June 4
Day – Foul weather, high wind and rain, Whakatane Museum (Tuhoe people) & Town
Night – Awakiri Holiday Park
A storm was brewing outside, so we decided to walk around the town of Whakatane, home of a famous albeit small museum. Hilary and I ventured to the Museum, while the guys went to the hardware store to get a new sink pump for our camper van. It was a “by donation” museum…finally!...something to enjoy without the heavy price tag attached! Their main exhibit was concerning the Tuhoe ‘iwi of the Uwerawera National Park, which was not too far from Whakatane. The docent at the museum was of Pakeha descent (European). He had a passion for the Maori people, their culture and history. It was interesting to listen to the history through a different lens.
The Tuhoe ‘iwi (tribe) are considered the “nga tamariki o te kohu” or “children of the mist” because of where they descend from, Hinepukohurangi “the mist maiden” and Te Maunga “the mountain.” The Tuhoe ‘iwi were the last to be colonized in New Zealand and because of their often “anti-government” protests and aura, the tribe has been a target of the Crown government’s” terrorist raids”, the most brutal of which occurred in 2007. The Tuhoe history is very similar to many indigenous histories around the world. Globally, colonial and occupational histories of indigenous groups are unfortunately very similar, land being confiscated by the colonial government through shady or forceful deals, battles fought for the continual right to self-governance and sovereignty only to be ended with “international treaties” that supposedly protect the rights of the indigenous tribes and nations, and often unfortunate manipulated corruption within the hierarchy of the native people themselves, who may side with the colonial rule for power, money, and greed. Maori call those who sided with colonial forces “Kupapa” or “traitors.” The arrival of colonial rule around the world brought many new changes to indigenous and native peoples that drastically altered the native psyche, dividing and shifting the values that kept the balance of life and living in place.
The Tuhoe people call self-governance and interdependence “Mana Motuhake,” which is what they battled for, for years and years to save their lands and resources. Through many discussions with the Crown government, Bills and Acts were passed to somehow find a balance and “appease” both parties, however in these “discussions” and “regulations of lands,” surveys continued, millions of acres of lands were confiscated and Crown recognition and resolutions with the Tuhoe ‘iwi often were unrecognized or dissolved. The Urewarewa District Native Reserve Act in the early 1900’s was set up as a system for the Tuhoe people to self-govern. The Crown would also “recognize collective iwi decision making, investigate land titles, protect natural resources and foster education.” However, millions of acres of land were surveyed and “investiaged” in preparation for the “alienation” of lands and even though the Crown agreed to recognize Tuhoe self-governance (1896), the government eventually deemed the Tuhoe self-governing committees as “unnecessary” in 1922. Today the Te Urewarewa National Park is a well protected land base and is home to a large population of Tuhoe ‘iwi who through government land settlements are allowed to stay on the lands of their birth. Currently many land settlement processes are occurring with many Maori ‘iwi and the Crown government, both of whom hold the Treaty of Waitangi in their own defense. These “land settlements” as described by the museum docent are land settlements with the Crown and Maori ‘iwi that will set aside a portion of land for that particular ‘iwi. However once the settlements are passed, no other ‘iwi land claim can ever be made, nor any other “challenges” over land issues ensue. The Tuhoe people, through the land settlements, from what I understand, have been granted their portion within the National Parks. It is one of the only National Parks, probably in the world where the indigenous tribe is allowed to continue to live and continue to exercise their cultural/blood rights to the lands of their ancestors. Initially the ‘iwi had also wanted a “nation within a nation” status as an example of indigenous autonomy and self-governance, but were not granted their request.
The struggle however continues for many indigenous peoples around the world. As the truth in history gradually unfolds and is presented, it unveils the twisted, deep realities of colonial influence and rule that have great impacts in the present time. As a Tuhoe chief wrote on a long cotton blanket presented on a wall panel at the museum (1995), his words of protest spoke so much more that what the mere eye read, he spoke a passion for the Mana Motuhake of his people, one could feel the fury and tears of his words:
Submission on a blanket:
Tame Iti (1995)
Collection of the Office of Treaty Settlements
1863: Validation to invade Waikato
1865: Mokomoko arrested and unjustly hung
1866: 50,000 + acres confiscated from Tuhoe, stolen, stolen, stolen
1868: St. John Gilbert Mair Whitmore invade Waimana te Whaiti Waikare
1895: Road surveyors halted by Tuhoe land alienation
1896: Urewarewa Reserve Act passed 656,000 acres
1914: Tuhoe oppose conscription, World War I
1916: Rua arrested for moral resistance, penalty, imprisoned and hard labour
1995: Fiscal Envelope, AIDS, Cancer, Suicide, Oppression, Depression
Cultural Genocide
Declaration of Dependence
Eviction notice to Crown
Statue at the entrance of Whakatane Harbour
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