Two Taranaki iwi to sign Terms of Negotiations
On 17th March 1860, the Taranaki wars started in Waitara. Some 500 colonial troops began bombarding Te Kohia Pa on the Pekapeka block in Waitara. This led to to two decades of confrontation in all of Taranaki between iwi and the Crown. While the invasion, plunder and occupation of Parihaka in November 1881 marks the end of confrontations between soldiers and tangata whenua, the wars in Taranaki never really came to an end. “If war is the absence of peace” writes the Waitangi Tribunal, “the war has never ended in Taranaki, because that essential prerequisite for peace among peoples, that each should be able to live with dignity on their own lands, is still absent and the protest over land rights continues to be made.”
This year's commemorations are significant in several ways. Firstly, a much anticipated exhibition at New Plymouth's museum Puke Ariki is opening with the promising title “Te ahi kaa roa, Te ahi kaatoro – Taranaki War 1860 – 2010”. The exhibition runs until August. Secondly, two iwi in Taranaki are signing Terms of Negotiations with the Crown for their historical Treaty claims. Both Te Ati Awa iwi and Taranaki iwi have recently given a mandate to two organisations - Te Ati Awa Iwi Authority and Taranaki Iwi Trust – to pursue negotiations with the Crown. Waitangi Tribunal hearings across Taranaki took place between 1990 and 1995 and several iwi have already settled with the Crown.
Ministers of the Crown, including Minister of Treaty Settlements Chris Findlayson, Minister of Maori Affairs Pita Sharples and also the Prime Minister John Key, are expected to turn up for the two signings. The first one for Te Ati Awa is scheduled for 12pm at Owae Marae (Manukorihi Pa) at Waitara and the second for Taranaki Iwi at 3pm at Puniho Pa (south of Okato).
“One hundred and fifty years ago, war erupted in Taranaki. It raged across Taranaki for 21 years, and its legacy lives on today. The first shots were fired at Waitara on 17 March 1860. It was the events at Waitara that the following saying was coined and remains with Taranaki Whaanui today “Ko Waitara, Ko Waitara, ko te raa teenei i mate ai te whenua, i mate ai te tangata” (Waitara, Waitara, the day the land and people were destroyed). Taranaki Iwi were involved in events [such as refusing illegal sales of their land] leading to the Taranaki war of 1860. Taranaki rangatira, such as Te Matakatea, were involved in the siege of Te Karaka Pa and led fighting men of Taranaki to Kaipopo Pa, Waireka, where they were involved in the battle of 28 March 1860, known as the ‘Battle of Waireka’. This was the first of many incidents that saw settler houses and Māori farms and villages attacked and destroyed. Since the First Taranaki War, Taranaki Iwi occupied disputed land at Ōmata and Tataraimaka.” (Taranaki Iwi Trust Panui – March 2010)
The Taranaki Iwi claim
“We have longstanding claims against the Crown. These claims against the Crown have been expressed through petitions and protests made by Taranaki Iwi pahake (elders) since the 1840’s. These petitions and protests contributed to the establishment, in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, of various commissions of inquiry into lands confiscated from Taranaki. The most notable of these was the Royal Commission of Inquiry (Sim Commission).
“Taranaki Iwi’s claims were heard by the Waitangi Tribunal as part of the overall Taranaki hearings. The Waitangi Tribunal between 1990 and 1995 investigated 21 claims concerning Taranaki Maori made to the Waitangi Tribunal under section 6 of the Treaty of Waitangi Act. These Claims included claims of Taranaki Iwi. A considerable amount of time and effort was put in by Taranaki Iwi to ensure that there was sufficient research and submissions filed with the Waitangi Tribunal in relation to our Claims.
“In June 1996, the Tribunal released its interim report on the collective Taranaki claims (Wai 143) entitled “The Taranaki Report”. In an interim report, the Tribunal found that, through confiscation, improper purchases, and the Compensation Court process, Taranaki Māori were left with insufficient lands to sustain themselves. Additionally, their right to autonomy was undermined - a right which the Tribunal noted was pivotal to the Treaty guarantees and to the relationship established between the Crown and Māori. The Tribunal also found that the perpetual lease regime was an injustice committed against Taranaki Māori, that Mount Taranaki was of extraordinary significance to local Māori, and that there was no valid legal basis for its confiscation.
“In June 1996 the Waitangi Tribunal issued an interim report called the "Taranaki Report Kaupapa Tuatahi” giving its preliminary views on the Taranaki Claims. This report was issued in order to speed up the process of negotiations in order to settle the Taranaki Claims which include those of Taranaki Iwi.
“In December 2009 the Taranaki Iwi Trust submitted a Deed of Mandate to negotiate a proposed settlement package on behalf of Ngaa Uri o Taranaki Iwi. Following a submissions process and a separate assessment by Te Puni Kökiri and the Office of Treaty Settlements, the Taranaki iwi Trust’s mandate was recognised by letter from the Minister of Treaty of Waitangi Settlement Negotiations Hon Christopher Finlayson and the Minister of Māori Affairs Dr Pita Sharples on 26 February 2010. Terms of Negotiation are currently being worked through between the Claims Leadership Team and the Crown and it is envisaged that the Terms will be agreed between the two parties and signed at Te Puniho Pa, on 17 March 2010.” (Taranaki Iwi Trust Panui – March 2010)
