Tribal grievances aired in protest march across Wairoa Bridge

Maori protesters fighting to preserve their mana over Tauranga Harbour crossed the Wairoa River bridge this morning, bringing traffic halt on State Highway 2. Photo/Tommy Kapai Wilson

Nearly 500 protesters seeking to maintain their mana over Tauranga Harbour from a Treaty claim by Hauraki tribes took to roads today in a hikoi that included crossing Wairoa Bridge.

Sunday morning traffic was brought to a halt as protesters from Tauranga Moana's three iwi paraded their grievances.

Graham Cameron (Ngati Ranginui) said the march was one end of a long series of protests and meetings.

He said none of the Treaty settlement bills involving the three iwi had gone through Parliament, partly because of hold-ups with the harbour Deed of Settlement because Hauraki wanted to be included in the framework of the moana.

The issue was that Hauraki iwi, whose interests Tauranga iwi acknowledged, were trying to assert they had rights, Mr Cameron said.

"If we lose this battle, it will create a precedent for the rest of the country."

He said there was a long history of conflict going back hundreds of years, included battles fought by Hauraki in Tauranga Moana. But Hauraki had not conquered. Their other interest was a shared genealogy (whakapapa) with Tauranga iwi.

Pare Hauraki was saying that the shared history equated to a right to have a say in the development and growth of Tauranga Moana, but this was rejected by Tauranga iwi, he said.

"It's our land, our mana."

Mr Cameron said he was sure that Western Bay of Plenty local authorities were as concerned as they were.

The bid by Tauranga iwi to stop the Government signing Pare Hauraki's Deed of Settlement where it impacted on Tauranga Harbour and its catchments has resulted in two protest marches and two seaborne protests in which waka blocked the Mount Maunganui entrance to the harbour.