Acting Chair for Tūhoronuku, Sam Napia, and Deputy Chair, Moana Tuwhare, have set a new strategy in an attempt to get the iwi behind a push for negotiations of the Ngāpuhi settlement.
Napia said, “Traditionally as Ngāpuhi, our strength has stemmed from a confederated approach to iwi and hapū business, where the mana of each constituent hapū is honoured and empowered, which is embodied in our most famous whakatauki for our iwi, Ngāpuhi Kowhao Rau. Ngāpuhi needs to return and come together under this principle around the negotiations and settlement of our claims.”
Tuwhare believes the Tūhoronuku Independent Mandated Authority is now well-positioned to respond to the aspirations and future development needs of Ngāpuhi.
“At the end of the day the settlement belongs to the people, not us, and how we share the benefits and decision-making powers that settlements bring is absolutely key to gaining the trust and support of our Ngāpuhi people,” Tuwhare says.
Napia said there is a mix of skills and experience available amongst the group of Tūhoronuku IMA trustees, negotiators, hapū kaikōrero and project team members, to advance the negotiations towards a positive settlement for Ngāpuhi in the near future.
Saying, “I am convinced the potential for Ngāpuhi is huge now, but we have to take the right team approach, which is supportive and inclusive of our hapū and claimants. If our people are involved I believe we can achieve anything we put our collective minds to.”