Tribal ownership row delays handing back of the Mount

Four tribes have staked a claim to Mauao, commonly referred to as the Mount. Picture / Bay of Plenty Times

Inter-tribal squabbling continues to dog negotiations over the handing back of Tauranga's most famous landmark, Mauao, from Crown to Maori ownership.

Brian Dickson, chief executive of the area's largest iwi, Ngaiterangi, said he led a mass walk-out at a hui aimed at resolving ownership rights to Mauao, commonly referred to as the Mount.

Four tribes have been staking a claim to Mauao, including Ngaiterangi, Ngati Ranginui, Ngati Pukenga, and Te Puke iwi Waitaha.

But some members of Ngaiterangi have in the past been scathing of Waitaha's involvement, saying that its interest "smacked of opportunism."

Mr Dickson confirmed to the Herald that he had led the walk-out from the weekend hui.

"There was no point continuing any further dialogue. We feel the other iwi of Tauranga Moana were not listening."

Asked why his iwi objected to Waitaha's inclusion, he said, "It's about mana whenua. It's only those three iwi (Ngaiterangi, Ngati Ranginui, Ngati Pukenga) that had mana whenua in Tauranga Moana."

He said the iwi was now considering its options, which included the possibility of going to the Waitangi Tribunal or Maori Land Court to make a special claim to Mauao.

It is doubtful the bill for Mauao's transfer of ownership will even reach parliamentary select committee stage while issues over the trust deed remain outstanding.

Spokesman for Ngati Pukenga, Rehua Smallman, declined to say what he made of the weekend walkout by Mr Dickson and others. No agreement or trust deed had yet been signed, he said, but "progress is still being made. It hasn't come to a dead stop."

His iwi did not have any problem with Waitaha's involvement, although there were a lot of issues that still needed to be ironed out.

There had been no sign that Ngaiterangi would not be coming back to the negotiating table, Mr Smallman said.

Mr Dickson has previously stated that Waitaha were from the Te Arawa waka, one that had never been recognised as part of Tauranga Moana.

However, Waitaha's claim to Mauao is based on ancestral ties to it, before Ngaiterangi's arrival in the area.

It was during this time that Waitaha had a pa on the mountain, before being defeated in the pre-European battle of Kokowai. It was after this battle that Waitaha was forced to move back to Te Puke.

Last month Mr Dickson told the Rotorua Daily Post that his iwi based their decisions on history.

"That is, basically, that our ancestors came here, fought, blood was spilled, Waitaha was displaced and Ngaiterangi took over."

Labour list MP Mita Ririnui, who has led the parliamentary effort to transfer ownership, was understood to be at the hui.

However, when contacted by the Herald yesterday he immediately offered "no comment" before hanging up.