Ngāti Toa celebrates return of Kāpiti and Mana islands after settlement

Last week, a Ngāti Toa group travelled to the northern end of Kāpiti Island.

• Ngāti Toa Rangatira has retaken ownership of Kapiti and Mana islands as part of its 2014 Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement.
• The vesting acknowledges Ngāti Toa’s historical and contemporary relationship with the islands, maintaining their conservation status.
• Ngāti Toa plans to reconnect with the islands, emphasising historical and spiritual connections for future generations.

Today is a historic day for Porirua-based iwi Ngāti Toa Rangatira, which has retaken ownership of Kāpiti and Mana islands off the southwest coast of the lower North Island, after they were taken from them by the Crown last century.

The Crown has vested ownership of both islands in Ngāti Toa as part of its 2014 Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement, 10 years after the settlement was enacted into law.

The redress for Kāpiti and Mana islands is significant and is reflective of the critical role the islands, Kāpiti in particular, played in establishing Ngāti Toa’s mana on both sides of Te Moana o Raukawa (Cook Strait).

The vesting into Ngāti Toa is symbolic not only of our historic, but contemporary relationship with these islands. The islands provide a rare and important glimpse into the world of our ancestors, who were responsible for cementing Ngāti Toa’s presence as mana whenua over the islands and the wider region, at a time of significant change within Aotearoa in the early 1800s.

Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira Board chairman Callum Katene says, “The vesting simply acknowledges what we already know. Ngāti Toa holds the mana of Kāpiti and Mana islands and has done so since shortly after our ancestors arrived in the region, in the early 19th century.

“The vesting is a legal mechanism agreed in our settlement legislation, but it is our tikanga that determines our responsibilities and relationship with these islands.”

Te Runanga o Toa Rangatira chief executive Helmut Modlik.

Although Tuesday, December 31, is being marked as a day of celebration for Ngāti Toa, it will be a muted and respectful occasion.

Last week, a Ngāti Toa group travelled to the northern end of Kāpiti Island to visit their 1ha block of land where they shared kai, historical stories and discussed plans for the future.

“Other iwi in the region also have historical connections to these islands, and we acknowledge our close relatives of Te Āti Awa Ki Whakarongotai and Ngāti Raukawa” says Katene. “For us, this is a time of celebration and we will use it to reaffirm our historical and spiritual connections. It’s another step on our path towards a vibrant future for our mokopuna.”

Kapiti and Mana islands are designated nature and scientific reserves respectively, managed by the Department of Conservation. The vesting of ownership does not impact the conservation status or management by the Crown.

Tumu Whakarae CEO Helmut Modlik says Ngāti Toa will uphold its mana whenua obligations, care for the land under its control, and continue to work with the Crown to maintain Kāpiti and Mana islands’ conservation status as a taonga for all New Zealanders.

“But, more importantly, from 2025 onwards we’ll work with our own people to continue building relationships with both islands and the taiao, through ongoing visits, learning about the history and stories of our ancestors,” says Modlik. “Hei iwi toa, hei iwi rangatira.”

A Kāpiti-Mana islands programme of work is being developed by Te Rūnanga o Toa Rangatira that will reconnect Ngāti Toa with Kāpiti by establishing a meaningful and authentic footprint on the whenua, to create a welcoming space for their tamariki, mokopuna, and future generations.