarapa. Over these last months it is not only our collaboration with the Martinborough Music Festival that makes our mahi sing but the involvement with more than ten local environmental and arts organisations, schools, fellow farmers, and independent practitioners. It is a reminder of the creative and diverse ways that water connects us all.
Words by Jane Riddiford