Horomia Parekura: Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika) Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
Horomia Parekura: Port Nicholson Block (Taranaki Whanui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika) Claims Settlement Bill — Third Reading 
[Volume:656;Page:5338] 
Hon PAREKURA HOROMIA (Labour—Ikaroa-Rawhiti) 
: 
 Ki a koutou o Taranaki Whanui ki te Upoko o Te Ika e mihi kau ana. Ki a koe Ta Paora Haami Ngatata koutou katoa nga whaea whai atu a tenei tino take. E tika tonu te mihi atu ki a ratou e kore e konei i a ratou i timata atu i tenei nga tupuna o koutou o matua ratou ma. No reira mihi kau ana ki a koutou. I te ki atu te mahana hoki te kiki a te whare te tu toa hoki atu a te rere o te raukura no reira ki a koutou tena koutou. Nau mai haramai. Haramai ki te whare nei o koutou tatou.  
Na te mea e mohio atu tatou mai ra ano mai i te timatanga te pakopako o te pu o te Kawana i reira mai te natia o te whenua nga ahuatanga katoa te taumahatanga o tenei take na te pai hoki kua tae atu tenei ra kua ea kua tae atu te timata o te pai ahakoa nga piki nga heke kei a koutou tera kei a tatou tera. Na te mea mo nga tino korero a Whiti raua ko Tohu mo to ratou whakaaro i te mau kaha atu te ahua o te humarie ahakoa te taumahatanga te pakopako o te pu nga ahua pera tonu e puta kaha atu tera o roto i a koutou o Taranaki Whanui. No reira mo tera e mihi kau ana.  
Kua rongo atu koutou ki nga korero o nga kanohi Maori i konei e mihi atu i a koutou mo to kaha. I a koe te tuakana e Mahara tena koe tena koe mo to hoki tata atu ki nga turu nei. E mihi kau ana mo to kaha e hoki pai atu koe ki te wahi nei e Mahara e tino mihi atu i a koe mo to kaha pera i a Mita a Shane ma a ratou ma. No reira tena koe. E tika tonu te mihi atu ki a koutou o te Ropu Maori mo to whakaaro Ururoa i a koe. E Paora tena koe. Mohio atu koe te taumahatanga o te ahua nei; te whanaunga e Hekia ki a tera atu tatou o te kainga e tae penei tonu ki a ratou. Na te tika mihi atu ki a Margaret Wilson raua ko Mark Burton me tera tino tangata o tatou a Michael Cullen. E tuku atu taku mihi ki te Minita nei a Christopher Finlayson mo tona kaha mo tona pono e pono atu i tae atu i konei.  
E rongo atu i te patapatai o te koroke ra o te Nota mo tona pirangi hei whakahaere tonu atu i te hoki o te putea ki a Taranaki. Pai ana tera ki te Ropu o Reipa; i te pirangi koutou ki te whakapiti atu te hoki pai ana engari na te mea e mohio atu tatou he ra tino pai atu tenei. E rua tekau ma rua nga tau a muri ra e tae atu i te timata te tukunga o te kereme nei he roa rawa atu i te tae atu i konei. Kua rongo atu tatou ki nga korero katoa mo te take mo te mahi taurekareka a te Kawana mo te mahi taurekareka a wetahi ki wenei. E wero ratou i waho ra a te whanau whanui a Taranaki ki a ratou. E wero atu ai ratou i roto i a ratou kare he korero mo tera engari na te mea e pai ana to ratou mahi. Ahakoa ko tenei ano te wiki o te reo Maori na te mea e mamae atu i roto i aku e noho wahangu te nui o ratou Ngai Pakeha e noho atu ratou e rongo atu ki te rekareka o te wiki nei o te reo Maori engari kare i mohio atu i te haere mo te kiko o te take nei. No reira tena tatou. 
[ 
To the people of Taranaki Whanui ki te Upoko o Te Ika greetings. Sir Paul Haami Ngatata and the grande dames and all of the iwi who worked on this claim greetings. It is only right to reflect on your ancestors and your elders the people who started this journey yet are not here on this day. So I salute you. It warms my heart to see the galleries full resplendent with the raukura plume. Welcome welcome. Welcome to your place to our place.  
We heard of the past relationship with the Crown the invasion of your lands and the confiscations and oppression so it is a good thing we have come to this day with a new beginning and the challenges the future will bring to you and to all of us. We give due acknowledgment to Taranaki Whanui ki te Upoko o Te Ika because despite the oppression and violence perpetrated in the past the people have kept true to the principles of peaceful resistance set forth by Te Whiti and Tohu.  
We have listened to the speeches of the Maori members extolling the resolve of the people. Greetings Mahara you have returned to this place where you once occupied a seat; you return to the House on a positive note—like Mita Shane and others I commend and thank you for your work on this important matter. Allow me to congratulate the Maori Affairs Committee on its work; Te Ururoa Paul you know the enormity of the work here; to my kin Hekia when the time comes for our people let us take the example of this iwi on how to conduct ourselves in such matters. It is right to acknowledge the work of previous Ministers Margaret Wilson Mark Burton and of course Michael Cullen. Minister Christopher Finlayson has been tireless in his approach and consistent in his focus. 
I heard the member from the north say the settlement funds should go directly to the people of Taranaki. If there are moves to enhance the settlement Labour will support them. It has been 22 years since this claim was lodged and that is far too long to wait especially after the wrongful actions committed by the Crown and others against these people. Taranaki Whanui ki te Upoko o Te Ika have challenged these actions here in the House and out in the community and I applaud them for that. This is Maori Language Week; notwithstanding that it pains me that Pakeha give support to the Maori language yet are ignorant of these important matters. Thank you 
.] 
 Quite seriously I say this is a wonderful day to celebrate. One can sit here and listen to the platitudes about the tenacity of the Government of the agents of the Crown and of the local authorities in taking action to put right what was put asunder a long long time ago. The fact that it has taken 22 years to get to this point is a shameful reflection on some of us. There is only one lot of people to thank today for the celebration and it is the Taranaki people. We need to express that point clearly because it takes a strong people no matter what nation one is in to accept an apology that should have been given a long time ago. I am unapologetic about recognising the strength of the Taranaki people in doing that. It is an amazing thing to do. 
It was an incredible thing to do that the Crown forces towed their cannons to Parihaka and shot down on the Taranaki people because they were progressing economically. Their businesses were starting to show fettle and rising up to be examples for those around them. That is what the Crown did. What Te Whiti and Tohu recognised amongst their people was that they were a people of peace. Today the raukura signifies that as it flies; it recognises that tenacity and humility. So I certainly recognise the Taranaki people and all the people up there. It is incredible that their ancestors were shot at and that their land was dished out in a lottery in London before the settlers even came here. That is simply what happened: a lottery was run in relation to the lands of the Taranaki people before the Pakeha got here. 
I find it incredible that the Taranaki people have the decency to accept the apology today. I respect that. It makes me very proud as a Maori that Maori are strong enough to do that. The Crown has struggled for a long long time to etch scribe or develop an apology to those people. Today that apology has happened. I saw you winking at me Mr Speaker and I was not sure whether that was to tell me to hurry up slow down or wait. But whatever that friendly wink may have been for this bill is about more than that. 
When Maori walk by each other no matter where one is in the country they have a habit. They look at each other across the street and if they are not too sure which iwi the other person belongs to they will nod their head. That is a signal of recognition and today is certainly that. This is a signal of recognition but let it be more than that. Let it be about more than the few buildings that we are giving back. One of the people in the gallery told me that they used to follow their grandmother up the street collecting the rents up that main street there—I do not want to name it because they have a lot of names there; it was not in Pito-one; it was there—and they did well. The grandmother used to go to each shop to collect the rent. Once the people modernised themselves and changed that process other properties disappeared. I think it is a great thing today that the descendants of those great leaders are here to ensure that this settlement is carried through. 
This is a proud day and the local authorities should be thankful. I say to the whole nation given that there is this nonsense of scaremongering about what Maori may or may not do thank goodness we have the Taranaki Maori in Wellington! If we are serious about being united and if we are serious about common goals then thank goodness we have these Maori here! This town is lucky this Parliament is lucky the Pakeha are lucky and the Asians are lucky that the tangata whenua are still here—today shows us that. 
I will not be here tonight to witness the apology because I have to go to Gisborne and help some Maori up there who have lost something too. But I want to tell members that if we are serious about unifying as a nation and if we are serious about nationhood we must remember the part that Maori play. Today is a great example of that in this country’s history and I certainly commend the actions of the Taranaki people to this House. 
No reira e mutu ana penei tonu. I a koutou mo te kaha rawa i roto i a koutou mai ranomo tenei take. E tino mihi atu tenei ki a koutou. Kia kaha kia maia. Hei tae pai atu nga mokopuna i a ratou ma e mau ana i te raukura mo koutou katoa. Tena tatou. 
[ 
So I conclude by reiterating that you have worked really hard from the outset over this matter. I admire you greatly for this. Be strong and bold. All in good time the grandchildren will bear the plume for you all. Greetings to you 
.]