Wai 262 Submission On The Therapeutics Products Bill To Assert Tino Rangatiratanga On Rongoā Māori

Representatives of the Wai 262 claim, also known as the Fauna, Flora, and Intellectual Property Rights claim, have requested the exclusion of linkages to rongoā in their submission on the Therapeutics Products Bill which seeks to regulate therapeutic medicine. Submissions closed on Sunday the 5th of March and there has been a stir of conversation from Māori.

While rongoā is not expressly mentioned in the Bill, taonga that tohunga work with in rongoā are implicated. Tohe Ashby, a member of Te Taumata Whakapūmau and tohunga of Te Aho Matua (experts leading Wai 262), says that during discussions with whānau across the motu, a common interest raised has been that any association to rongoā Māori is not appropriate to be contained in the Therapeutics Bill.

“Whānau are concerned about what is going to happen with this Bill. For a lot of tohunga and rongoā practitioners, the Bill itself doesn't actually grab the essence of what rongoā Māori is,” says Ashby.

The Wai 262 submission asserts te tino rangatiratanga and the duty Māori have as kaitiaki. The roopu state that there are aspects of the Therapeutic Products Bill that have the ability to prevent Māori from exercising kaitiakitanga over all things Māori, whether intended or not.

“We firmly believe our Atua Māori should not be in a bill, and that rongoā does not belong in the Therapeutics Products Bill,” says Ashby

Tasha Hohaia, representative of Te Taumata Whakapūmau says, “What is being proposed by Te Taumata Whakapūmau is Māori-led Sui Generis taonga protection. This would ensure rongoā and its associated mātauranga are adequately protected, along with other taonga as outlined in the Wai 262 claim.”

Kahu Aronui, the expert technicians of Wai 262, are currently designing taonga protection mechanisms including Sui Generis Legislation which would protect the use of rongoā Māori and other taonga. The legislation is informed by Māori, particularly tohunga and practitioners, heard through Wai 262’s Kanohi Ora engagement process.

Initial Kanohi Ora Engagement has taken place at Rātana, Waitangi and Te Matatini in recent months. For more information on the process visit www.wai262.nz

ENDS

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact:

Noenoe Barclay-Kerr on 021-022-23432 / noenoe@maiastudio.co or Mihi Blake on 027-577-2500 / mihi@maiastudio.co

About Wai 262

Wai 262 is more commonly known as the Fauna, Flora and Intellectual Property Rights claim. The aspiration of the claim firmly asserts “Māori control over things Māori”. The claim essentially seeks to restore “tino rangatiratanga” (Māori authority and self-determination) of the whānau, hapū and iwi of Aotearoa over our “taonga” (those things and values which we treasure, both intangible and tangible). Now led by descendants of the original Wai 262 claimants through the group known as Te Taumata Whakapūmau, they seek to engage claimant iwi and all Māori who have hononga to the claim to come into the claim and gain

protection over taonga Māori and kaitiakitanga of said taonga in their respective iwi.

The original six claimants included:

Saana Waitai-Murray - Ngāti Kuri | Del Wihongi - Te Rarawa

Witi McMath - Ngāti Wai | Tama Poata - Te Whānau a Ruataupare + Ngāti Porou

John Hippolite - Ngāti Koata | Kataraina Rimene - Ngāti Kahungunu

The Four Objectives of Kanohi Ora

Te Mana: Supporting and strengthening the ability of claimant whānau and their iwi as a lead voice of Wai 262

Te Kōrero: Hosting conversations among Kanohi Ora, connecting legacy holders & others

Te Tikanga: Developing a mechanism at the interface with the Crown to preserve, protect and promote taonga & mātauranga Māori

Te Whakawhitiwhiti: Supporting the emergence of a nātional Māori voice to speak with the Crown on ngā kaupapa o Wai 262 ngā mahi kua ea

© Scoop Media