Taihape Inquiry Claims

Around 30 claims made under the Treaty of Waitangi concern the Taihape area.

Ngā take Māori i te Tiriti o Waitangi: Issues raised in Treaty Claims

Treaty claims concerning the Taihape inquiry district raise the following general issues:

Ngā iwi me ngā hapū o te whenua: The peoples of the land

• Claims that: certain iwi, hapū and whānau are tangata whenua in the Taihape inquiry district; the Crown ought to have fulfilled its Treaty obligations in all its dealings with them.

Ngā take e pa ana ngā whenua e riro: Māori land loss

• Claims that: the Crown acquired or enabled the acquisition of excessive amounts of land in the district leaving iwi, hapū and whānau without sufficient lands and resources for their present and future needs.
• Claims that: Native Land Acts created a Native Land Court that did not recognise the proper customary interests of iwi, hapū and whānau in their ancestral lands, undermined tribal authority by granting individual title to land, and hindered the effective use of the lands remaining in Māori ownership.
• Claims that: the Crown used the Public Works Act to acquire Māori lands for defence, roading, education, railway, scenic reserves and other public purposes.

Te Taiao: The Environment

• Claims that: the Crown did not recognise iwi, hapū and whānau as kaitiaki of the environment and natural resources, did not recognise their customary interests in waters, fisheries, minerals and other associated taonga, and did not include tangata whenua in resource management processes.

Te Whaiora me te Ohanga: Social and Economic issues

• Claims that: Crown actions or omissions caused significant cultural, social and economic harm to iwi, hapū and whānau.

Questions or queries? Let us know your pātai here. Be sure to include your contact details and that your query concerns the Taihape inquiry (WAI 2180).

* Photo of Epiphyte, Simpsons Reserve, near Hunterville, by Adam Heinz