Critics of the Taranaki Maori Trust Board are being told to acknowledge the leadership role it's played in the past before creating a new tribal entity.
Some iwi leaders have called for a revamp of the board because they say it is out of date, laden with bureaucracy, and is stifling tribal development.
The eight iwi in the rohe have been talking about the role and function of the existing board, how it holds and administers iwi assets, and how it applies funds to particular purposes set out in the Maori Trust Board Act.
An iwi management advisor Jamie Tuuta says before any restructuring takes place people need to acknowledge the past and how it will shape the future.
He says some of the people who have been involved with the board over many years have been some of Taranaki's greatest leaders.
Mr Tuuta says it is about recognising the history, understanding where they are today and looking at what Taranaki Maori can do to secure the future as a collective.
He says iwi need to discuss which issues are important to collaborate on including resource exploitation of oil and gas; water; and the care of Mount Taranaki, their tribal ancestor.
