July 25, 2018
Tūhoronuku stands up for urban voice
Ngāpuhi Rūnanga chair Sonny Tau believes agreement is close on resuming negotiations on settling the northern tribe’s historic claims.
On Saturday Treaty Negotiations Minister Andrew Little will convene the sixth meeting between Mr Tau and Hone Sadler, representing the mandated negotiating body Tūhoronuku, and Rudy Taylor and Pita Tipene from opposition group Te Kotahitanga.
Mr Tau says the sticking point is how urban Ngāpuhi and those who don’t know or identify with their hapu will be represented in the settlement.
He told Radio Waatea host Titēwhai Harawira the Maranga Mai report, which proposed replacing Tuhoronuku with a new hapu-driven body, is dead because it would have smashed the tribe up into six pieces, each negotiating a settlement.
"That is ludicrous, that is unachievable, that is unfair to the majority of our people who live in the urban situation. The ahi kaa at home, I commend them for what they do at home, but they were never driven away because you weren’t able to build on your own land," Mr Tau says.
People also left for the cities because there was not enough work in the north, and they and their children should not be disenfranchised now because of that.
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