Jones Shane: Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare Claims Settlement Bill — First Reading 
Jones Shane: Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare Claims Settlement Bill — First Reading 
[Volume:667;Page:14612] 
Hon SHANE JONES (Labour) 
: 
 Kia ora ano tatou. Kati hei timatanga tautoko i Te Reo whakamihi atu ki nga manuhiri ki nga huanga kua tatu mai ki Te Upoko-o-te-Ika ki te matakitaki whai taringa atu ki nga kaitorangapu o tenei wa e whakakaupapa ana i nga moemoea mo te hia ranei roa e tarewa ana. Na ka tangia ki te kapu o te pepa a tona wa ka whakatutukitia te ohiatanga o te ngakau i poua ai i te wa i era atu o o tatou matua erangi rawa i roto i to koutou rohe. Na reira tena koutou tena koutou. Kati e te Kaihautu o te Whare tena koe. Tautoko matou i tenei pire. Otira te aroha atu mo te hia ranei te roa e tarewa ana tenei take. Ahakoa ko Tuhoe ko Te Arawa nga iwi e mohiotia whanuitia ana i roto i enei rohe ara noa atu te hunga taketake no roto i enei ngaherehere i runga i enei papa na ko Ngati Whare ko Ngati Manawa. Te pai hoki ehara i te mea enei iwi to ratou matotoru e rite ana ki to Tuwharetoa ki to Te Arawa ki to wai atu ranei; otira he mana whenua ano o ratou he panga taketake ano o ratou i roto tonu i te puku o te motu. Na reira he aha oti te raruraru? Me amene katoa tatou i tenei pire kia whiwhi paku aha ranei ratou hei muru i nga nawe i maturuturu mai mai i te wa i hainangia ai te Tiriti o Waitangi mai i te wa i pahu ai te whenua i nga tau ka pahemo ki muri. Na reira nga mihi ki a koutou nga mihi ki a tatou kia tautokotia ai tenei pire i te po nei. 
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Greetings again to us all. By way of beginning this endorsement in our language I extend greetings to the visitors and relations who have arrived in Wellington to observe and listen to the current politicians as they pass into law the dreams held suspended for such a long time. It was signed in the hollow of the deed of settlement which will eventually achieve in time that which was driven into the seat of the affections of those of our parents in your region and cherished. Therefore greetings to you collectively greetings.  
So greetings to you Mr Deputy Speaker of the House. We support this bill. Indeed we sympathise because of the length of time this matter has been held over. It has been too long. While Tuhoe and Te Arawa are the most well-known tribes in these domains there are others too who are indigenous to these forested areas such as Ngati Whare and Ngati Manawa. And it is wonderful. It is not as though their number equals those of Tuwharetoa Te Arawa and whomever else. They have their own individual influence over the land and indigenous interests in the abdomen of the country the central North Island. So what is the problem? We have to totally endorse this bill to ensure that they get a little compensation to rid themselves of the transgressions that have come their way since the Treaty of Waitangi was signed and the land erupted in those years gone by. Therefore acknowledgments to you Ngati Whare and Ngati Manawa. Acknowledgments to us; let us pass the bill tonight 
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I rise to reflect our support for the Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare Claims Settlement Bill. The two tribes at stake come from an area that the average Kiwi might regard as obscure but the history in that area of the motu is deep and just as I have said in Maori other tribal names are often associated with this broad region of Aotearoa—Ngati Tuwharetoa Te Arawa Tuhoe and a bit further afield Ngati Awa. This bill affirms that Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare have deep and ancestral connections with this part of Aotearoa. Part of what we are doing this evening is not only effecting a transfer of capital assets cash etc it is providing an overdue affirmation of how central these tribes are in terms of the historical identity of this part of the country. They add colour and vitality to what it means to come from this part of Aotearoa. 
Part of this settlement was slightly delayed as a consequence of Dr Cullen in an earlier Government wanting to effect the transfer of forestry-related assets to the tribes of this part of Aotearoa. I think it is fair to say that for some of the beneficiaries in these tribes it has been a positive outcome. It takes far too long for us to move through the process and effect these settlements but I think that given the quantum—and perhaps the mix of asset has improved—I doubt that there is any serious politician who is going to dissent from what has been delivered upon. 
I went to St Stephen’s School and I have been to one of the sites to be vested in Te Runanga o Ngati Manawa—a place called Kiorenui. Of course being very humble and from Ngapuhi nui tonu we actually derived a great deal of pleasure in contemplating what might be the origins of the village called Kiorenui. I can assure the House that in the Ngapuhi dialect a kiore is a native rat. The Tuhoe and Ngati Manawa boys chased us around the rugby field and said: “We might come from the area of rats but this is how big our fists are.” So at that point we stopped making fun. 
These are historic areas. Fort Galatea is a name that evokes an important part of our history—when colonial forces sought to subdue the tangata whenua. Indeed in the history of these two tribes there is a fantastic story about a flag that historically was flown on the marae and it was a flag of resistance. I am not entirely sure whether it is at Te Papa or even whether a replica exists but I recall a kaumatua of these iwi telling us when we were lads at St Stephen’s School about their history and this particular flag. 
It is disappointing that the neighbours of these two iwi under the current circumstances are unlikely to recover the title to their ancestral lands in what is currently known as a national park. However I note this evening’s news commentary that the current Minister is looking at an innovation something akin to mana whenua or customary title etc. But if ever there is a case for tribes to enjoy the experience of recovering their estate it will be difficult to find a more compelling case than in this part of the country. Very few people actually visit the area; many have recently left the area. I think it is important that we all join together because all areas need positive contributions—an infusion of interest enthusiasm and resources. 
I look forward along with my colleagues on this side of the House to learning about seeing and hearing about this new innovation that might allow the broader New Zealand society to sleep soundly at night knowing that the title is not racing off somewhere in relation to the “Tuhoe National Park” because if it is possible for us to use some innovations with these two tribes surely it is possible for an innovation to be derived to settle the outstanding issues associated with some of the neighbours of these two iwi. 
When sites are vested—and there are a number of sites here—I think it is important that all New Zealanders realise that when we marry cultural heritage with geographical location then the landscape comes alive. There is an ancient Maori proverb: “He mana ano to te kupu.” which means that to utter the name is to invoke the presence. Because this legislation reunites the cultural heritage reflected in the names and the origins of the names with points on the landscape that part of New Zealand’s cultural history comes alive for all New Zealanders. It injects a sense of indigeneity into the landscape that may for a host of casual observers look like a series of hills and valleys covered in pine trees or regenerating native bush. But that is the real value because when we bring back the ancestral names we affirm the indigenous history. Although the resource base may not be of a large quantum fiscally speaking the fact that the names the connections and the sense of belonging is upheld leads to a better-adjusted younger generation. And that is why we are very very happy to support this bill. No doubt it will go to the Maori Affairs Committee to the tuakana of Paul Quinn and to the current chair of that committee Tau Henare who will acquit himself with a great deal of courtesy one would hope and not tell the submitters to bugger off. Kia ora tatou katoa.