March 11, 2018
Apology for crown mistreatment of loyal iwi
A central North island iwi says an apology for the crown as part of its treaty claim settlement will help with reconciliation after 178 years of deception, misdeeds and trauma.
Negotiator Che Wilson says when Ngati Rangi signed the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 it saw it as a sacred pact akin to a marriage, but it quickly turned into a one-sided, dysfunctional relationship.
Ngati Rangi tried to make it work, showing its loyalty and even fighting alongside the crown, but it still lost nearly all its land.
The settlement signed on Saturday at Raketapauma Marae near Waiouru includes the Crown’s acknowledgement of numerous breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi, cultural redress including the return of the lakes at Rotokura, joint governance over the Whangaehu River, and $17 million in cash and assets.
Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Minister Andrew Little says through this settlement the crown aims to rebuild its relationship with Ngati Rangi and reinforce that it is based on mutual respect and honour.
Ngati Rangi is one of the iwi that will take part in the collective negotiations over Tongariro National Park, due to start later this year.
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