Rua Kēnana pardon agreement signed

An agreement paving the way for a statutory pardon for Tūhoe prophet and leader Rua Kēnana has today been signed by the Crown and his descendants and Ngā Toenga o ngā Tamariki a Iharaira me ngā uri o Maungapōhatu.

Māori Development Minister Te Ururoa Flavell says the signing of the agreement at Maungapōhatu brings the statutory pardon a step closer.

“This is a historic occasion for his descendants, and followers of the Iharaira faith,” says Mr Flavell.

“Today provides a pathway for his whānau, and Ngā Toenga o ngā Tamariki a Ihairaira and I look forward to seeing the legislation, which will make the statutory pardon official, introduced to Parliament.”

The Crown intends to introduce new legislation that includes a summary of the circumstances surrounding the 1916 invasion of Maungapōhatu; Crown acknowledgements, a Crown apology and a declaration to restore the character, mana and reputation of Rua Kēnana, his descendants and followers of the Iharaira Faith.

“The Crown treated Rua Kēnana in an unreasonable manner and the circumstances which led to his ultimate arrest and conviction caused severe prejudice to the whānau and the faith.  This is still the lived experience of whānau members, and it continues to weigh heavily on them today,” says Mr Flavell.

Mr Flavell says the statutory pardon and apology will go some way to heal the wounds caused by the events of 1916 and alleviate the stigma associated with Rua Kēnana’s descendants and followers of the faith.

Kua waitohungia te whakaaetanga mō te whakapāha i a Rua Kēnana

He whakaaetanga ki te kōkiri i te whakapāha ā-ture mō te poropiti, mō te rangatira o Tūhoe, mō Rua Kēnana, i waitohungia i tēnei rā e te Karauna, e ōna uri, e Ngā Toenga o ngā Tamariki a Iharaira, e ngā uri hoki o Maungapōhatu.

E ai ki te Minita Whanaketanga Māori, ki a Te Ururoa Flavell, ko te waitohutanga o te whakaaetanga ki Maungapōhatu e tohu ana kua tata te whakatinanatanga o te whakapāha ā-ture.

“He wā whakahirahira tēnei mō ōna uri, mō ngā apataki hoki o te hāhi o Iharaira,” ki tā Flavell.

“I tēnei rā he oranga anō mō ōna whānau, mō Ngā Toenga o ngā Tamariki a Iharaira, ā, tāria te whakaturehanga kia tae atu ki te aroaro o te Paremata, e mana ai tēnei whakapāha ā-ture.”

Ka kōkiritia e te Karauna te whakaturehanga i ēnei āhuatanga, arā, he whakarāpopototanga i ngā āhuatanga mō te whakaekenga o Maungapōhatu i te tau 1916; he whakamihi nā te Karauna, he whakapāha nā te Karauna, ā, he pānuitanga hoki ki te whakahaumanu i a ia, i te mana, i te rongo hoki o Rua Kēnana, o ōna uri, o ngā apataki o te Hāhi o Iharaira.

Ki tā Flavell, “he taumaha te ringa o te Karauna ki runga i a Rua Kēnana, ā, ko ngā āhuatanga o te whakamauhere, o te whakawhiu hoki i pāngia kinotia ki ngā whānau, ki te hāhi anō hoki.  E rongohia tonutia ana e ngā mema o te whānau, ā, e taumaha hārukiruki tonu ana rātou i tēnei rā tonu.”

E ai ki a Flavell, ko te whakapāha ā-ture me te whakapāha tonu he aronga hei whakaora anō i te iwi i ngā tūkinotanga o ngā mahinga i te tau 1916 me te tūmanako ia, ka hikitia te mahi tautauhea ki runga i ngā uri o Rua Kēnana, ki runga hoki i ngā apataki o te hāhi.