Ngati Kahungunu attend First Reading of Treaty Settlement

Kaumatua and younger generations from both Tamaki-nui-a-Rua and Wairarapa assembled on the steps of Parliament before entering Parliament.

Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua were at Parliament to hear the first of the three readings for their treaty settlement, on May 11, 2022.

The large group numbering 140, comprising kaumatua (the oldest 96) together with the younger generation (the youngest just one-year-old), made the journey in a fleet of buses, vans and cars and arrived at about 11am.

Hayden Hape (chairman of Ngati Kahungunu ki Tamaki-nui-a-Rua ) supporting the whaikorero with a waiata.

It was then a time to take photos and hold a whaikorero just inside Parliament, before being invited in for a splendid Parliamentary luncheon.

The size of the group precluded all from being invited into the Parliamentary Gallery for the First Reading of the Treaty Settlement at about 3.30pm, but 40 attended in the gallery while the remainder watched the reading live-streamed. It was a long debate and concluded close to 6pm.

The majority of the group returned home after tea but some kaumatua stayed over in Wellington.

It was an awesome day, everyone enjoyed it especially the children, in great weather and "a day that will be remembered with joy and pride by all in attendance".

Will they go down for the second and third readings? – Absolutely!