16 December 2007
Media Statement

Waikato te awa – he piko he taniwha, he piko he taniwha

Kua oti i a Waikato-Tainui me te Karauna tētahi tohu whai tikanga whakahirahira e ahu ana ki te whakataunga o te kerēme a taua iwi mō te awa o Waikato.

I te rangi nei i hainatia tētahi Kirimini ā-Kaupapa ki mua o Waikato-Tainuii tētahi hui motuhake a te Pāremata iwi mō Waikato-Tainui, Te Kauhanganui o Waikato

Nā Tā Robert Mahuta, kua mate, ngā kupu “No mātou te Awa, pērā anō, nō te Awa mātou. Kahore he wehenga o te iwi o Waikato me te Awa. He taonga i tuku iho mai i a mātou tipuna me tā mātou whakaaro pono ki ngā whakaritenga ki te tiaki i taua taonga mō ngā reanga kei mua.”

Mā te whakataunga nei anō e tuku raukaha hou mō te āhua o ngā whakahaere i te awa mō ngā tāngata katoa o Aotearoa, me te tautoko hoki i te hononga motuhake, me ngā whakaaro take nui o te awa ki a Waikato-Tainui.”

Hei tōna wā ka hono mai ētahi ake iwi o te Awa o Waikato, ētahi māngai o te rohe o Waikato, me ētahi o te hapori whānui ake, ki Waikato-Tainui, ki te hanga i tētahi tirohanga whakamua me ngā rautaki hei tūāpapa mō te huarahi tūhono hou ki te tiaki whakahaere i te awa.

Ka whakawhiwhia e te whakataunga tētahi anga whakahaere hou mō te awa, tāpiri atu ko ‘Ngā Kaitiaki o te Awa o Waikato’ koia nei ka whakaata i ngā pānga a te hapori katoa ki te awa, me te poari ā-ture hei whakarite i te whaiwāhitanga o Waikato-Tainui, ki ngā whakahaere ngātahi i te awa, e whakapā ana ki ngā wāhi, mai i Karapiro atu ki te moana.

E tautoko ana e tēnei whakataunga te piriponotanga a te Karauna ki tōna honohononga ki Waikato-Tainui, nā reia taku hiahia ki te whakamihi atu ki ngā mahinga a ngā Kaiwhakarite-ngātahi a Tukoroiranga Morgan me Kahurangi Raiha Mahuta, mō a rāua mahi ārahi i ngā whakawhitiwhiti whakaaro, kōrero mō tā rāua iwi, me aku mihi tautoko ki a rāua kia whakatutuki pai te wāhanga whakautunga o ngā whakawhitinga kōrero,” kī a Horomia.

TRANSLATION....

16 December 2007 Media Statement

Waikato te awa – He piko he taniwha, he piko he taniwha

Waikato-Tainui and the Crown have reached a major milestone towards the settlement of the tribe’s Waikato River claim.

An Agreement in Principle was signed today at a special meeting of the tribal Parliament for Waikato-Tainui, Te Kauhanganui o Waikato.

The late Sir Robert Mahuta once said “The River belongs to us just as we belong to the river. The Waikato tribe and the River are inseparable. It is a gift left to us by our ancestors and we believe we have a duty to protect that gift for future generations.”

"This settlement will give new strength to the way the river is managed on behalf of all New Zealanders while recognising the special relationship and significance of the river to Waikato-Tainui."

Waikato-Tainui will be joined by the other Waikato River iwi and representatives of the Waikato and wider communities to establish a vision and strategy as the foundation for a new integrated approach to managing the river.

The settlement will provide a new management structure for the river, including 'Guardians of the Waikato River' reflecting the full community of interest in the river and a statutory board to facilitate the participation of Waikato-Tainui in the co-management of the river within and affecting the area from Karapiro to the sea.

This agreement affirms the Crown’s commitment to its relationship with Waikato-Tainui and I would like to recognise the work of Co-Negotiators Tukuroirangi Morgan and Lady Raiha Mahuta, and their role in leading the negotiations on behalf of their people and I wish them well in concluding the final stages of the negotiations,” Mr Horomia said.

ENDS

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