A Te Rarawa Primer on the WAI 262 Flora and Fauna Claim

What is the WAI 262 claim about? The basic aspiration of the claim has often been coined by the phrase Mori control over things Mori. The claim essentially seeks to re storetinorangatiratanga(Moriauthorityandselfdetermination)of thewhnau,hapandiwiofAotearoaoverourtaonga(thosethings and values which we treasure, both intangible and tangible).

How did the claim get started? TheWAI262claimbeganinthe1960sand70s,whenagroupofMori rights activists challenged the Crown about some of the policies and lawsthatweretakingawayMoricontroloverourtaonga. InOctober1991,SaanaMurray(NgtiKuri),DelWihongi(TeRarawa), John Hippolite (Ngti Kata), Tama Poata (TeWhanauoRuataupare), and Witi McMath (Ngti Wai) with the assistance of lawyer Moana Jackson(NgtiKahungunu)lodgedtheWAI262NativeFloraandFauna Claim with the Waitangi Tribunal.

Te Rarawa WAI 262 Taumata Contact: Rachel Witana, rachelwitana@gmail.com

What taonga and issues does the claim cover?

TheclaimseekstherestorationofMoricontrolover,andeffective Crown recognition and protection of: A range of indigenous bio diversity, plant and animal species such as: Harakeke (flax), pingao (also known as golden sand sedge) and kiekie (or Freycinetia banksii of the screw pine family) all traditionally used for weaving; at least 9 varieties of kumara (sweet potato); pohutukawa (also known as the New Zealand Christmas tree), koromiko (of the hebe family), and puawananga (of the genus clematis, also known as flower of the skies); manuka (or tea tree - now valued by the honey industry, especially for its internationally-recognised medicinal properties); tuatara (the Rhynchocephalia lizard); kereru/ kukupa (wood pigeon) and kuaka (bar-tailed godwit); pupu harakeke (flax snail); MtaurangaMori(traditionalMoriknowledge)associatedwith thoseplantandanimalspeciesandwithMoriculturalvaluesgen erally, including: language, science and technology, laws, history, systems of property and value exchange, and rituals and ceremonies; artandformsofexpressionsuchasweaving,carving,tmoko, hakaandwhaikrerero; Moriculturalvalues,suchaswhanaungatanga(kinship)and kaitiakitanga (guardianship or stewardship), which help to regulate the intimate relationships and responsibilities betweenwhnau,hapandiwiandthenaturalworld. The claim also seeks effective Crown recognition of Mori tino rangatiratanga through (amongst other things) influence over the decisions and actions of Ministers and Government Agencies, policy and law making.

Where is the WAI 262 claim at now?

After the claim was lodged in 1991, it was amended in 1993 to include international law matters such as the impact of international Trade Agreements (like the Gatt:Trips Agreement), Intellectual Property Rights (e.g. how Copyrights, Trademarks and Patents over taonga affect Moricontroloverthesame),andNewZealandcompliancewithinter nationally-recognised Indigenous Peoples Rights. In 1997, the first Waitangi Tribunal hearing was held at Motuti, in the Far North. It took to 2003 to hear all the claimant evidence around the motu, and it wasnt until 2011 that the Waitangi Tribunal finally releaseditsreport,titledKoAotearoaTnei(ThisisAotearoaorThis isNewZealand).Bythistime,SaanaMurrayofNgtiKuriwastheonly remaining claimant alive. Sadly, Saana passed away later that same year. With all the six original named iwi claimants gone, it left their respective whnau, hap and iwi to decide how they wish the claim to be pro gressed. Te Rarawa decided in 2012 to mandate Mereana Robinson, Rachel Witana, and Margaret Tito (sisters of original Te Rarawa claimant Del Wihongi); Haami Piripi (Rnanga o Te Rarawa Chairperson) and CatherineDavis(RnangaoTeRarawaTrustee)asTeRarawarepresent atives for the claim.

RomaMarae,Ahipara,ReleaseoftheWai262Report,KoAotearoaTnei

So what has the Wai 262 claim got to do with me?

Environmental health; responsible management of our fisheries, forests and other natural resources; the quality of our freshwater lakes, rivers and aquifers; oil and mineral extraction in our lands and oceans; genetic modification of life forms all these issues and more AFFECT YOU, your whnauandyourcommunity. To ensure our tamariki mokopuna have an Aotearoa that they can thrive in requires that we must protect what is important to us. By advocating for a fair and comprehensive resolution of WAI 262 claim issues, we can achievethatforMoriandforallNewZealanders. So stay tuned on how you can help to make it happen: Te Rarawa Tiaki Taonga facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/240499669312666/?fref=ts WAI 262 Claim information website: http://wai262.weebly.com/index.html Waitangi Tribunal website (contains links to downloadable copies of the 2011 WAI 262 report, report summaries and media statements): http://www.justice.govt.nz/tribunals/waitangitribunal/inquiries/generic-inquiries/flora-and-fauna

The Te Rarawa WAI 262 Taumata acknowledgesthesupportofTeRnangao Te Rarawa for the production of this flier

Te Rarawa WAI 262 Taumata Contact: Rachel Witana, rachelwitana@gmail.com