Listen Now: 
Tuhoe activist Tame Iti says yesterday's apology from the police was a good day for the Ruatoki and Taneatua communities, but it's just one small step on the path to a Tuhoe nation.
Police commissioner Mike Bush and about 100 officers and police kaumatua were at Rewarewa Marae in Ruatoki for the apology, which followed personal visits three weeks ago to some of thise most affected.
Mr Bush defended the arrest of people including Mr Iti who had taken part in allegedly military style training camps in Te Urewra, but said the way the operation was carried out caused a loss of mana for the iwi.
The Independent Police Complaints Authority found actions including setting up road blocks and detaining people in their cars and homes was illegal.
Mr Iti says Mr Bush's apology sounded genuine.
He says the crown will be back next week to deliver an apology as part of the tribe's treaty settlement for breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi over the past 150 years.
"They invaded the nation and they came in with their firearms and hundreds of troops of the crown in the 1860s and so they're coming for that apology, so we didn't have to wait for 150 years. We just had to wait for seven years," he says.
Mr Iti says Tuhoe's chief negotiator Tamati Kruger has done a great job to develop the process for the apologies to happen.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH TAME ITI CLICK ON THE LINK
http://www.waateanews.com/play_podcast?podlink=MjEwOTc=
Copyright © 2014, UMA Broadcasting Ltd
RELATED NEWS
