Waitangi Trubunal hears of ambitions to revitalise te reo in Te Reureu

Thursday, 10 December 2020

A family have outlined their vision of revitalising Māori in their tribal homelands, at a Manawatū Waitangi Tribunal hearing.

The Ngāti Raukawa iwi confederations treaty claim resumed at Te Tikanga Marae at Tokorangi, north of Halcombe, on Thursday, where a Te Reureu family told the tribunal about their idea of restoring Māori culture in the area.

This week of hearings is focused on the Te Reureu area, which borders the Rangitīkei River, but is part of the Porirua ki Manawatū inquiry. Raukawa claims the historical purchase of the Rangitīkei-Manawatū block in the 19th century was not done legitimately.

Ngāti Rangatahi claim trustee Danny Karatea-Goddard said they had a vision for bringing young people back to te reo, revitalising the language and restoring the marae way of life in the area.

**READ MORE:

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**

The family have been working in local marae to teach children te reo. They hope to enter a regional kapa haka competition next year.

“Let’s put the valley on the map.”

His son, Te Kiwa Goddard, said racism from the Crown had negatively affected Māori in all aspects of life.

Health and education, as well as socially, were examples he gave of areas where Māori struggled as a result of breaches by the Crown.

He put it bluntly to the Crown lawyers.

'We are not friends.'

He said Māori needed to have a voice for their culture, lands, water and faith.

Goddard advocated for the iwi to be given the resources to start a school as early as next year.

'Four-hundred-million dollars is a good figure. I say to you that's nowhere near the number we are requesting. We can't give you a number to achieve that purpose.”

His sister Ripeka Goddard said there was potential to develop Māori land.

Karatea-Goddard’s niece Haylee Keepa grew up at nearby Te Hiiri Marae. She moved away, but returned and is raising her four children.

She said the Crown had fragmented her people and denied them basic human rights, with a lack of land and water. Now there was not enough land for other people to return to Te Reureu.

'How can we tell our whānau to come home? How can we sell this to them?'

Crown lawyer Jacki​ Cole said the family had been heard.

'We respect the message that we are not your friends. We are merely the faces of the Crown.

“We assure you that your messages will be delivered.'

Judge Caryn Fox echoed Cole’s thoughts. 'Those tears we have heard and listened.'

Eddie Durie said it was critical for re-establishment to get people back to their ancestral home.

Rā Durie and his son Taihākurei presented about the history of Ngāti Rangatahi, who had travelled from Mōkau in northern Taranaki to Hutt Valley, but were exiled by Crown soldiers and shifted to Te Reureu.