No evidence of widespread shame has emerged from cultural witnesses called during more than three weeks of hearings to decide if the Rena stayed on Astrolabe Reef.
Matthew Casey QC, the lawyer acting for the Astrolabe Community Trust, was putting his closing submissions to the final day of hearings before the Environment Court.
The appeal from Motiti Island's Ngai Te Hapu and Papamoa's Nga Potiki a Tamapahore Trust ended with the applicant who wants to leave the Rena be having the final say.
Mr Casey said that five-and-a-half years after the grounding there was no evidence of any widespread collective feelings of whakama (shame).
''Rather than showing whakama, many Maori have demonstrated their resilience. Many have been empowered in the exercise of kaitiakitanga [guardianship] in accordance with their tikanga.''