Nga Tamariki o Te Kohu - Children of the Mist - occupied land at Lake Waikaremoana in 1997. Photo / Amos Chapple
A meeting of "freedom fighters" and "comrades" has been planned on the shores of Lake Waikaremoana to commemorate a land occupation 10 years ago.
A posting has been made on the website Indymedia.org, calling for Tuhoe supporters to make the journey to Te Waiwherowhero pa site, next to
the camp grounds at Waikaremoana.
But following the police raids in the Tuhoe township of Ruatoki and across the country, Tuhoe spokesman Tamati Kruger said the commemoration may not now go ahead.
He said a flyer using the word "freedom fighters" gained the attention of police.
"Immediately those words conjured up other imagery for the police. They had a different view of of what may be going on here," Mr Kruger said.
The gathering would have marked the 10 year anniversary of the occupation at Waikaremoana when a group gathered to voice their grievances with the Crown over the running of Te Urewera National Park.
Nga Tamariki o Te Kohu - The Children of the Mist - occupied land on the lake shore until the Government undertook a Joint Ministerial Inquiry.
The inquiry found no breaches of the lease agreement but recommended that Tangata Whenua and the Department of Conservation meet to discuss the management of the lake.
Mr Kruger said the tribe had concerns over sewage and diesel seeping into the lake.
He said 10 years later the problems are still there but the commemoration was a chance for the tribe to thank those who supported the protest and highlight the issues of water ownership.
Mr Kruger said a meeting between the Department of Conservation and Tame Iti took place about a month ago.
Another meeting, to iron out logistics, was due to take place shortly but that did not look likely to go ahead now, Mr Kruger said.
He said people organising the activities had been distracted by the police raids but the raids could encourage more people to attend.
The meeting was set to take place at New Year's Eve.
