Te Arawhiti is a special five-day hui that has been called for Te Tira Whakaemi o Te Wairoa, the seven cluster groups including iwi and hapū of the greater Wairoa region, to tell their stories and have their historical grievances against the Crown heard and recorded.
The pain of historical grievances including the loss of around 600,000 acres of land and Crown failures against the people of Wairoa are still being felt today.
Former Governor-General Sir Anand Satyanand has answered the call of the iwi and come onboard to listen to the historical grievances and prepare a report on what he has seen and heard.
Wairoa is one of the most socially economically deprived parts of the country and Te Tira Whakaemi o Te Wairoa want to turn that around.
The next few days are going to be an emotional journey for the iwi, but a vital element to their settlement process.