Disagreement about land occupied by sports club

Hatea-a-rangi Sports Ground at Tokomaru Bay was the subject of a hearing into an application for renewal of the lease to Tokomaru Bay United Sports Club. Picture by Ben Cowper

Arguments for and against the renewal of the lease for the Tokomaru Bay United Sports Club were aired at a Gisborne District Council hearing at Tuatini Marae in Tokomaru Bay.

The hearings committee was chaired by councillor Tony Robinson and included Aubrey Ria, Larry Foster and Teddy Thompson.

Tokomaru Bay United Sports Club (TBUSC) has leased the land at Hātea -a-Rangi Memorial Park since 1981, remaining on site despite the lease expiring in 2014 with no right of renewal.

The club applied to the district council for renewal of the lease with an increased footprint to develop an area next to the clubrooms into a multi-purpose court and rangatahi tech hub.

TBUSC chair Rob McKenzie and TBUSC life members Cara-Lee Pēwhairangi-Lawton and Jack Chambers, a Ruataupare and Te Ao Tawarirangi kaumātua, presented in support of the lease renewal.

In opposition were the Lee and Tiger Whakataka Whānau Trust,  represented by Tracey Takarua, Quintin Whakataka, Alliese Whakataka and Vicki Whakataka.

Kaumātua Mr Chambers spoke first and shared the history of the construction of the sports club.

“I am one of the surviving members of the original clubhouse that was developed in 1976. In 1988 that expanded to a double garage which we used and then in 1997 that building was taken down and the present building erected,” Mr Chambers said.

“There is a lot of mention of people referring to the area of the clubrooms as wāhi tapu. I beg to differ on some of the comments that it is an urupā and is wāhi tapu,” he said.

He pointed out that when the power cables were installed underground from the corner of the township’s Four Square, a 60cm deep and 90cm wide trench was dug for the cables. If the rugby field had been an urupā, “I am certain bones would have been recovered but none were found”, he said.

Mr McKenzie said the club was a hub for the Tokomaru Bay community.

“This is a facility for everyone in the community. Everything we do we will consult with the community before taking any concrete steps,” he said.

The club has a membership of 151, many of whom live in Tokomaru Bay or have a connection to the club.

“It’s a facility that anyone can come to and anyone can use.”

He said it was a base for operations when Tokomaru Bay was isolated (after Cyclone Gabrielle) and also a space for Covid-19 vaccination events to happen.

Speaking about the idea to upgrade the clubrooms, a rangatahi zone was mentioned.

Hearings committee chair Cr Robinson asked about the rangatahi zone and what consultation had happened already.

Lillian Te Hau-Ward answered on Mr McKenzie’s request.

She said three years ago tamariki and rangatahi had met and explained their dreams for the space. These included  a technology hub, constructing a multi-use court in an area that is predominantly used for smoking, a bigger stage for entertainment and a meat processing area for rangatahi to learn how to process meat they have hunted and gathered.

Tracey Takarua spoke on behalf of those opposing the renewal and started by explaining their whānau whakapapa.

“Two of my whānau members are buried in the urupā just outside (the building).”

“We are stating our whakapapa because it established the longevity of the Whakataka whānau in Tokomaru bay and we are here to speak our truth.”

She said it seemed respected leaders of the coastal community had not shared all the history about the whenua.

“There has been no kōrero in the reports about the cultural and historical context of the whenua and it is concerning that in this day and age you have limited information.”

“In the mid-1820s an epidemic hit the Coast and those who died were buried in the sandhills below Tuatini Marae, along with those who were killed when Ngāpuhi warriors attacked Tuatini Marae. These are significant parts of history and about the East Coast wars, but I don’t think that you have heard these stories before. You have only heard a narrative that they want you to hear, which is hōhā.”

She said a report in 2017 stated that a “historical midden” was found and Heritage NZ notified, but nothing came of it.

Mrs Takarua said successive government legislation had caused whānau to be disconnected from whenua.

The GDC should give the whenua back to the community, back to the hapū, so they can decide how it is managed, she said.

She suggested the GDC could form a co-governance partnership to help with the transition.

“There’s bigger things we can do, whānau, but the whenua needs to come back to us.”

Another recommendation she gave was for the GDC and Heritage NZ to undertake a full and comprehensive research project into the history of the whenua and official ly document the events of the past so it won’t be forgotten.

Cr Robinson explained the powers the committee has are limited, “but we have heard what you said and will take your message back to the full council”.

“The council of today is not the council of yesterday. We are committed to te Tiriti.”

The hearing was last Thursday, and the committee reserved its decision.