Rongowhakaata taonga conversation is being watched globally

Atereano Mateariki Meka Whaitiri | Rongowhakaata taonga conversation is being watched globally

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Rongowhakaata’s efforts to have taonga returned from England are being watched by the global Indigenous community.

On Monday, the Rongowhakaata Iwi Trust met with the British High Commissioner, Iona Thomas, to discuss an expression of regret made in 2019 for events during Captain James Cook’s voyages to Aotearoa for the Royal Society in the 1700s.

Former Tai Rāwhiti MP, Meka Whaitiri, says this was an opportunity for Rongowhakaata to share their stories of the raupatu committed against them by Cook.

Those colonized by the British Empire are closely monitoring this.

“You know, we’ve opened a possibility to acknowledge the wrongs by the colonizing powers. And at that time, you know, what was Cook, on behalf of the British government. You know, the British High Commissioner’s taken on board, I think, the concerns in terms of rebuilding relationships and retry to repatriate with stolen taonga,” say Whaitiri.

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