Ngati Ranginui celebs go on cuzzy hunt

PRESS RELEASE
Te Roopu Whakamana o Ngati Ranginui
March 16, 2012

Ngati Ranginui celebs go on cuzzy hunt

High profiled celebrities from a Tauranga-based iwi have joined a campaign to find more than 5000 of their Ngati Ranginui relations spread throughout the country and the world.

Singing sensations Betty-Anne Monga (Ardijah) and Ria Hall as well as aerosol artist, Maori carver and DJ on the Code television sports programme, Hone Ngata, and former presenter of the award-winning Pukana youth television programme, Marama Gardiner, have teamed up to front the iwi’s advertising campaign.

The campaign aims to get the majority of its estimated 10,000-strong population registered so they can have their say in one of the biggest issues to face their tribe – the Crown’s offer to settle their long-standing Treaty claims.

“We’re so fortunate to have an abundance of talent and we’re hoping they’ll pull-in as many of our people as possible, just like they do with their music and the programmes they feature in,” said Antoine Coffin, the chairman for Te Roopu Whakamana o Ngati Ranginui, which has been heading negotiations with the Crown.

“We want all our people from Ngati Ranginui, regardless of where they live, to have their say on the offer and the structure we’re proposing to manage what will be returned, if the majority of our people support it.

“All iwi members who register and vote will be making a difference for our tribe’s future. Our negotiators have done the best they can do and now it’s up to our people to decide,” Mr Coffin said.

Iwi members must register before April 30 in order to vote on the offer, the type of structure that will receive the assets and the trustees for that structure. They can register online at www.ranginuiraupatu.org or call 0800 4 RANGINUI to be posted the registration form.

The ads go to air on Maori TV on April 2.

ENDS

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