April 19, 2024
Whale claim resonates with whakapapa
Ikaroa-Rawhiti MP Cushla Tangaere-Manuel is backing the call for tohorā or whales – to be given legal personhood.
The call for He Whakaputanga Moana has come from Kīngi Tuheitia and other traditional Pacific leaders.
Ms Tangaere-Manuel says Te Tai Rawhiti is steeped in tales of the tohorā – the most famous being the story of the tipuna Paikea coming to Aotearoa on the back of a whale.
“The extinction of tohora in Maoridom would be an extremely sad day. So if this is what it takes to ensure the safety of our environment and the environment of these tipua in our whakapapa, then I support Kingi Tuheitia,” she says.
It’s also a great way to support the tinorangatiratanga of other Pasifka whānau across Te Moananui-a-Kiwa.