September 16, 2019
Iwi seek to merge land and marine claims
Leaders of coastal Bay of Islands hapū are pursuing a novel approach to claim settlement.
Arapeta Hamilton from Ngāti Manu says on the weekend they went to Waikare to invite Te Kapotai to join an alliance of Bay of Islands iwi, Te Whakaaetanga, which also includes Ngāti Kuta, Patukeha, and Ngāti Torehina.
"Because what we are saying is the marine coastal area and the land claims go together so instead of having piecemeal this and piecemeal that we are combining the kaupapa together based on our whanaungatanga," he says.
Ngāti Rāhiri at Waitangi will also be aked to join the alliance.
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