Reconciliation requires acknowledging and respecting each other’s world views

The Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Hon. Andrew Little reflected upon the deep divisions and mamae caused to ngā iwi of Taranaki by the 1865 act which included the confiscation of 1.2 million hectares of land. “Reconciliation is a process of coming together of healing rifts which are created when one party harms another. Reconciliation requires more than anything acknowledging and respecting each other’s world views. This can be a challenging task.”

Minister of Conservation, Hon. Willow-Jean Prime also addressed the packed Manukorihi tupuna whare followed by mainly the rangatahi voices representing each of the eight iwi of Taranaki; Ngaa rauru Kiitahi, Ngāruahine, Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Tama, Taranaki Iwi and Te Ati Awa. This collective redress package sets forth developing a deeper understanding of respecting and caring for the taiao environment and people.

Maunga are gathering sites of great significance for our people to commune with the living, and the dead. For Maunga Taranaki “The mountain has long been an honoured ancestor, a source of physical, cultural, and spiritual sustenance, and a final resting place”.

A new legislative framework He Kawa Tupua is established to guide the enactment of Te Mana o Ngā Maunga which recognises, promotes, and protects the health and wellbeing of Te Kāhui Tupua and its status. i.e. Taranaki and the other Tūpuna Maunga. This legislation provides for the concept of legal personality for Te Kāhui Tupua and as an identity is deserved of respect, care and protection now and into the future.

Legal personalities have been delivered in respect of other tribal Crown settlements Ngāi Tūhoe (Te Urewera) and the Whanganui River (Te Awa Tupua). In the quest to protect these sacred sites of significance to Taranaki a collective iwi governance entity, Te Tōpuni Kōkōrangi will act on its behalf.

Te Kāhui Tupua is the common home witness to historical events of importance to Iwi, hapu, whānau of Taranaki. Te Pūeatanga ki Te Ao the historical account and the Crown acknowledgements and apology for breaches of te Tiriti o Waitangi also included in this redress model.

Te Kāhui Tupua is the common home embryo to various rongoa plant species, habitats, and animals. Te Kāhui Tupua is the common home to spiritual elements and our deceased.

The legislation Te Mana o Te Kāhui recognises and provides for the mana and relationship of Ngā Iwi o Taranaki with Te Kāhui Tupua. It is an undisputed truth that the wellbeing of iwi lies in the wellbeing of the whenua.

The recent release of the novel The Bone Tree written by Airana Ngarewa tells a story set at the base of Maunga Taranaki and what the sibling relationship face to ensure their survival. For me the storyline brings home the message we cannot exist without one another. It is a costly message we would be advised to act upon now - the call to care for God’s creation is an even deeper call for the care of people. Our liturgical calendar informs us 1 September is the time we enter the Season of Creation. Spring is here and we have been awakened to its presence. How we discern caring appropriately for our taiao and for iwi is deeply rooted in the sacredness of all life.

For the wrongs done of the past

For the acknowledgments of today

For the Bone Tree

For the Bone People

For all that is Te Kāhui Tupua

Kāhui Maunga

We give thanks