Iwis host Treaty Minister
The treaty settlement aspirations of the central North Island tribes Uenuku, Tamakana and Tamahaki were heard by Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson in Raetihi last week.
The Minister was accompanied by a team from the Office of Treaty Settlements who spent two days in the region.
Uenuku Charitable Trust chair Aiden Gilbert said the visit was crucial to ensuring that the Minister, his team and the Department of Conservation clearly understand the experiences, the issues, the impact, concerns and challenges facing the people of Uenuku, Tamahaki and Tamakana.
‘‘I think the Minister and his team know us, our history and our aspirations a little better and that is a good starting point as our negotiations team begins drilling down into some of the ways our grievances should be addressed through this particular process.’’
Negotiators for Te Korowai o Wainuia¯ rua and historian Richard Boast presented an overview of Te Korowai o Wainuia¯ rua and its constituent tribes and hapu¯ , the nature of their claims and the historical issues.
The party toured a small number of sites of significance and were given an overview of the groups redress aspirations to address the impact of treaty breaches suffered by the three tribes and their many hapu¯ .