Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana and the Crown today signed a Deed of Settlement for historical claims dating back to 1866, on the shores of Waikaremoana in Te Urewera.

“Waikaremoana, like other parts of Te Urewera, carries a complex and deeply painful history,” said Kara Puketapu-Dentice, Chair of Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana. “The hapū of Waikaremoana and the wider Te Urewera experienced invasion, displacement, and the systematic loss of land and livelihood.”

The Deed of Settlement records a historical account, acknowledgments, and an apology for the Crown’s breaches, including those inflicted during its campaigns against the tipuna of Ngāti Ruapani mai Waikaremoana and other Tūhoe hapū in Waikaremoana.

These included armed attacks on kāinga at Te Kōpani in 1866, scorched earth tactics that caused displacement and starvation, and the coerced acquisition of approximately 178,000 acres of land under threat of confiscation. By 1895, the hapū of Waikaremoana were virtually landless.

“We welcome the opportunity to formally acknowledge this history and bring closure to a process that has required our people to repeatedly recount these experiences,” said Mr Puketapu-Dentice. “That is the significance of today. It allows us to recognise the truth of what occurred, while creating space for future generations to focus on rebuilding and renewal.”

Around 3,500 members descend from the hapū of Ngāti Ruapani, Ngāti Hinekura, Whānau Pani, and Ngāi Tarapāroa, maintaining enduring connections to Waikaremoana and the wider Te Urewera. Today, these hapū remain centred around Waimako and Te Kuha marae.

The settlement includes financial and commercial redress of $24 million, the return of culturally significant sites, and the return of conservation lands at Turi-o-Kahu, restoring a presence at Onepoto. These outcomes contribute to reconnecting the hapū with whenua from which they were long separated.

“This settlement provides a foundation for the hapū of Waikaremoana, alongside other Tūhoe hapū, to restore their presence and strengthen their communities,” said Mr Puketapu-Dentice. “It creates opportunities to support housing, improve health and wellbeing, and enable development that reflects the aspirations of our people.”

“We have much to rebuild over the generations ahead. This settlement enables us to focus on restoring our relationship with our whenua, supporting our whānau, and ensuring that Waikaremoana continues to sustain future generations.”

The Crown was represented at the signing by the Minister for Treaty of Waitangi Negotiations, Hon Paul Goldsmith.

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