Tēnā koutou ngā uri o Ngāti Rangitihi,
I write again to you today, on a date that is very significant in the history of our Iwi. 10 June 2020 marks 134 years since Mt Tarawera erupted.
You will all know that it caused significant devastation and loss of life among our people. Several of our kāinga, our villages, around Lake Tarawera were destroyed — our lands and lakes were changed forever.
There is no doubt that the eruption, and its aftermath, has had a major influence on who we are as Ngāti Rangitihi today — much of the Ngāti Rangitihi journey can be traced back to that fateful day.
As we work to conclude settlement negotiations, we acknowledge the enormous significance of the Mt Tarawera eruption as part of this.
Today therefore, we stop and take a moment to look back on all that has happened before us.
134 years on, we remember all iwi who were impacted. We remember our tīpuna who lost their lives in this devastating eruption. We remember that we do what we do today, in our journey as Ngāti Rangitihi, for them.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Leith Comer
Chairman, Te Mana o Ngāti Rangitihi Trust