WAI262 claimants advancing protection of taonga including rongoā Māori

The WAI262 claim. Photo / Supplied

WAI262 claimants are hoping a new kanohi ora strategy will help advance the decades-long claim about flora, fauna and intellectual property rights.

Te Taumata Whakapūmau is a collective of whānau claimants leading the strategy. Group member Melanie McGregor (Ngāti Koata) says it’s about capturing the voices of whānau, hapū and iwi to protect tāonga, including mātauranga Māori.

“It’s very critical to the claim that we have this body set up to ensure the voice of Māori is captured and that they can contribute to the national voice for the protection for their own tāonga.”

Kanohi Ora is a framework designed by Te Taumata Whakapūmau it says would provide ethical resolution for whānau, hapū and iwi followed by a process of engagement between Māori and the Crown to develop protection mechanisms.

The group has held consultation kaupapa at major Māori events this year including Rātana celebrations, Waitangi Day and last month’s Te Matatini festival where Te Taumata Whakapūmau sought to connect with whānau and people outside of the original claim to further the push for protection of tāonga.

WAI262, first lodged in 1991, is now led by descendants of the original six claimants. In essence, it seeks to restore tino rangatiratanga of whānau, hapū and iwi to taonga.

It has become relevant again in recent months as the Therapeutic Products Bill makes its way through Parliament. The bill aims to better protect cultural practices such as rongoā Māori in law by ensuring products are safe but it will also regulate how products are made, tested, promoted and exported, which raises concerns that practitioners could lose their tino rangatiratanga.

“In the original claim, rongoā was specifically mentioned as one of the eight taonga and we want to hold the space for protections to be put in place. The way to move forward appropriately is to have the voices of Māori, particularly tohunga and rongoā practitioners. We know that they are critical to this process and their voice needs to be heard.”

Parliament’s health committee has extended the closing date for submissions on the Therapeutic Products Bill Sunday, March 5.