Through the discursive project of tūrangawaewae (a place where one has the right to stand and be heard), the writer critiques some of the trials, errors, differences of opinion and possibilities in developing and advancing the place of te tangata whenua (the indigenous people of the land) knowledges while taking care of taonga (prized natural resources) within contested boundaries and spaces. In so doing, Patuharakeke Te Iwi Trust Board’s (Inc.) concurrent responsibilities of governance and management will be clarified by bringing forth ancient and complex narratives. Throughout the paper, a Māori cultural discourse of collectivity and the Western scientific discourse that individualises or separates people, heaven and the earth, will be compared and contrasted.. Before going any further though, the reader is advised of the writer’s personal and political interest in writing about governance and management as interrelated responsibilities. In truth, the writer’s critique is grounded in the knowledge that she is made in the likeness/whakapapa (genealogy) of Patuharakeke hapū (sub tribe) and their tūrangawaewae. More to the point, the writer is an elected trustee and the secretary of the board; thus, a discourse of cultural awareness or hope for a marae organisation to govern and manage the tūrangawaewae is a concurrent and political action.