Tuhoe speak about 'years of suffering'

The Tuhoe people of the Ureweras have suffered since a Crown invasion and persecution in the 1860s, a Waitangi Tribunal hearing has heard.

The tribunal, which was greeted by burning cars, naked protesters and alleged spitting as they entered a Ruatoki marae, is hearing evidence on socio-economic issues, intellectual property rights and a confiscation of about 181,000ha of land last century.

The five-day hearing, which started on Sunday, is the ninth of 10 being held as part of the Tuhoe inquiry.

The claim before the tribunal on behalf of Ruatoki hapu could be categorised as one of persecution and resistance, counsel Jason Pou said at Tauarau Marae at Ruatoki, near Whakatane.

Because the hapu never signed or deliberated on the Treaty of Waitangi, transferral of mana or rangatiratanga to the Crown was illegitimate, he said.

"The fact that the Crown implemented and imposed its authority over Tuhoe in a murderous way has forced the peoples of Ruatoki into strategies of resistance within and without the reaches of its territories.

"It started with the infection of a colonial mindset that was rammed into Te Urewera by illegitimate military invasion and all its associated atrocity.

"The infection was entrenched by a scorched earth policy that sought to remove the peoples from their whenua [land] by depriving them of that which they required to subsist."

The hated "confiscation line" was established after the 1865 killings of the Rev Carl Volkner at Opotiki and Government agent James Fulloon at Whakatane, but was said at the time to be in response to rebellion.

In all, 181,000ha of Eastern Bay of Plenty land was allegedly taken by the Government.

Tuhoe elders have apologised to tribunal members who entered the marae on Sunday for the behaviour of protesters, though Tuhoe activist Tame Iti says the elders don't speak for the protesters.

- NZPA