TE PUA O TE RIRI KORE – INITIALLING OF NGĀTI HĀUA DEED OF SETTLEMENT

Ngāti Hāua ki te rangi,

Ngāti Hāua ki te nuku,

Ngāti Hāua, maranga ake!

Ko Ruapehu te pou tuarongo.

Ko Hinengākau te poutokomanawa.

Ko Te Awa Tupua te tāhuhu ki te pou mua.

Ko Ruatupua rāua ko Paerangi ngā maihi.

Ko Te Hoata II te tekoteko kei runga.

Nei rā te whare o Hāua te tū nei!

Ngāti Hāua Iwi Trust and the Crown have taken a historic step forward today by initialling Te Pua o Te Riri Kore, the Deed of Settlement for the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims of Ngāti Hāua. This significant milestone acknowledges the grievances endured by Ngāti Hāua and sets a foundation for reconciliation, restoration and a revitalised future for the Iwi.

This agreement reflects the aspirations of Ngāti Hāua to secure justice and rebuild their cultural and economic base after generations of loss and trauma caused by breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Key elements of the settlement include:

The Crown Acknowledgements and Apology

• Formal acknowledgements and apology from the Crown, The Crown make a number of acknowledgements of their breaches of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and apology for those and the impact of those breaches on Ngāti Hāua. Statutory Pardons

• Formal pardons for tūpuna Mātene Ruta Te Whareaitu and Te Rangiatea, whose wrongful convictions in 1846 remain a source of historical pain. These pardons recognise their mana, character and reputation, those of their descendant and of of Ngāti Hāua.

Cultural Redress

• Return of 64 culturally significant sites, including Ngā Huinga and Whakapapa Island Scenic Reserve, reinforcing the iwi’s connection to their ancestral lands. • A $6 million Cultural Revitalisation Fund to support the return of cultural sites, and initiatives in language, marae, and cultural heritage preservation.

• Overlay Classifications, Deeds of Recognition and Statutory Acknowledgments to recognise Ngāti Hāua’s spiritual and historical relationships with specific lands.

Relationship Redress

• Relationships arrangements with Crown ministries, agencies and other entities, and commitments for social transformation.

Financial and Commercial Redress

• $20.4 million in financial redress, including a $3.8 million on-account payment to be made upon signing.

• Rights to purchase and manage Crown-owned properties in Ngāti Hāua’s rohe, creating opportunities for economic renewal and growth.

A Time to Reflect and Rebuild

Ngāti Hāua Iwi Trust Chair, Graham "Tinka" Bell, spoke of the profound significance of this moment:

“In 1866, our tupuna erected a niu pou called Riri Kore to mark the end of hostilities with the Crown. However, we continued to be labelled and stigmatised as hauhau, as rebels. Since that time our leaders have fought to retain our mana motuhake and our ability to protect and provide for our people, our kāinga and our whenua. This settlement finally bears the fruits of the peace that our tupuna sought with the Crown.”

“It will provide us with a foundation to better provide for our kaumatua and mokopuna, for our marae, our hapū and our whenua. We look forward to taking the settlement to our people and will leave it in their hands to decide whether this settlement is enough for us to move forward and rebuild our tribal nation, for us and those to come, rire rire hau hau pāi mārire.”

Looking Ahead

The initialling of Te Pua o Te Riri Kore begins the next phase: seeking iwi ratification. Ngāti Hāua members (aged 18 and over) will vote on whether to accept the settlement package and approve the establishment of Te Whiringa Kākaho o Ngāti Hāua, a governance entity to manage settlement assets on behalf of the iwi.

To ensure transparency and engagement, roadshows will take place across the motu, providing opportunities for iwi members to learn about the settlement and ask questions. The voting period will run from 9 December 2024 to 31 January 2025, with results to follow.

© Scoop Media