Working bees have been run and the marae workers and ringawera are gearing up for one of the most important events in the history of Tukorehe Marae in Kuku, near Levin.
On Monday, the Waitangi Tribunal will begin hearing Ngāti Tukorehe’s treaty claim.
The hearing is a culmination of years of hard work, that included the presentation of a kete with the iwi’s treaty claim to former National MP Doug Kidd “who grew up in Kuku with the Tukorehe whānau,” Ngāti Tukorehe spokesperson Kelly Bevan said Friday in a release.
“There was a big contingent of us who attended and lodged our claim, Wai 1913. Many of our well-known people spoke at this hui including ‘Papa Sean’ Ogden. We shall miss him along with all those other kaumātua who were a part of our journey to seek justice,” she said.
The iwi’s claim covers a broad range of issues, such as land loss, economic disadvantage and stagnation, environmental issues and the effect of education policies, especially the effect on te reo, the release said.
These matters will be outlined at the tribunal hearing by iwi members including Dr Huhana Smith, Patrick Seymour, Kelly Bevan, Lindsay Poutama and Māori business development consultant Richard Tauehe Jefferies.
One of the larger treaty claims to be heard throughout the country, it commenced in 2020 in the Manawatū and progresses south to its conclusion in Ōtaki later this year.
The original claim was lodged in 1989 by kaumātua Whata Karaka Davis, Ngārongo Iwikatea Nicholson, Te Maharanui Jacob and Pita Richardson.
“They have now all passed on,” the release said.