Ngati Whatua finishes case for exclusive mana whenua

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei deputy chair Ngarimu Blair says the hapū has done as much as it can do in arguing for exclusive mana whenua over central Auckland.

Ten weeks of hearing ended last Friday the High Court at Auckland in the challenge against the crown offering small parcels of land in Parnell and Grafton for the Marutūahu settlement.

The claims, whakapapa and pūrākau of the various iwi with interests in Tāmaki Makaurau have been put to the test, and now it’s up to the judge to make his decision.

"From our side we think it's pretty simple. There are some universal tikanga across the country. One of those includes, for most iwi anyway except for those who presented against us, that every hapū does actually have a heartland, a place that is exclusively theirs, that their tikanga rules the day. We believe most Māori if not all Māori understand that. However we had a few tribes in the court against us saying there is no such thing, we're all related and everything is shared. We just don't accept that," Mr Blair says.

Judge Matthew Palmer indicated he would try to complete the judgment before the end of the year.

Follow us on &

Copyright © 2021, UMA Broadcasting Ltd: www.waateanews.com

RELATED NEWS

Support call for Mere Mangu as Ngāpuhi in turmoil Peters not swayed by plane speaking Views sought on Maori literacy