November 16, 2012
Manuhiri holds to memories of island life
The chief negotiator for Ngāti Manuhiri says the hapū is relieved to have its ownership of Hauturu- Little Barrier Island confirmed after more than a century of struggle.
As part of the treaty settlement passed by Parliament, the Tai Tokerau hapū will be given title to the island sanctuary for a week, before gifting it back to the people of New Zealand and maintaining a co-management role with the Department of Conservation.
The last Ngāti Wai members living on the island were taken off by police and soldiers in January 1896.
Terrence Hoeneck says it was good that a large number of tribe members including kaumatua Laly Haddon were at Parliament to witness its history being written into law.
"There's not a lot of our people that can connect with those old people that started that fight right back in the 1800s with Te Kiri, our tupuna, and from there down to his daughter Rahui and then down through the generations. Laly and a few others who are left today are some of the old people we have that remember and have carried that forward to us, the younger generation and for us to carry it forward to the next generation," he says.
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