Hundreds of manuhiri were welcomed onto Te Tiriti o Waitangi marae for the reopening of its wharenui.
One thing was made clear: the government must return to the marae and front up to the people.
Karakia, takutaku, and waerea were recited at Tau Rangatira to kick off the morning, with Ngāti Whātua, Taranaki, and others invited to participate.
The marae has been closed due to the refurbishment of the wharenui, led by a local carver, Lani Kingston-Apiata.
The whakairo represents the local history of the mana whenua at Waitangi, Ngāti Kawa, Ngāti Rāhiri, and Te Matarahurahu.
Sitting atop the wharenui is the koruru, which represents Te Rā, a local tupuna, while just above the main doorway into the whare is Maikuku, a famed Ngāpuhi ancestress who lived in a cave at Waitangi.
It is time for the government to return to Te Tī
A major theme covered during the pōhiri was the continued absence of the crown at Te Tī marae, commonly known as the ‘bottom marae.’
Te Tī has long been a hotbed of controversy, its tensions repeatedly ignited by the presence of visiting politicians.
One of the more memorable moments came with the arrival of the then-National Party leader, Don Brash, being a victim of mudslinging following his controversial Ōrewa speech in 2004.
Ngāti Kawa says that it is time for the government to return to Te Tī.
“Yeah, definitely.
“That’s on the agenda already. We have already had some of our key kaumātua raise.”
Former National leader and Prime Minister Jenny Shipley was one of the many who came to celebrate the opening, and she supported the call for the return of the government to Te Tī.
“We should come back, Māori and Pākehā, government and Māori, and wrestle with the issues of the day in the context of the Treaty.
Ko Ngāti Kawa, Ngāti Rāhiri, Te Matarahurahu e tū whakahīhī nei
Kua hia kē nei marama ngā iwi kāinga o Waitangi e tatari mai ana ki te rā, e tuwhera anō ai tō rātou tūpuna whare.
E ai ki tētahi o te haukāinga ki a Rangi Tāwhiao, e harikoa katoa ana te iwi kua huakina anō te whare.
Hei tāna anō, he wāhi tēnei e tupu ake ai ngā uri o te iwi ki raro i te mana o Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
“The base that they have given our mokopuna here today has just been tremendous.
“What this has done is brought us closer together and it has enabled us to refine how we are moving forward as an iwi.”
Hei tā Ngāti Kawa Taituha, he tohe, he taukumekume, he whakarau kakai te kite mai nei, heoi anō, he tohu tērā i te aroha nui o te iwi ki tō rātou marae.
“For the last year, it’s been pretty overwhelming. All the ups and downs, all the challenges, the arguments, the debates.”
Ehara i te mea ko te Ngāpuhi nahe anō te iwi i tae mai ki te whakanui i tēnei kaupapa, ko Ngāti Kahungunu, ko Ngāti Whātua, ko Taranaki anō tērā i takahia te nukuroa o te whenua.
Hei tā te hiamana o Ngāti Kahungunu, tā Bayden Barber, ka tika hoki, me haramai ngā iwi o runga ki Waitangi ki te kōrero, ki te wānanga anō hoki i tēnei mea te Tiriti o Waitangi.
“Anei te wāhi, te papa, i tutū ai te puehu. Kia matapakihia te āhuatanga ki te Tiriti o Waitangi.”
