Ngati Manawa sign Agreement in Principle

“Today is a major achievement for Ngati Manawa and they should be proud of their tenacity and patience” said Associate Minister of Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations Mita Ririnui.

Ngati Manawa signed their Agreement in Principle for their historical grievances with the Crown today in Parliament buildings.

In a show of support and celebration for Ngati Manawa, also attending the signing were representatives from Te Arawa, Ngai Tuhoe, Tuwharetoa, Ngati Whare and the CNI Collective.

“Ngati Manawa showed great strength, generosity and patience by choosing to wait for the CNI Collective Settlement to be completed before progressing their treaty claim towards Agreement in Principle.”

“Their unselfish attitude as well as their faith in this Government’s commitment to working towards a final treaty settlement should be acknowledged and commended.”

Ngati Manawa are a Central North Island iwi based in Murupara whose traditional tribal area centres on the Kaingaroa Plains and the upper Rangitaiki River.

Their historical grievances relate to the consequences of their loyalty to the Crown during the New Zealand wars, Crown actions and omissions in respect of the operation and impact of the Native Land Laws, the Crown’s land-purchasing techniques particularly in respect of land they wished to retain and twentieth century land, river and forest development.

Much of Ngati Manawa’s financial and redress package lies in their portion of the CNI Collective settlement however among other items, their cultural redress package will include the return of Crown-owned sites of special cultural significance to Ngati Manawa.

The Crown has also made a commitment to work with Ngati Manawa to explore river related redress which arrives a solution comparable to the Waikato River Settlement for the Rangitaiki River.

Ngati Manawa and the Crown will now work towards a Deed of Settlement.