Story: Tāmaki tribes

Page 5. Tāmaki tribes today

All images & media in this story

Today there are six tribes in the wider Tāmaki (Auckland) region: Ngāti Pāoa on Waiheke Island; Ngāi Tai at Maraetai; Ngāti Whātua at Ōrākei; Te Wai-o-Hua/Ngā Oho at Māngere; Ngāti Te Ata at Manukau; and Te Kawerau-a-Maki in the Waitākere Ranges.

Waitangi Tribunal reports and settlements

Between 1985 and 1987 the Waitangi Tribunal released three reports concerning tribes in the Tāmaki region.

The Waiheke report stated that Ngāti Pāoa had been unfairly made almost landless. In 1990 a settlement was signed that transferred ownership of the Ngāti Pāoa Station on Waiheke Island and provided finance for the purchase of stock.

The Manukau report detailed tribal land loss around Manukau Harbour. It was instrumental in introducing the Resource Management Act 1991, which makes statutory allowance for the consideration of Māori environmental concerns. Te Wai-o-Hua and Ngāti Te Ata were named as consultant guardians of Manukau Harbour.

Te Kawerau-a-Maki  settled its historic treaty claims on 22 February 2014. The settlement included the transfer to the iwi of most of Riverhead Forest, valued at $6.5 million. The iwi also gained right of first refusal over Crown assets within its tribal area, including Paremoremo Prison, and land plus $300,000 to establish a marae at Te Onekiritea Point (Hobsonville).

The Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Deed of Settlement was signed on 7 November 2015. This vested 16 sites of cultural significance and provided $50,000 for cultural revitalisation, plus financial and commercial redress of $12.7 million.

The future

The Tāmaki tribes now live in an environment where local authorities increasingly recognise their importance to the future of Auckland. For example, Te Kawerau-a-Maki now have a significant role at the visitors’ centre in Arataki, the gateway to the Waitākere Ranges.

How to cite this page:

Rāwiri Taonui, 'Tāmaki tribes - Tāmaki tribes today', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/tamaki-tribes/page-5 (accessed 19 March 2024)

Story by Rāwiri Taonui, published 8 Feb 2005, updated 22 Mar 2017