When it comes to grievances against the Crown, Tūranga iwi have had to carry huge burdens. The Waitangi Tribunal in 2004 said Turanga/Gisborne grievances were "significantly worse" than those of Taranaki and Waikato - including the illegal execution of 122 people by Crown forces at Ngatapa, in the tribal area.
But 25 years after the first claims were made to the Waitangi Tribunal, a settlement still hasn't been reached. The Crown's insistence on dealing with large natural groupings has alienated smaller iwi and its use of Crown forests for settlement has created more problems.
Te Ao with Moana heads to the backblocks of Gisborne to find out why one iwi there is setting up camp in a bid to stamp its claim on the whenua.
Te Aitanga a Mahaki lead negotiator Willie Te Aho and Mangatu Incorporation chairman Alan Haronga both declined to comment.
Alan Haronga says the incorporation considers the occupation illegal. He says the land concerned has significance to all of its owners in Mangatu who number around 6,000 and that the incorporation acts in the interests of all its owners.