Te Arawa discuss claim over ancestors' burial sites (+video)

A group of Te Arawa elders are set to take a trip to the Coromandel Peninsula to discuss concerns over the resting place of one of the tribe's most important ancestors.

Members of Te Arawa had an urgent hui inside Tamatekapua meeting house at Te Papaiouru marae in Ohinemutu on Wednesday to discuss concerns over a Treaty of Waitangi settlement being made to 12 tribes of the Hauraki region concerning Moehau Mountain on the Coromandel Peninsula.

The mountain is the burial site of Tamatekapua - the captain of the Arawa waka - and at least four other important Arawa tupuna (ancestors) and descendants - Tuhoromatakaka, Kahumatamomoe, Hei and Whakaotirangi - however, they are not all buried at the same place as Tamatekapua.

Sir Toby Curtis said Te Arawa wanted to make sure the tribe's interests on the mountain remained intact.

He said it was an issue that should be dealt with by the elders of Te Arawa who will, in the next few weeks, sit down with the Pare Hauraki Collective, Ngati Maru and their elders, to discuss the Crown's proposed settlement, which will exclude Te Arawa's overarching interests.

"We would like this done without government interference as we have very good relations with those tribes, particularly Ngati Maru who in 1886 made land available for Tuhourangi after the Tarawera eruption."

He said more than 100 people were at the hui that was at times emotional, "but that was to be expected as these people are our treasured ancestors".

"People do that when talking from an emotive angle, there were people coming in from all angles ... until someone made it quite obvious that section 439 [Maori Reserve Trust] is being used to protect Tamatekapua's resting place, which no-one was clear on before that.

"The talk then turned to the other tupuna who are resting on other parts of the mountain.

"It's now our job to sit down with Hauraki and find out exactly what they want to do and their perception of things they see for the future of Moehau and what we see in regard to our tupuna who are there, and how we can marry the two together."

Sir Toby will be part of a delegation of elders heading to the Coromandel on January 21 to meet Hauraki tribes - that decision was made during Wednesday's hui - he said.

Accompanying him will be kaumatua Te Ariki Morehu and Arama Pirika among others, including Ngati Huarere.

"We are looking to get some guarantees and custodial consideration."

He said Te Arawa accepted and respected the fact that the Hauraki tribes had looked after those burial sites for hundred of years and Te Arawa did not want to interfere with their settlement, it was just seeking Crown recognised inclusion in carrying the responsibility for their dead on their mountain.

"We don't want this to disrupt the positive relationship we have, particularly with Ngati Maru, and I think it's our old people who need to sit down and discuss this.

"But there must also be input and support from our young people."

According to Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Te Arawa have strong connections to the Hauraki region and named Moehau Mountain and Whitianga Harbour.

"The canoe Te Arawa landed at various points around the Coromandel Peninsula, and those on board named several places, including Moehau Mountain. The full name, Te Moengahau-o-Tamatekapua (the windy sleeping place of Tamatekapua), commemorates the burial there of the commander of Te Arawa, Tamatekapua.

"The people of Ngati Huarere are of Te Arawa descent. Their ancestor is Huarere, a grandson of Tamatekapua.

"Ngati Hei are descendants of Hei, uncle of Tamatekapua."

Attempts to contact spokespeople for the Hauraki claim by the Rotorua Daily Post were unsuccessful.