I haruru te Whare Mīere e te waiata i te taunga o te pānuitanga tuatahi mō te Pire Whakataunga Kerēme a Ngā Hapū o Te Iwi o Whanganui i tēnei rā. Whai muri i te iwa tau e whiriwhiri ana, kua piki te Pire ki tētehi taumata hou ki te whakaora i te hononga i waenga i te Karauna me te iwi.

I tae ā-tinana atu te iwi ki Pāremata ki te whakarongo ki te pānuitanga. Hei tā Kahurangi Simon, nō Ngā Hapū o Te Iwi o Whanganui, he rā maumahara tēnei ki te hunga kua riro, otirā ki tōna matua ki a Morvin Te Anatipa Simon, “E ora tonu ana taku matua i roto i ngā waiata, kua para ake anō rā te huarahi mō mātau ki te whaiwhai atu i a rātau, kia whakatutukihia ngā wawata,” tā Simon.

Kei roto i tēnei whakataunga he $30 miriona te wāriu, ā, ka whakahokia hoki ngā poraka whenua e 27, tae atu ki te pā o Pākaitore. He wāhanga hoki te whakahoki i ngā whenua,  ngahere me te pae o Te Puna Hapori, tae atu ki ngā kura o Whanganui Intermediate me Aramoho.

E ai ki a Aimee Simon, he ara tēnei hei hīkina anō i te iwi i roto i te mamae me te pōuri o mua. “He maha ngā mahi ki mua i te aroaro, nā ngā tūpuna tātau e arahi, mō te āpōpō,” tana kī.

Nā te Minita Whiriwhiri Tiriti, nā Paul Goldsmith, te pire i whakatakoto ki te whare, e rua wiki noa iho i muri mai i te hainatanga o He Rau Tukutuku ki Kaiwhāiki Pā. He mahi tēnei hei ea i ngā hapa a te Karauna mai i ngā riri o te tekau tau 1840.

Ngā Hapū o Te Iwi o Whanganui Claims Settlement Bill passes first reading

The halls of Parliament echoed with waiata today as the Ngā Hapū o Te Iwi o Whanganui Claims Settlement Bill officially passed its first reading. The milestone comes after nine years of intensive negotiations and just eleven days after the formal signing of the Deed of Settlement, He Rau Tukutuku, at Kaiwhāiki Pā.

For the descendants who gathered in the public galleries, the day was deeply emotional. Kahurangi Simon noted that the passing of the bill serves as a tribute to ancestors and loved ones no longer here, specifically mentioning his father, Te Anatipa. He shared that the songs sung in the House keep their spirits alive and mark the fulfillment of long-held dreams and aspirations.

The settlement package includes:

  • Financial Redress: A total of $30 million in financial and commercial redress.
  • Cultural Redress: The vesting of 27 sites of cultural significance, including the historic Pākaitore.
  • Land Assets: The transfer of forestry land and key sites such as Te Puna Hapori, Whanganui Intermediate School, and Aramoho School.

Aimee Simon of Ngā Hapū o Te Iwi o Whanganui described the settlement as a path toward healing and revitalization. “We have lived in darkness and pain for too long,” she said. “This land settlement is a time for us to lift ourselves up again.”

Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith emphasized that the bill is a critical step in acknowledging historical breaches—particularly the Crown’s conduct during the wars of the 1840s. The legislation aims to forge a new relationship based on partnership, trust, and mutual respect, moving the iwi from a legacy of grievance toward a future of growth.