Source: New Zealand Government
A Deed of Settlement has been signed between Ngāti Maru and the Crown settling the iwi’s historical Treaty of Waitangi claims, Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Andrew Little announced today.
The Ngāti Maru rohe is centred on the inland Waitara River valley, east to the Whanganui River and its tributaries, and west to Mount Taranaki. They have approximately 2,800 registered members.
The historical grievances of Ngāti Maru include the Crown’s unjust and indiscriminate confiscation (raupatu) of half of the iwi’s land in 1865. This raupatu, and subsequent effects of Compensation Court and Native Land Court decisions, were devastating to the mana, welfare, economy, and socio-cultural development of Ngāti Maru.
The Crown’s actions at Parihaka between 1879 and 1881, where military forces imprisoned members of Ngāti Maru for participating in a peaceful resistance campaign, has been a significant burden for Ngāti Maru.
“As a result of the Crown’s acts and omissions Ngāti Maru have been left virtually landless, and their people displaced and dispersed,” Andrew Little said.
The settlement includes an apology from the Crown and a set of acknowledgements addressing the Crown’s historical breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi. Ngāti Maru will receive financial and commercial redress valued at $30 million. Cultural redress includes the vesting of 16 sites of cultural significance, including Pūrangi and Tarata Domains.
The settlement redress will be administered by Te Kāhui Maru Trust: Te iwi o Maruwharanui, a post-settlement governance entity created by iwi members.
“While no redress can ever fully compensate for the destructive and demoralising effects of Crown actions, I hope this settlement will allow Ngāti Maru to realise their aspirations for a vibrant economic and cultural future, and restores a relationship based on mutual trust, respect, and cooperation,” Andrew Little said.
A copy of the Deed of Settlement is available at https://www.govt.nz/browse/history-culture-and-heritage/treaty-settlements/find-a-treaty-settlement/ngati-maru-taranaki/
He Puka Whakatau kua waitohua e Ngāti Maru ki Taranaki
I tēnei rā, nā te Minita o ngā Take mō te Tiriti o Waitangi, nā Andrew Little, i pānui te waitohunga o tētahi Puka Whakatau i waenga i a Ngāti Maru me te Karauna e tau ai ā te iwi kokoraho i raro i te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Ko te puku o te rohe o Ngāti Maru kei te tuawhenua, kei te riu o te awa o Waitara, ko te awa o Whanganui me ōna kautawa kei te rāwhiti, ā, kei te uru te maunga o Taranaki. Ko tōna 2,800 te tokomaha o ngā uri kei te rēhita.
Ko ētahi o ngā nawe o mua o Ngāti Maru ko te tūkino me te matapōkere o te raupatu a te Karauna i tētahi haurua o ngā whenua o te iwi i te tau 1865. Nā tēnei raupatu, nā ngā hua hoki o muri mai i ngā whakatau a te Kōti Utu Paremata me te Kooti Whenua Māori, i ātetehia ai te mana, te oranga, te ōhanga me te whanaketanga o te ahurea-pori o Ngāti Maru.
Kātahi te taumaha nui i runga i a Ngāti Maru ko ngā mahi a te Karauna i Parihaka mai i te tau 1879 ki te tau 1881, i mauheretia ai e ngā hōia ngā uri o Ngāti Maru nā tā rātou whai wāhi atu ki te kaupapa o te tohe i runga i te rangimārie.
“Nā ngā mahi a te Karauna, nā ōna hapa hoki e tata whenua-kore nei a Ngāti Maru, ā, kua peia ōna uri kia marara,” tā Andrew Little.
Kei te whakataunga tētahi whakapāha nā te Karauna me ētahi whakaaetanga e aro ana ki ngā takahanga o mua a te Karauna i te Tiriti o Waitangi. E 30 miriona tāra te uara o te puretumu ā-pūtea, ā-arumoni hoki ka whakawhiwhia ki a Ngāti Maru. Kei te puretumu ā-ahurea te whakaūnga o te mana ki ngā wāhi tāpua ā-ahurea 16, tae atu ki te rohe o Pūrangi, o Tarata hoki.
Ka whakahaeretia te whakataunga utu paremata e Te Kāhui Maru Trust: Te iwi o Maruwharanui, e tētahi hinonga hautū take i muri i te whakataunga, i hangaia rā e ngā uri o te iwi.
“Ahakoa e kore e ea katoa i te utu paremata ngā hua orotā, ngā hua whakakiwakiwa mai i ngā mahi a te Karauna, e tūmanako ana au mā te whakataunga ka wātea a Ngāti Maru ki te whakatinana i ō rātou wawata kia ngangahau te anamata ā-ōhanga, ā-ahurea hoki, ā, kia whanake anō hoki tētahi hononga i runga i te whakapono o tētahi ki tētahi, o te whakaaro nui, me te mahi tahi,” tā Andrew Little.
E wātea ana tētahi tārua o te Puka Whakatau i https://www.govt.nz/browse/history-culture-and-heritage/treaty-settlements/find-a-treaty-settlement/ngati-maru-taranaki/
