[nativestudies-l] [Fwd: Maori tribe seeks land autonomy in peace talks with New

[jkauanui at wesleyan.edu]

---------------------------- Original Message ----------------------------
Subject: Maori tribe seeks land autonomy in peace talks with New Zealand
government
From:    "Les Malezer" <les.malezer at gmail.com>
Date:    Sun, August 3, 2008 11:11 pm
To:      identity at lists.riseup.net
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[Aboriginal News]

At:
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/wire/sns-ap-new-zealand-maori-grievances,1,3804786.story

Los Angeles Times - World

Maori tribe seeks land autonomy in peace talks with New Zealand
government

By RAY LILLEY, Associated Press Writer
July 30, 2008

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) _ A rebellious New Zealand Maori tribe
entered into negotiations with the government Thursday in a bid to
gain autonomy over its land.

Ngai Tuhoe is the only Maori tribe that refused to sign the 1840
Treaty of Waitangi, which established peaceful relations between New
Zealand's indigenous groups and white settlers.
Tuhoe still insists it retains sovereign control over its culture and
its lands in central North Island, which it claims were confiscated
illegally by settlers in the 1800s.

Several hundred members of the tribe, some adorned in traditional
feather cloaks, went to the nation's Parliament on Thursday to sign an
agreement to begin negotiations with the government.

Tuhoe negotiator Tamati Kruger hailed the signing as "a historic event."

Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen said the government had failed
the tribe in many ways over many generations.

"As the result of Crown action your people have at times suffered
poverty, famine, and significant isolation," Cullen told the crowd
gathered for the signing.

The tribe had suffered "the loss of much of their lands and
considerable loss of life," he said.

The agreement is seen as a sign that relations between the government
and the Tuhoe are finally improving.

Last October, authorities raided several Tuhoe properties, initially
alleging they were investigating suspected terrorism activities, but
the allegations were dropped after a nationwide outcry about the way
the raids were conducted. However, 16 people were charged with
firearms offenses and a trial is pending.

In another sign of warming relations, Tuhoe joined six other tribes in
June to sign New Zealand's largest-ever settlement over grievances
arising from 19th century loss of lands, forests and fisheries during
European settlement of the country.

"It is a great day for Tuhoe," senior tribal member Tauiri Pouwhare
said at Thursday's ceremony.

But he said Tuhoe want to be able to govern themselves on their tribal
lands, a thorny question for the central government.

"They took the land away, we want the land back," Pouwhare told The
Associated Press.

Kruger said the tribe hoped "to come up with a resolution to the
claims ... that is fair and generous."

Tuhoe activist Tame Iti, one of the 16 people facing firearms charges,
said autonomy was one of the key issues for discussion.

The Treaty of Waitangi created New Zealand under British sovereignty,
and guaranteed that Maori could keep their lands, forests, fisheries
and culture. Tuhoe refused to sign, and fought bloody battles with
settlers for years.

Copyright 2008 Los Angeles Times

[Article forwarded by ArcticNews - arcticnews at jackhicks.com]