Ngāti Manu, a Bay of Islands hapū, has become the first of 110 Ngāpuhi sub-tribes to formally reject the government’s impending proposal to settle the large Ngāpuhi Treaty Claim.
At a meeting with Treaty Negotiations Minister, Andrew Little, at Karetu Marae on Sunday, the Ngāti Manu hapū issued a media release with the following statements, asserting the hapū's rangatiratanga to speak for Ngāti Manu and its desire to seek direct negotiations of its claims.
1. We, Ngāti Manu, unequivocally reject the current proposed model in its entirety; and we demand an honourable process
2. Mā Ngāti Manu, nā Ngāti Manu, e ai ki a Ngāti Manu. (Essentially only Ngāti Manu speaks for Ngāti Manu) Ngāti Manu continues to assert our hāpu rangatiratanga (meaning the sub-tribe is adamant its sovereignty, pre-dating the Treaty Of Waitangi, still exists today)
3. Ngāti Manu continues to seek direct negotiations of its claims (and it has done since the beginning of the Treaty Claims process) I riro whenua atu, hoki whenua mai (As our land was taken, so should it be returned)
In the lead up to this meeting, many hapū representatives spoke out against the government’s process and claimed it to be a political expediency, and breaking promises of an honourable process.
While the government is still yet to present a proposal to settle the large Ngāpuhi Treaty claim, Ngāti Manu has made their stance clear that they want to speak for themselves.
The Treaty Minister will be responding to Ngāti Manu's statement later today.