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oreword from
KIINGI TUHEITIA
I wish this could be a
different time, under different
circumstances, and with different
feelings, it is however not the case,
the time is now, the circumstances
and purposes are this marked
milestone in our history, my
feelings and my words are very
real for me so I should not be
concerned with wishes alone.
Twenty years ago today I stood beside my mother, the
late Queen, and observed as she signed the settlement
documents at Tuurangawaewae Marae. Earlier on the
same day inside Mahinaarangi House I watched and
heard Sir Hepi Te Heuheu attempting to persuade
my mother not to sign the agreement. I was then
told that the Korotangi was being returned to us that
same morning under a degree of secrecy, I guessed
the secrecy was to enhance the surprise value for the
people. On top of that, my wife was in the hospital
about to give birth to our second child. It was a typical
day in the Whare Ariki but a day that would have very
different impacts on us later.
For the people and the Tainui Maaori Trust Board, the
one thing on their minds was the settlement. For me
there were so many things going on that I could not
even begin to know or appreciate what my mother
had to cope with. She had so much to deal with
and she had her hand on almost every detail of the
ceremony and the occasion. She instructed me out to
the road to meet the Prime Minister and his party and
escort them onto the Marae as we normally did. She
then grabbed my hand and said to me to stand by her
when it all started. At that moment I had the strangest
feeling come over me, which I didn't pay a lot of
attention to at that time.
I want to acknowledge my mother in this foreword.
She told me that sometimes you do things that may
not necessarily be what you want to do but you have
to do and this was one day when that was the case. I
recall in a very vivid way just how regal she was
that day.
I have been King and Head of the Tribe for nearly half
of this 20-year period since settlement in 1995.
Not only since 1995, but during my reign, Waikato has
had the aid, advice and assistance of many individuals
in the form of chairpersons and directors of our
companies, trustees, staff and advisors. These people
have helped shape what and where we are today and
I would like to thank you sincerely. Be assured, your
personal contributions have been invaluable to the
tribe and the Kiingitanga, thank you again for the part
you played and the valued contribution you
have made.
To my knowledge, there have been a total of 60
Crown apologies conveyed and recited to Maaori for
every imaginable breach of the Treaty. They range
from failure to uphold the Treaty of Waitangi, the
destruction of crops and homes, mass migration to
outnumber and out-vote Maaori, the theft of land and
confiscation, acts of war and genocide, and the denial
of Maaori sovereignty. It has been said that an apology
that costs nothing, is worth nothing. The breaches
against Waikato and Tainui came at great cost and
my focus will remain in the future, looking forward at
what lies ahead for us.
This historic settlement 20 years ago and the
subsequent settlements have all impacted on this
tribe, Maaori and the country in numerous ways. I
have as I said been King and Head of the Tribe for
half this time. In my time, following in the footsteps
of my tuupuna, what they had done years before, I
repeated in 2008 and 2010 relative to the Waikato
River settlement.
I wish to pay a particular acknowledgement to both
the late Lady Raiha Mahuta and Tukoroirangi Morgan
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