Ngaruahine reflects on success
The end of an era for a South Taranaki iwi was celebrated on Saturday.
Members of Ngaruahine were invited to Aotearoa Pa in Okaiawa for the final meeting of a entity that was set up to represent the iwi during its Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiations.
Now that process is finally complete, Nga Hapu o Ngaruahine has come to an end.
The iwi signed its $67.5 million treaty deal in August 2014 and last month the final milestone in the settlement process was completed.
Ngaruahine received the remainder of its financial and cultural redress following the third reading of the settlement legislation last November.
Te Korowai o Ngaruahine’s Cassandra Crowley said it was a time to reflect on the hard work Nga Hapu did for the iwi. ‘‘They had a job to bring the settlement home and they did that,’’ she said.
The weekend’s event also provided a chance for the iwi to pay tribute to its former treaty negotiator Daisy Noble.
As part of the New Year Honour list, she was appointed as an Officer of The New Zealand Order of Merit.
The appointment was made in recognition for her services to Maori.
This included the years she spent helping Ngaruahine negotiate its treaty deal with the Crown, along with her involvement in its fisheries settlement.
She has also represented her hapu of
‘‘They had a job to bring the settlement home and they did that.’’ Cassandra Crowley
Kanihi-Umutahi in various roles.
Along with honouring Noble, four others were also recognised by Ngaruahine. This included Waitara’s Alice Doorbar, who was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal as part of the 2017 New Year Honours.
Ron Hudson, Mere Pirikahu and Matiu Rei were also acknowledged, after being named in the 2016 Queen’s Birthday Honours.