From protest to partnership: Whanganui marks Pākaitore legacy 30 years on

“It’s pretty clear to me that a significant number of people in our community have taken the effort to understand what Pākaitore is all about," Ken Mair says. Photo / NZME

A leader of the landmark iwi reclamation of Pākaitore in Whanganui says a lot has changed in the 30 years since Whanganui Māori made their stand.

Ken Mair said the city’s leaders and residents were more aware of historical events and actions that harmed hapū and iwi.

“One of the most important things has been greater comprehension, awareness and insight about the issues we tried to articulate at Pākaitore – and continue to highlight and try to find a way through – including the impact of colonisation and the theft of our lands.”

On February 28, 1995, a group of people led by Tariana Turia, Niko Tangaroa, Henry Bennett, Mair and others moved on to the riverside whenua.

Their 79-day occupation from February to May 1995 was to reassert hapū and iwi ownership and protest against the lack of progress in settling Whanganui River claim issues.

These included the 1848 government purchase of the 35,000ha Whanganui block – the land on which much of Whanganui was settled – which Mair describes as stolen tribal domain.

Mair said a recent two-month community consultation about proposed agreements between the Whanganui District Council and Māori showed how far the landscape had shifted since 1995.

“It’s pretty clear to me that a significant number of people in our community have taken the effort to understand what Pākaitore is all about, and also to delve into the history of the deceptive and deliberate theft of our Whanganui lands, as the Waitangi Tribunal highlighted in its report.

“People right across the community are trying to find solutions for how we can find ways to ensure that past injustices are resolved.”

Mair said while Whanganui Māori would continue to address those issues, hundreds would gather to celebrate the 30th commemoration of the historic Pākaitore stand on Friday, February 28.

“Rā Pākaitore is a day to celebrate Whanganuitanga and a chance for us to share our history with the many hundreds of tamariki and mokopuna from our kura and kohanga reo who come along. Everyone is welcome.”

About 20 kura and kohanga reo are expected to attend.

Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe said 1995 was “a very different environment” from today.

He had spoken during the annual celebration for the past two years and was looking forward to this year’s event.

“I’ve always said we shouldn’t have division between iwi and others, including the council.”

Earlier this month, the council signed up to a binding, long-term partnership with Whanganui Māori, agreeing to adopt a relationship agreement and jointly establish a charitable social wellbeing entity and a statutory reserves board to manage specific reserves.

The proposals were put forward by Whanganui Lands Settlement Negotiation Trust, as part of its negotiations for Treaty settlement on behalf of Whanganui hapū.

Tripe told Local Democracy Reporting it was important to get relationships and values right before embarking on a process of community change.

“Without a strong relationship and the right values in place, you’ll never be able to achieve anything.”

The Pākaitore occupation was from February 28 to May 23, 1995.

Marilyn Davis was 29, with a 1-year-old and carrying another child, when she was given the task of co-ordinating security at the occupation.

“My kuia and koroua gave me the position and I’ve held it every year since.”

Davis said her role put her on the frontline during often tense standoffs between te whānau o Pākaitore, the council and police.

“There was a lot of prejudice and negativity, police raids, people chucking bottles at us. So we built a big, high fence right around the perimeter.

“It wasn’t scary. I was hapū [pregnant] and had my 1-year-old daughter, Korimako, with me.

“We had karakia every morning and night, and that’s what kept us all together. And we had very strong leaders – Tariana, Aunty Julie Ranginui, Aunty Piki [Waretini], Koro John Tapa. I really miss them,” Davis said.

“We were made out to be bad people but we were just fighting for tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake, and we’re still doing that today.

“Now it’s open to everybody to come and celebrate with us, to remember those who have gone, and to let our younger generations know what we fought for here.”

Korimako now looks after the kohanga reo at Rā Pākaitore.

The occupation was resolved peacefully and a tripartite agreement was later signed with government and local government.

The chairwoman of Whanganui River settlement entity Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui, Sheena Maru, said Pākaitore continued to be a place for Whanganui to recall the stand that their tūpuna took, and a reminder to uphold Whanganuitanga.

“Only we can determine what that looks like and doing that will assist us to carry on and move forward.

“We can be overwhelmed by the noise coming at us from all around. We just have to remind ourselves that we can uphold our tino rangatiratanga here at home, when we focus on ourselves as whānau, hapū and iwi, and on being good parents, grandparents and children.”

Rā Pākaitore begins with ruruku at 5.30am at the river and a powhiri at 9am, ending at 8.30pm following four hours of entertainment.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.