CURRENTLY under way is the largest exercise in iwi democracy in the history of Aotearoa.
All Ngapuhi over 18, no matter where they live, are being given the opportunity to have a say on who represents them.
Ngapuhi is Aotearoa's biggest iwi, with about 123,000 members (2006 Census) who mostly reside in the greater Auckland area, with 13 per cent living at home in Northland.
This is not a matter for the Crown to decide, nor the Waitangi Tribunal or a cluster of nine hapu.
Who represents Ngapuhi and whether to start settlement negotiations with the Crown is a matter for Ngapuhi alone.
We do not believe there were any grounds for any grouping interfering in the democratic right of Ngapuhi to determine their own future.
The Ngapuhi mandate voting process is transparent, democratic and robust.
It is being managed by independent Christchurch-based Electionz.com Ltd, which ran last year's local government elections. Every public Ngapuhi mandating meeting has independent observers who will report independently to the Crown on the process.
This will be the last big Te Tiriti settlement.
It will have a profound social and economic impact on Ngapuhi, Northland and the Maori communities of greater Auckland.
Te Ropu of Tuhoronuku (Tuhoronuku), an independent sub-committee of Te Runanga A Iwi O Ngapuhi, is seeking mandate to represent Ngapuhi in Te Tiriti o Waitangi settlement negotiations with the Crown.
Its 11 representatives represent hapu, Ngapuhi kaumatua and kuia and the Ngapuhi communities of south, west and central Auckland, Wellington and the South Island.
They are respected and experienced people, many of whom have devoted their lives to the governance of their marae, trust boards, kura and local, regional _ and in some case _ national organisations.
There are those who would like individual Te Tiriti claims heard first in the Waitangi Tribunal, before negotiations begin with the Crown.
Tuhoronuku supports these hearings, but while we respect the right of individual claimants to choose a process for their claims, experience from other iwi settlements shows that this process takes many, many years _ sometimes decades.
And Ngapuhi and Northland do not have time on our side.
Our region:
Has the highest unemployment in the country.
Ranks highly in all negative indicators, from welfare, health and imprisonment.
Has education achievements among the lowest in the country.
A Ngapuhi settlement has the potential to contribute to turning this around if we go on the decade of successful post-Tainui and Ngai Tahu settlements.
If Ngapuhi give Tuhoronuku a mandate, discussions on the management of the next stage will begin with Ngapuhi and settlement negotiations will begin with the Crown.
There are four ways Ngapuhi can vote: online, by post, fax or at hui. Tuhoronuku's website www.tuhoronuku.com has full details of the voting options, also dates and venues for the 20 mandate hui throughout Aotearoa, Sydney and Perth.
Or, Ngapuhi can call freephone 0508 666 447 to receive a voting pack.
Voting started on August 10 and ends at noon on September 21.
The mandate process is about the future of Ngapuhi.
Every year settlement is delayed is a year of wasted opportunity for our people and Northland, culturally and economically.
Raniera (Sonny) Tau is interim chairman, Te Ropu o Tuhoronuku
