Whakatōhea Journey
Our Settlement Journey is more than 30 years old.
Crown Acknowledgements
The Crown Acknowledgements identify specific grievances and actions for which the Crown acknowledges was a breach of the Treaty of Waitangi. The following paragraphs are only the first few acknowledgements.
The Whakatōhea signing of te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi The Whakatōhea pursuit of justice The killing of
Te Āporotanga
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The Crown acknowledges that, on the 27th and 28th May 1840 at Ōpōtiki, seven Whakatōhea rangatira signed te Tiriti o Waitangi /the Treaty of Waitangi. The rangatira who placed their marks on te Tiriti were Tauātoro of Ngāi Tamahaua and Ngāti Ngahere; Te Takahiao of Te Ūpokorehe; Te Āporotanga of Ngāti Rua; Rangimātānuku of Ngāti Rua; Rangihaerepō of Te Ūpokorehe and Ngāi Tamahaua; Wī Akeake of Te Ūpokorehe and the rangatira Whākia (Wakiia).
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The Crown acknowledges that:
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despite the promise of te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi, many Crown actions created long-standing grievances for Whakatōhea and over the generations Whakatōhea has sought to have their grievances addressed;
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the work of pursuing justice for these grievances has placed a heavy burden on the whānau and hapū of Whakatōhea and impacted on the physical, mental, spiritual and economic health of the people; and
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the Crown has never properly addressed these historical grievances and recognition is long overdue.
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The Crown acknowledges that the deaths of the rangatira Apanui, Tūtakahiao, Mikaere Pihipihi and Te Āporotanga in fighting against Crown forces in April 1864 contributed to the loss of leadership within Whakatōhea. The Crown acknowledges that the Ngāti Rua and Whakatōhea rangatira Te Āporotanga, a signatory of te Tiriti o Waitangi, was killed while held prisoner in the custody of Crown forces, and the Crown’s failure to keep him safe was a breach of te Tiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles.
For the full Crown Acknowledgements, read the Deed of Settlement document, page 113.
Historical Account
The Historical Account provides an overview of Whakatōhea’s experience with the Crown and the range of Treaty grievances which Whakatōhea has suffered.
The Historical Account was co-commissioned by the Crown and WPCT and developed through various research reports. The Komiti Whiriwhiri Hītori and the Taumata Kaumātua have been instrumental in the collation and verification of the Whakatōhea Historical Account. While the Historical Account provides a basis for the Settlement it is not the entire history of Whakatōhea nor is it meant to be. We are fortunate that the Settlement also allows, for the first time, the Waitangi Tribunal to continue hearing the Whakatōhea claims after the Settlement has been completed. This parallel process allows the Whakatōhea claimants to lead our participation in the Waitangi Tribunal process. Find out more about the Historical account on page 19 of the Deed of Settlement.