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Activists in Ihumātao say they “can now start to heal” after the government agreed to buy the land, near Auckland Airport, from the Fletcher Building.
The announcement was made on Thursday and has been blessed by the Kīngitanga.
Kaitiaki of the Save Our Unique Landscape (SOUL) group has been occupying the land, which was taken from the Maori by the Crown in the 19th century, for four years in an attempt to stop a housing development.
RICKY WILSON / Stuff
SOUL’s Pania Newton welcomes development.
They addressed the media on Thursday afternoon, where Natalie Ngaha, the co-chair of the Makaurau Marae Trust, said it was a “momentous occasion.”
READ MORE:
* Ihumātao: From confiscation to the current campaign for the return of whenua
* Ihumātao: Pania Newton ‘not as confident’ as the agreement was expected to reach the cabinet
* What’s next for Ihumātao? High hopes remain a dream at this historic site
“Now we can begin to heal,” said Ngaha from Ngāti Te Ahiwaru.
“We are delighted to have finally reached this resolution. In many ways this is the beginning of recognizing the injustices felt by the whānau and hapū of Ihumātao. We are very proud of our whānau “.
SOUL spokeswoman Qiane Matata-Sipu said the deal helped heal the intergenerational mamae, or shame, felt by the tangata whenua whose land had been taken from him.
Abigail Dougherty / Stuff
Natalie Ngaha, Ngāti-Tāhinga Wilson, Qiane Matata-Sipu, and Pania Newton spoke to the media after the announcement.
Co-spokeswoman Pania Newton said that the designation of the land as a special housing area was a violation of the Treaty of Waitangi.
It is “worrying” and “disappointing” that the government has insisted on saying that the Ihumātao agreement is outside the treaty processes, he said.
In a press release, SOUL recognized the leadership of the Maori King, Tūheitia, and his representatives in facilitating the process that led to the resolution.
ABIGAIL DOUGHERTY / Stuff
People involved in reclaiming the land in Ihumatao walk through a karakia (prayer).
“Our people have lived here for more than 800 years. We know our whenua and we care deeply about its future, ”the statement said.
“Our whenua was unjustly confiscated in 1863 and our tūpuna were exiled to Waikato. This injustice has never been addressed through the treaty settlement process. “
Activists said tens of thousands of New Zealanders supported them during the battle.
Abigail Dougherty / Stuff
It is not known if the Kaitiaki village on the site will be cleaned up after the government’s announcement to buy the land for the Fletcher Building.
“They signed our petitions. They came to experience whenua during our many events on earth. They marched with us. They were with us when the police arrived last year to evict our whānau who were serving as kaitiaki.
“We remember our fans today and are very grateful for their tautoko.”
The group said the decision affirms international commitments to indigenous rights and the place of tangata whenua in Aotearoa.
“It reminds us that the well-being of our whenua is intimately connected with the well-being of our people.
“There is more work to be done, but today’s resolution is an important step and represents the beginning of the next phase of this process.”
