Pakake Winiata pointing out tupuna on Ngatokowaru wharenui at Hokio, Levin, during the powhiri to the Waitangi Tribunal.
Pakake Winiata pointing out tupuna on Ngatokowaru wharenui at Hokio, Levin, during the powhiri to the Waitangi Tribunal.
OPINION:
Ngāti Pareraukawa of Hōkio today detailed how the virtual confiscation of the land “resulted in a loss of language, culture and identity for the next generations of Ngāti Pareraukawa”.
The Waitangi Tribunal’s Porirua ki Manawatū Inquiry has held 10 hearings since March 2020. Monday was the first day ofhearing week 11 of the Covid-affected hearings.
The Waitangi Tribunal is listening to Ngāti Huia ki Horowhenua based around the Levin area. These hapū are part of the Ngāti Raukawa iwi confederation who have been presenting their Treaty claims to the tribunal over the last three years. Ngāti Huia ki Horowhenua welcomed the Waitangi Tribunal on to Ngātokowaru Marae, Hokiō, Levin.
Hera Eparaima and Mereana Selby at front with Tomo Nicholson and Racheal Selby behind, supporting the whaikorero.
During his whaikōrero (speech) pūkōrero (distinguished speaker) Pakake Winiata outlined relevant Ngāti Huia tūpuna depicted in the whakairo (carvings) of the wharenui. This included the rangatira Te Whatanui who was one of the Ngāti Raukawa leaders who migrated from the Waikato to Horowhenua during the early 1800s.
He sheltered the defeated Muaūpoko iwi from the Ngāti Toa leader Te Rauparaha who sought to exterminate them. Muaūpoko had murdered the prominent leader’s children during the migration of the northern people.
Later on in the hearing lecturer Ani Mikaere reiterated the kōrero given on the marae of Pakake Winiata regarding the actions of Te Whatanui to protect Muaūpoko. In response, Muaūpoko gave him the title Te Whetūmārama-o-te-ata (the shining star of the morning). She said, “He was their carer, their protector, he was the rangatira, he had the authority ...”
Further examples of Te Whatanui’s mana to protect Muaūpoko were outlined including the setting up an area of 20,000 acres where Muaūpoko were to be sheltered. This was part of the 52,000 acre Horowhenua Block.
However, disputes over the ownership of land by the two iwi for various reasons switched to the courts which reversed Ngāti Huia’s claims to the land and awarded it to Muaūpoko whose leaders largely fought on the side of the Crown during the Land Wars. This largely left the iwi landless. However, Ms Mikaere also confirmed the Waitangi Tribunal process was about pointing out the wrongs of the Crown rather than disputing the actions of various iwi involved in the dispute.
Waitangi Tribunal process was about pointing out the wrongs of the Crown rather than disputing the actions of various iwi involved in the dispute.
Rachael Selby and her son Pataka Moore were the other presenters on the first day. Ms Selby detailed how the virtual confiscation of the land “resulted in a loss of language, culture and identity for the next generations of Ngāti Pareraukawa”.
Coupled with the above the hapū were seriously affected by environmental desecration with the pollution of Lake Horowhenua and the sacred waterway Hōkio. Mr Moore described graphically the result of raw sewerage on a stream that was a food source for the hapū. He outlined decades-old disputes with local authorities which included toxic neighbours such as a piggery and the Levin rubbish dump. They maintain the Crown and local authorities’ actions are a Treaty breach.
Later this week other claimants representing Ngāti Huia hapū in the Horowhenua will detail grievances regarding the inland waterways, environmental and natural resources and land alienation. Wayne Kiriona presented on behalf of Matau Marae as the closing speaker today.
Larry Parr is the claimant for Ngāti Hikitanga and Dr Te Ahukaramu Charles Royal will present his research on Kikopiri Marae at Muhunoa. These speakers will speak on Tuesday and Wednesday. Ngāti Huia ki Poroutawhao will close the hearing week with a wide ranging set of presentations that focus on topics such as education, health and mahinga kai.
Ngātokowaru Marae anticipates more than 400 people attending during the week.
The tribunal is headed by Deputy Chief Judge Fox and includes Dr Monty Soutar, Dr Grant Phillipson and Tania Simpson.
Ngati Parewahawaha speaker Ani Mikaere is a lecturer at Te Wananga o Raukawa, Otaki.
As with other hearings in the past two years, the hearing is observing Covid protocols as a significant number of claimants and whānau are people over 70 and particularly vulnerable to the effects of the virus.
The confederation of iwi who occupy the Manawatū/Horowhenua/Kapiti area are generally known as Ngāti Raukawa or Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga to differentiate themselves from their relatives Ngāti Raukawa who occupy the area around Tokoroa, Putaruru, Maungatautari and east towards the Kaimai/Mamaku Range. They comprise as well hapū of Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngati Tukorehe, Ngāti Wehiwehi, Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāti Tūwharetoa. Ngāti Huia ki Horowhenua is a group of hapū belonging to Te Ngare o Huia who are a major grouping within the Ngāti Raukawa confederation.
These iwi originally inhabited the southern Waikato area but migrated to the Manawatū/Horowhenua/Ōtaki area alongside Ngāti Toa, Te Āti Awa and other iwi during the early 19th century.
These iwi represent an estimated population of some 30,000 descendants who affiliate to 21 marae stretching from Bulls in the north-west, Te Reureu in the north-east to Ōtaki in the south-west.
The Waitangi Tribunal hearings started in 2020 in the northern region of the confederation’s rohe and a progression of hearings will eventually conclude with sittings in Ōtaki.
