Maori deliver strong message on harbour

Iwi protesting treaty negotiations. Photos: Tracy Hardy.


Local Maori are calling yesterday's protests on the harbour a success, and believe their voice has now been heard.

Tauranga iwi Ngai Te Rangi took to the water to protest a treaty negotiation settlement, which they say will give the Hauraki collective of iwi and hapu rights to Tauranga Moana.

Ngai Te Rangi Mauao site coordinator Meremaihi Aloua says she's proud of the region, and the support from local iwi and other relations.

'Their support strengthens our ties with other iwi.”

She says the key message is for the Crown to ‘realise its fault'.

'Their lies and deceit aren't working anymore. We've taken many steps to lead to this point, and if we don't go down the right pathway, they now know what we're capable of.

'We want to see Hauraki continue on with their settlement, without the inclusion of Tauranga Moana.”

Ngai Te Rangi CEO Paul Stanley agrees.

'There are many more conversations we need to hold. We'll be reassessing whether we repeat this next week. But a heck of a lot more needs to be done with the Crown.”

Yesterday's protest took place from around 10am to 1pm, and included haka as well as waka paddling on the harbour.

Auckland-based Ngati Whatua Orakei spokesman Ngarimu Blair has congratulated Tauranga Moana iwi for turning out in force to ‘protect their mana'.

'We fully support Tauranga Moana and it is awesome to see the local community also backing iwi in this battle against the Crown.

'It's deeply concerning that the government is trying to pull together a deal with Hauraki iwi and not respecting the people who have actually continued to live in the area for centuries.”







Haka from Sun Live on Vimeo.




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9 comments

Time to sit down and talk it through.

Posted on 18-06-2017 09:16 | By Papamoaner

But first, we must show some respect, both ways.


Me tautoko mātou tēnei kaupapa

Posted on 18-06-2017 10:49 | By awv4mac

N Ngti Pkeh au, no reira e tautoko ana au i ng iwi o Tauranga Moana m a rtou kaupapa, a rtou whakah e pa ana ki te mahi i te Karauna me ng iwi o Hauraki. He aha ai? Na te mea kei Tauranga Moana au e noho ana, , kua oke nei iwi m tnei whenua mai i te w o mua. Ko rtou whai tikanga ng whai tikanga o ttou katoa. Kia kaha, kia manawanui.


protest

Posted on 18-06-2017 12:12 | By dumbkof2

let them take their protest and disruption to wellington where it should be. we are getting sick of all this nonsence happening every day because they cant get their own way


awv4mac

Posted on 18-06-2017 13:01 | By overit

And I wonder how many there yesterday understood your message...


Small correction, dumbkof,

Posted on 18-06-2017 13:48 | By R. Bell

The protest belongs here, not Wellington. "WE" are not getting sick of anything. YOU are. Big difference. Go Iwi o Tauranga Moana. We are with you all. Robin Bell.


protest

Posted on 19-06-2017 09:15 | By dumbkof2

you may not be getting sick of it all r bell but most other people are


dumbkof2

Posted on 19-06-2017 13:37 | By waiknot

If you grasped what the specific issue is im you your attitude would change


the greedy bunch

Posted on 20-06-2017 10:54 | By Captain Sensible

Yeah, the "issue" is a bunch of greedys from Auckland laying claim to what a bunch of local greedys, with their equally inflated sense of entitlement, want . Neither of these greedy groups should get anything that the rest of us (second-class Kiwis) can't have. The greed and sense of self importance of these squabblers should be an embarrassment.


@Dumbkof2

Posted on 20-06-2017 12:34 | By Papamoaner

I agree with you when you say most are sick of it all. But that's because they allow themselves to get irritated at protests without addressing, or even bothering to understand the underlying causes. It doesn't bode well for our group integrity or credibility. A classic example of the hypocrisy around it, is when we see all those emperors with no clothes proudly explaining beautiful maori words and place names to foreign visitors, whilst covertly harboring racist views within themselves. To them, Maori culture has its uses when it suits. (Nazis shamelessly enjoyed Jewish composer's music too). I guess we might call it shameless theft of culture, in some subtle ways acknowledging that our own culture is lacking certain elements of humanity. It's embarrassing !


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