March 31, 2014
Rangitane coming back from landless state
Negotiators for Rangitane in the Wairarapa and Tamaki Nui-a-Rua or Dannevirke area with be nailing down the details of a $32.5 million settlement over the next few months.
They signed an agreement in principle with the crown last Friday that includes the symbolic transfer and gift back of Pukaha Mount Bruce Wildlife Centre Reserve and Scenic Reserve.
Pukaha is the last substantial remnant of the great forest Te Tapere Nui o Whatonga or Seventy Mile Bush which once covered much of northern Wairarapa and the Tamaki Nui-a-Rua districts.
Negotiator Tipene Chrisp says an important feature of the final settlement will be the historical acknowledgement and apology.
He says Rangitane’s struggle for recognition dates back to 1853 and 1854 when it lost 1.5m acres.
"Two thirds of the entire district were gone through what we describe as the crown’s carrot and stick approach to us, Donald McLean being the stick and threatening to ruin the Rangitane economy coupled with George Grey making all sorts of promises about the benefits of colonisation that were simply never realised, By 1900 Rangitane were virtually landless. People had pretty miserable lives," Mr Chrisp says.
A major part of the negotiation process has been getting the Crown and neighbouring iwi to recognise the iwi as mana whenua in the area.
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