May 27, 2013
Te Atiawa uniting for settlement start
Te Atiawa descendants are being asked to vote on whether to accept the post settlement governance entity that is designed to bring together the long-divided Taranaki iwi.
Te Atiawa Iwi Authority Chair, Wikitoria Keenan, says members are being asked to set up Te Kōtahitanga ō Te Atiawa Trust now rather than wait for the final settlement because the Crown wants to hand over some assets on an account basis.
She says while the proposed settlement is a fraction of what the tribe lost through war and land confiscation, it is a chance to look ahead.
"This settlement is not about justice. It's not about addressing those wrongs, although the government likes to think it is. It is window dressing. We do have to settle for a lot less than we deserve. But I think the view I take is the settlement is just a starting point and it's up to whoever the future governance is going to be to continue that on and make it grow," Ms Keenan says.
The Te Atiawa negotiators are in Hamilton tonight, Wellington tomorrow, Christchurch on Thursday and Owae Marae in Waitara next Tuesday, with voting closing on June 10.
Copyright © 2013, UMA Broadcasting Ltd