September 28, 2018
Rohe Pōtae Report breathes life into iwi
Kāwhia iwi Ngāti Hikairo hopes a landmark report from the Waitangi Tribunal will revive the tribe’s fortunes.
Rūnanga chair Moka Apiti says the tribunal’s pre-release Te Rohe Pōtae: King Country report confirms Ngāti Hikairo’s status as an iwi in the Rohe Pōtae, which is something it has worked hard to get the Crown to recognise.
The iwi borders Ngāti Maniapoto and Waikato and became a member of the original King Country pact, Te Ohaki Tapu in the mid-1800s.
However, rūnanga secretary Tony Spelman says soon after it lost its lands and its rights on Kāwhia Harbour and the people dispersed in order to survive.
The tribunal found the Crown needs to restore the rangatiratanga of Te Rohe Pōtae claimants.
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