Okeroa Mahara: Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
Okeroa Mahara: Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi Claims Settlement Bill — Second Reading 
[Volume:627;Page:21785] 
MAHARA OKEROA (Labour—Te Tai Tonga) 
: 
 I listened with great attentiveness to the previous speaker. 
Gerry Brownlee 
: He always does. 
MAHARA OKEROA 
: I always do but I do not acknowledge him as a historian or an anthropologist. He showed his remarkable lack of in-depth expert traditional knowledge when he alluded to the fact that he did not think the cosmology the beliefs the atua and those referred to by Ngai Tahu have everything to do with their identity. The honourable member could not see the relationship of the cosmos and the tribe as being in any way of assistance towards their identity. I beg to differ. Every tribe that presents their claim in the House has the opportunity to express it in a way that is absolutely relevant not only to their identity but also to their connection to those who have gone before. They have a right also to articulate their relationship with the heavens. There is nothing that diminishes that value. The previous speaker referred to the Ngai Tahu settlement; we in that settlement also made reference to people and places that have a historical connection between those who are in the spiritual dimension and those who are in the living dimension. So from that point of view I totally and completely support Nga Rauru Kitahi in their articulation of who they are. 
I agree with the Minister in charge of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations in terms of one of the comments he made. He brought to light that there is an anomaly between treaty settlements and the Adoption Act. It is something that is causing some considerable difficulty in the passage of claims and will do so until that anomaly in the Act can be addressed. Here is the anomaly. For any tribal group to trace their whakapapa to an eponymous ancestor it has to be proven through blood lines. That then identifies the group with the eponymous ancestor. It then allows the process of mandate to proceed. It is exclusive not inclusive. It is an exclusive process limited to those who have the whakapapa blood line. Then we have the Adoption Act. The anomaly for me is that any individuals can determine whom they wish to leave their estate to and whether the beneficiaries are taurima or related by blood it cannot be contested. On the one hand we are asking people to identify their blood relationships with whakapapa but also we are asking them to accept someone who may not be of a blood affinity as part of that group. That is where the anomaly is. 
The issue for Maori in my view—not only Nga Rauru Kitahi but other groups who are in the process of their claims—is that Maori like a lot of other people are global. They are global citizens of this world. Therefore it is highly likely that they will form a union with someone who is not of Maori ancestry at all. Their partners may be Australian or Chinese or Taiwanese; they may be from any other grouping that inhabits this world. The defining principle has to be whakapapa. That makes it very very clear who is eligible and who is not. I if I were not of Nga Rauru Kitahi whakapapa or any other Maori here who was not Nga Rauru Kitahi would not be able to be accepted within that group—even though we are Maori. Yet under the present situation people who may not be Maori are eligible. I look forward to a resolution of what I consider to be a difficult situation that needs clarification. 
A tena koutou nga tangata mai i Nga Rauru Kitahi i haere mai nei ki te aroaro ki te kawe te taonga a o koutou nei tipuna o koutou nei paheke o koutou nei tauheke ki roto i tenei Whare i raro i te taruru o tatau nei. Koutou e mahia nga mahi i runga i te ara mutunga kore. Mai i te wa e haere mai nga manene nei ki te raupatungia i nga whenua katoa mai i te raki o Taranaki tae noa atu ki te tonga i a ratau ra e rapua te whenua e takahia mai hoki nga mana a koro a kui ma. Na kua tae ki tenei wa tata atu i te mutunga o te take. Ara ki a au nei ehara tenei e oti pai ai engari kua timata ke ai. Kei a koutou ke te ara tika mo tatau nei mo nga ra e hekeheke mai nei. E nga karanga rua ka tu tautoko mai a tenei tangata mai i Te Ropu Reipa i te taha o te Minita nei ki te tautoko mai i te pire nei ahakoa nga piki me nga heke i mua i te aroaro o tatou katoa. Na ko te wakapono me te tumanako ahakoa te tangitangi haere o nga roimata a koro a kui ma ahakoa te waewae mai o te whatumanawa ahakoa te popouri mai i runga i te pokohiwi o tatau na ko te tohu mai ahau ki a koutou kia kaha kia maia. Rire rire hau pai marire ki a tatau koutou. No reira e te Whare tena koutou tena koutou. Ka oti ai tenei tu. Kia ora mai. 
[An interpretation in English was given to the House.] 
[ 
And greetings to you the people of Nga Rauru Kitahi who have come here before us to bring the treasured possession of your ancestors and old people into this House and under our ridgepole. You are the ones who have done the work on this path of no ending. From the time when these foreigners came to confiscate all the lands in Taranaki from the north right down to the very south they violated the influence of the old people as they sought the land. Now we are at this point and close to the finish of the matter. Indeed to me this is not the ending but merely the beginning. The right way forward for us into the future is entirely in your hands. To you my other half and regardless of the highs and lows before us I of the Labour Party stand alongside this Minister in support of the bill. Now the belief and hope is that regardless of the tears that continue to be shed by the old people regardless of being cut up emotionally regardless of the gloom upon our shoulders my advice to you is to be strong and bold. Peace goodwill and good health to us all. And so greetings to the House greetings. I end here with thanks 
.]