KEY POINTS:
The emergence of a deal between central North Island iwi is a sure sign that tribal relations are improving after years of fighting caused by tangled Treaty of Waitangi negotiations.
As the Herald revealed yesterday, Ngati Tuwharetoa, Ngai Tuhoe, Ngati Whakaue, Ngati Rangitihi, Ngati Manawa and Ngati Whare are about to go to the Government with their proposed settlement for the Kaingaroa Forest claim, which could be worth up to $400 million.
The joint approach marks a turning point. Real anger has existed from neighbouring iwi since 2006 when Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa, a confederation of 11 hapu, negotiated a stellar settlement.
It included $40 million of accumulated rentals from Crown-owned forestry land and $36 million in quantum. But because of the way the settlement was structured, some have estimated the deal's worth closer to $100 million.
A Waitangi Tribunal report last year slammed the Crown process which sidelined overlapping claimants and entered direct negotiations with Pumautanga. Politician's such as the Maori Party's Te Ururoa Flavell said the issue was so divisive families came to blows.
However, this year Pumautanga's legislation was put on hold so the six tribes known as the Central North Island (CNI) iwi Collective, all with interests in the 189,000ha Kaingaroa Forest, could hammer out a settlement with each other first, and then involve the Crown.
That's with the proviso the Te Arawa confederation wouldn't be worse off, and potentially could end up better placed than their own settlement deed provides for now.
On Friday both groups will meet with Treaty Negotiations Minister Michael Cullen to formally hand over their proposal for settlement.
A Pumautanga spokesman said yesterday it was imperative that a solution was found - because tribes didn't exist by themselves, with no connection to each other.
"We've had our challenges in the past. We'd be sitting across the court room one day, but you can't ever sever those blood ties." The support from Te Arawa hapu (part of the collective) to compromise is a sign that whanau relationships shouldn't go out of the window, he said.
"There's been an acceptance of the need to delay [legislation]. There's a wish to assist our [CNI] whanau go forward and our people are happy to take that direction."
Just four representatives were expected at first to travel to Turangi for the handover, but now busloads from Te Arawa are expected to travel.
CNI collective spokesman Tamati Kruger said within Te Arawa the earlier Crown-led processes had been "devastating" but inter-tribal relationships also suffered.
"You can't say that Pumautanga woke up one day and said 'let's rip everybody off'. They studied the rules and said 'how can we win from this?' But under that process there had to be a loser."
Relationships were "improving" and that had much to do with Maori driving these negotiations, he said.
* Yvonne tahana is Maori issues reporter
