Te Tai – Treaty Settlement Stories

Te Kaitiakitanga o te awa

Waahanga 4

Te kaitiaki­tanga
o te awa

I te kupu a Kiingi Tuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII ki te raahui i ngaa awa o Waikato me Waipaa i te mooreareatanga kowheori, i kitea ai he peewhea rawa tana whakaaro ki te kaitiakitanga o te awa.

Ko te manapou te
pouhono o te aawa

Ko te raahui, i whakatairangatia nuitia ai e te hunga paapaahoo, he mea whakauu kia ora ai, kia whakataa ai te koiora me te wairua o ngaa awa me ngaa arawai.

I raro i te Whakataunga o te Awa o Waikato, i momoho ngaa kaiwhakatau ki te whai whakaoranga maa teetehi whakakitenga, me teetehi rautaki e kiiia ana ko Te Ture Whaimana, e aro ana ki: te whakaora me te tiaki i te oranga tonutanga o too maatou tuupuna, te awa o Waikato.

I haangai te raahui ki Te Ture Whaimana – he rongoaa ki te whakapai ake i te whakahaeretia o te wai maaori, ki te whakauu hoki, ko ngaa iwi, ko ngaa kaiwhakamahi wai katoa, me te hapori ka tuumanako ngaatahi ki te whakaoranga tonutanga o te kounga o te wai maaori i te Waikato, aa, haere nei te waa. Ko te raahui i tiimatangia ai i Aperira, i mutu ai i Mei, i raahui i te mahi kai, me ngaa mahi ngahau katoa i ngaa arawai, me te aha, i arohia nuitia ai. Heoi anoo, e whakamaatautautia ana te pakanga a te iwi kia tiakina te mana o te awa, e te kaiponu a Taamaki ki te tango i ngaa miriona rita o te wai i te awa o Waikato, hei whakaea i tana matenga wai, moroki noa nei. I paa mai aua tono i te 1994, i te hiahia o Te Ratonga Wai o Taamaki Ltd ki te paipa i oo Waikato awa wai ki Taamaki, hei whakamaamaa i te mate tauraki.

I taua waa raa, i kii atu te kaiwhakatau matua o te iwi, a Taa Te Kotahi raatou ko teetehi roopuu kaumaatua, i roto raa a Te Kaapo Clarke noo Maungatautari, me Tahau Cooper noo Te Awamaarahi, ki te nohoanga Kooti Taiao, kua tuukinotia too raatou awa tuupuna e ngaa kaiwhakamahi o te awa, ka mutu, he kaitiaki noo raatou, i titikaha ai raatou ki te tiaki i te awa. I kii atu a Tahau ki te nohoanga, i taataa ia i te tuku whakaae, i te mea raa i whakatupungia ai ia, tata nei ki Tuakau, kia whakauungia te awa kia horopuu moo ake tonu atu.

E tuuraru ana taua horopuu, ka mutu e aawangawanga ana a Waikato i te nui o ngaa peehanga ki te awa.

I teenei waa, he aaheitanga too Te Kaunihere o Taamaki, e waatea ai ia ki te tango i te 150 miriona rita i ia raa, me te 15 miriona rita anoo naa te tauraki. Ka rangona tana tono, kia tangohia he 200 miriona rita anoo i ia raa, i Waikato awa, e teetehi pae uiui. Inaaianei, kua mahi whakataunga Te Kaunihera o Kirikiriroa ki a Watercare, ki te tuku he 25 miriona rita i ia raa, i tana tohanga wai kaaore i whakamahia, i a ia e whanga ana ki te putanga o te uiui.

Te aahua nei, he kokinga anoo, he huringa anoo e puta mai ai e paa ana ki te mate wai o Taamaki, heoi anoo, e toongakingaki ana te hautuutanga hou o te iwi ki te tiaki i te awa, ka mutu ka whakahautia kia rangona too raatou reo, araa e oati nei i te Ture o te Whakataunga o Waikato Awa.

Waikato-Tainui Executive Chair Rukumoana Schaafhausen speaking
Te heamana rangapuu o Waikato-Tainui, a Rukumoana Schaafhausen. Whakaahua: Waikato-Tainui 

Ko te oranga tonutanga te whakatinanatanga o te hononga kikokiko, wairua hoki o te iwi o Waikato, me too raatou awa tupuna, te awa o Waikato.

Noo te awa te ingoa o te iwi, me te aha he waahanga nui noo too maatou tuakiritanga. E whaangai ana toona mauri i too maatou, me ngaa tikanga e arohia tonutia ana e maatou. I te ao o nehe, i homai te awa i te kai me te wai, me te aaheinga ki te haere, me te tauhokohoko. Ko toona aahua te mana, te tapu, me te mauri o te iwi, e puumau nei i te pepeha:

He piko, he taniwha, he piko, he taniwha, Waikato taniwha rau.

I hono te kereeme ki te awa, ki te raupatu turekore i ngaa eka 1.2 miriona o ngaa whenua aa-iwi. I te raupatunga o te whenua, i ngaro ai hoki te mana whakahaere i te awa.

I urutomo ngaa taua o te Karauna, maa uta, maa te wai hoki, maa nga tima manuao, me ngaa paati e kawe nei i ngaa whakaputunga ki ngaa hooia koroniara, i ngaa awa o Waikato me Waipaa.

E kii ana a Taakuta Dean Mahuta, ko te urutomo me te pakanga i muri, i whakarereke nui i te ao o te iwi.

I roto i tana tuhinga roa moo te awa, me te tuakiri o Waikato, e kii nei ia, i huri raa te iwi ki te awa ki te whai oranga. Whenua kore ana, kaainga kore ana, kaaore he mea kee atu. Maaringanui ana, e moomona ana te awa i te tuna, i te matamata, i te koura, i te kanae, i te kaeao, me te koowhitiwhiti. I teenei raa, kua nunumi haere eenei kai. Kei reira tonu te tuna, engari e peehia ana ngaa hekenga, me te whakatupuranga e ngaa teihana papupapu me ngaa whakapuni.

Kua muia hoki te awa e ngaa koi raawaho mai i te 1983, he whakaehuehu i te wai, he tuukino hoki i te nohoanga o ngaa otaota maaori, me ngaa ika maaori. I takoto i a Taa Te Kotahi te tuuaapapa o te kereeme i te awa. I tutuki aua mahi i tana hoa wahine i a Reeri Raiha, me te kaitoorangapuu o mua, heamana Tekaumaarua hoki, a Tukoroirangi Morgan. I hainatia Te Whakataunga o te Waikato Awa, ki te Karauna, i te 2008, i te taha o te awa ki Tuurangawaewae marae, ki mua i te aroaro o Kiingi Tuuheitia Pootatau Te Wherowhero VII.

He ao hou,
he whakahaere ngaatahi hou

I aakina e ngaa whiriwhiringa i waenganui i a Waikato-Tainui me te Karauna, he waahanga hou noo te whakahaerenga ngatahi i a Waikato Awa.

I aakiritia ngaa whakamaatautanga o mua o Waikato, kia mana tana tuuranga kaitiaki ki te awa, tae atu ki teetehi peetihana ki te Paaremata i te 1929 naa Te Puea Herangi, e whai nei kia whakahokingia ngaa mootika hii ika tuku iho o te iwi. 

“E whakauu ana te tuaraa o te whakataunga kia whai reo too maatou iwi, inaa raa, ahakoa he aha aa maatou whakatau, ka tautokongia e te mana ture.”

Tukoroirangi Morgan

E whakakotahi ana hoki Te Ture Whakataunga o Waikato Awa i ngaa kaunihera aa-rohe me nga kaiwhakamahi ohaoha i raro i teetehi tauira whakahaere mahi tahi me Waikato-Tainui.

“Tee taea e maatou te awa te whakapaipai memehea ko maatou noa iho, noo reira, me piki mai te katoa,” e kii nei a Morgan.

“Ko te wero, kia tiinihia te waiaro o ngaa kaiwhakamahi ki te awa. Kia rua rawa ngaa whakatupuranga hei whakapaipai i te awa. Heoi anoo, hei ngaa tau 25 e hiahiatia ana kia kitea he whanonga rerekee, i runga i te aahua o taa maatou ki te awa, kia whakapai ake i toona oranga tonutanga.”

Tuku Morgan and Lady Mahuta
Ko ngaa kaiwhiriwhiri takirua o te awa, o Waikato-Tainui, ko Tukoroirangi Morgan raaua ko Reeri Raiha Mahuta. Whakaahua: Stuff Limited

He moana hou te Whakataunga o Waikato Awa moo te Karauna me Waikato-Tainui. Engari, haangai tonu ana te mahi ki toona tuuranga hei iwi tuatahi ki te whiriwhiri Whakataunga Tiriti o Waitangi, horipuu tonu atu ki te Karauna.

Ko te taahuhu Rangapuu o Waikato-Tainui Lands Trust, a Donna Flavell, te kaiarataki aa-tima naana ngaa kaiwhiriwhiri takirua i tautoko, i taua waa. E kii ana a Donna, he mea motuhake te Whakataunga Awa, ka mutu i aro ake ki te peewheatanga o te tiaki i te mana o te awa, i teenaa o te rangatiratanga.

“Mai mai, e kii ana maatou, hei aha maa maatou teetehi pepa e kii nei noo maatou te awa. Mehemea i aahei ai maatou te whakahaere, he oorite ki te rangatiratanga.”

I te whakatutukitanga o Waikato i teetehi aaheinga inihua i te Whakataunga Raupatu o Waikato-Tainui 1995, i tiakina anamatatia taua whakataunga para huarahi, i whakauungia e te Tiima Awa, teetehi whakaritenga e kiii ana ko Te Ture Whaimana, he whakakitenga, he rautaki hoki moo te awa e haukoti ana i te whakaturetanga o te Whakahaere Rawa, ngaa umanga Karauna, me ngaa mana aa-rohe.

Mai i te whakataunga, kua arotakengia e te kaawanatanga ngaa whakaritenga whakahaere mahi tahi, ka mutu i te Tiihema 2009, i whakaaetia ngaatahitia ai he Whakaaetanga Whakataunga.

I whakatuungia Te Manatuu o Waikato, he mahi whakatau 50/50 me ngaa iwi, ka mutu e tohua ana ki te ruruku i te whakapaipaitanga. I whiwhi raa ia i te $220 miriona, ka mutu, i ngaa tau 10 ka huri, kua tohaina ko toona $70 miriona taara ki eetehi momo kaupapa e haangai ana ki ana aronga tahua.

E kii ana a Donna, e aro ana hoki te tuuranga whakahaere mahi tahi, ki eetehi atu iwi, mai i toona maataapuna i Taupoo, ki Te Puuwaha o Waikato, ka mutu, e whakahaepapa ana hoki i te Karauna.

“I ngaa whakataunga, i te nuinga o te waa, ka mea te Karauna ‘anei too whakataunga, anei te puutea hei whakatika i aa maatou raruraru.” Heoi anoo ko taa maatou e kii nei, “E te Karauna, naau eenei mahi kino, naau hoki i whakaparuparu i te awa, noo reira, me noho tonu mai ki te aawhina mai i a maatou ki te whakapaipai.”

Whakaata: Te Anga Nathan

“Noo taatou te awa. Noo te awa taatou. E kore e taea te wehe te iwi o Waikato me te awa. He taonga tuku iho naa ngaa tuupuna. E whakapono ana maatou ko taa maatou, he tiaki i taaua taonga moo ngaa uri whakatupu.”

Taa Robert Te Kotahi Mahuta

Te taatari i te raraunga moo ngaa whakatupuranga o aapoopoo

Ko teetehi o ngaa kaupapa i whai tahua ai i a Te Manatuu o Waikato Awa, ko te Trap and Transfer Feasibility and Kaitiaki Development programme. Koia teetehi o ngaa kaupapa rangahau whakaora awa i whai tahua ai i te Manatuu, e whakahaeretia nei e te Kaareti o Waikato-Tainui moo te Rangahau me te Whakawhanake.

Ko te kairangahau a Ihipera Sweet, kua tuitui i tana tohu ture me ana puukenga rangahau, ki te whakahaere i tana whaainga kia whakaritengia he huarahi haumaru ki te whakapiki ake i te mahinga tuna i Waikato Awa.

E maatai ana i te huanga whakataurite, ki te whakatinana i teetehi hootaka mau me te whakawhiti mo ngaa tuna, ka mutu e whakaako ana i ngaa mema o te iwi, ki te whakauruuru i nga tikanga hii tuna tuku iho ki ngaa rangahau puutaiuao.

Woman sitting at her computer
E whakaahuatia ana te kairangahau a Ihipera Sweet, me oona hoa i te Kaareti o Waikato-Tainui moo te Rangahau me te Whakawhanake. Whakaahua: Erica Sinclair Photography

Kua whiwhi te hootaka i te $110,000 taara i Te Mana o Waikato Awa, ka mutu, i whiwhi ai hoki i te tautoko naa te Kaunihera aa-rohe o Waikato.

Heoi anoo, araa ngaa wero. Me taea, me puta, i ngaa rauara o ngaa taha whakapuru wai, o ngaa teihana papupapu, o ngaa keeti waipuke me ngaa paapuni wai. He whakaritenga eenei naa te kaawanatanga hei tiaki i ngaa iwi, kei waipuketia. 

Kei te rohe o Waikato te rahinga teihana papupapu nui rawa atu. Naa te ua nui ka heke ngaa tuna, ka whakahiko hoki i ngaa papupapu, he moorearea nui ka paa mai. Tata ki te katoa o nga tuna uwha roa ake i te 60 henemita ka mate, mehemea ka haere maa ngaa teihana. Ka whakararuraru hoki i te huarahi o ngaa tuna e tere whakarunga ana.

E kii ana a Ihipera Sweet e hiahia ana raatou ki te whakaiti ake i taua rahinga ka mate.

“Ki te kore e taea te heke whakarunga, whakararo raanei, kei te whakaiti tuuturu maatou i taa maatou rahinga tuna.”

Ahakoa kei ngaa marae maha, me ngaa whaanau oo raatou ake taangata moohio ki te tuna, ko te painga atu, kia tautokotia aua puukenga ki te rangahau puutaiao.

“Ko te tuhi me te taatari raraunga te whakatinanatanga i te taha rangahau, moo ngaa whakatupuranga anamata.”

He kupu whakamana

Kua tohungia e Waikato-Tainui te tohu oro taapara atu i te tohutoo i roto i teenei aahuahira.

Ko te orokohanga mai o eenei koorero naa te pae tukutuku o Te Kaareti o Waikato-Tainui, Raupatu i whakaputaina.

‘Te Kaitiakitanga o te awa’ whakaahua: Te Anga Nathan

‘Ko te manapou te pouhono o te aawa’ whakaahua: Stuff Limited

‘He ao hou, he whakahaere ngaatahi hou’ whakaahua: Te Anga Nathan

‘Te Taatari i te raraunga moo ngaa whakatupuranga o aapoopoo’ whakaahua: Anna Barnett, CC BY 2.0

 

Māori