March 18, 2016
War’s challenge to rangatiratanga recalled
Taranaki iwi have marked the 156th anniversary of the first shot in the Taranaki land wars.
Many of those who attended yesterday’s ceremony at Waitara had also been at parliament on Wednesday for the first reading of the Taranaki and Te Atiawa claim settlement bills.
Spokesperson Ruakere Hond says they are moments of huge significance for iwi members, as they are a reminder of what was lost and what can be gained through the settlement process.
He says the essence of the settlement process is not about money but about an acknowledgement of tribal mana and authority.
"The intention of Taranaki was always to rtetain the land and use that as a resource for economic development and growth. However the government saw trhose expressions of rangatiratanga within Taranaki as a challenge to their authority and then moved to extinguish that through warfare," Mr Hond says.
The ceremonies around March 17 have become increasingly important in recent years as the iwi looks forward to taking control of their future in a post-settlement environment.
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