Kōrero o te Tiamana
Tēnā koutou katoa,
The past three months have been very busy for Te Mana and our Iwi. From the commemorations of the Tarawera Eruption, to the start of our Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, and the great Whakapapa Wānanga last month, along with other hui and events outlined in this pānui.
What is really pleasing for me as Chair is to see that this Treaty Settlement process is bringing our Iwi closer together. We’re learning about who we are and our place as Ngāti Rangitihi. That’s exciting.
The recent Claimant Hui was a fantastic example of that. It was encouraging to see some familiar faces who haven’t been at a Hui for some time. We all had an opportunity to share kōrero about our own whānau claims, and we have had some good debate and really useful discussions. While everyone had their own stories, they seemed to be similar.
We want all of our whānau who whakapapa to Ngāti Rangitihi to get involved in the Treaty Settlement process. There are a number of opportunities for you to ask questions, whether through our Hui-a-Iwi, which will be held every two months, or direct to Trustees and the office at Te Mana.
We have also established a rōpu of Observers who will support the Negotiators and effectively keep an eye on what is happening. I wish to thank them for their mahi so far and look forward to working with them on this journey.
I’d also like to acknowledge those previous Trustees who got Te Mana to this position. It is a credit to their mahi and the Iwi that our mandate puts us in a strong position to negotiate.Much of this newsletter has been devoted to our Treaty Claim and that’s because we want our Iwi to be well informed about our progress. As our Negotiators and Trustees move forward with this mahi, we are constantly reminded of the term ‘Kotahitanga’. We’re all in this together.
Keep warm and safe. We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming Hui-a-Iwi on Sunday 21 August.
Ngā mihi,
Leith Comer
Chairman
Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi Trust