Te Ururoa Flavell: The battle for water rights

I begin by acknowledging those whom have passed over recently. I speak of one of the great leaders of Ngati Tuwharetoa, Timi te Heuheu, the younger brother of the Chief of Ngati Tuwharetoa. He follows all of those who have passed on from our area. Therefore, farewell, rest in peace.

There is a well-known Maori saying: "The emblem of God to the front, the food-bearers to the rear," meaning "the leader to the front and the workers to the back". This is perhaps a great explanation of how Timi was viewed. He was a well-known face within Te Arawa and the country and acted as a backbone for his father, his brother and his wife. He will certainly be grieved by Maoridom.

Matariki is upon us and there have been a number of new and varied ways of celebrating the Maori New Year, and increased involvement by both Pakeha and Maori, children and elders. The Maori Party is continuing to seek official recognition for this time of the year by legislating to have formal recognition of the significance of Matariki. Maybe in time.

Recently a hui was held in Te Arawa to organise ourselves for Te Matatini kapahaka competition which will be held in Rotorua in February 2013. The organisation is looking great and from what I have seen Te Arawa will be ensuring that all aspects of this occasion will be of the highest standards. Horses were used for the powhiri in Gisborne, what is Te Arawa going to do in Rotorua? To me the competition begins with the powhiri, therefore Te Arawa we had better be on to it!

The issue of water rights has been the big talking point. I know that Ngati Rangiwewehi has spent thousands of dollars battling this very subject and I am very pleased that this issue has now gone to the Waitangi Tribunal who will make decisions about Maori rights over water.

One of the main concerns was the statement made by the prime minister when he said that no matter what the tribunal recommended, the Government did not have to follow these conclusions. That was a slight on the tribunal, but also had the potential to influence the outcome of their decision.

The Maori Party and the prime minister met recently to discuss these concerns, and that is now sorted. They have said that National will not legislate new law to take away iwi and hapu rights over water. That's a great outcome.

Both Labour and the Harawira party have stated that the Maori Party should walk away from our influential position - what a cheek. Labour disregarded tribunal findings when they were in government (remember the foreshore and seabed debacle). As for Hone, he always wanted a ministerial position when he was with the Maori Party. To us, the Maori Party is there to achieve for Maori. It seems pointless to just be there with no ability to make changes or gains.

Tena ano tatou.

Me tuku i nga poroporoaki ki nga tini mate o te wa. Kua tanuku te toka o Ngati Tuwharetoa ara, a Timi Te Heuheu, teina o te Ariki o te iwi, koia tera kua whai atu i nga mate o te takere o te waka. E kia ana te korero, "ko te amorangi ki mua, ko te hapai o ki muri". Koia pea tetahi kupu korero e whakamarama ana i te noho o Timi i tenei ao. He kanohi kitea ki Te Arawa nei, i te motu tonu, koia te tuara o tona papa, o tona tuakana, o tana hoa rangatira. Kua noho pani tonu te ao Maori a ia. No reira, haere koutou, whakangaro atu ra.

Kua eke mai te wa o Matariki, a, e hia ke nei nga kaupapa kua ara ake, nga tangata kua aro nei ki nga momo kaupapa hei whakanui i te "tau hou", pakeha mai, Maori mai, tamariki mai, koeke mai. Kei te whai tonu te Paata Maori i te hiahia kia whai mana tonu te wa, tera pea ko te ra kotahi hei ra whakanui mo te motu i raro i te ture. Taria te wa!

Nonatatanei, i tu te hui o Te Arawa ki te whakarite i a tatou ano mo te Matatini, whakataetae kapahaka o te motu ka tu i Rotorua nei hei te Huitanguru o te tau hou (Pakeha nei). He rawe nga whakaritenga, ko nga korero i puta i te hui, a, ki taku mohio ka eke to tatou tiaki i te kaupapa ki te taumata e tika ana.

I rere tonu te patai, mena he hoiho ta Te Tai Rawhiti i Turanga, he aha ta te Arawa i Rotorua? Ki a au, ka timata nga whakataetae i te powhiri no reira, Te Arawa, kia matara!

Ko te wai (Maori) te take nui i korerotia i nga ra tata kua hipa. Moku ake, mo Ngati Rangiwewehi, e hia ke nei nga mano taara kua whakapauhia ki te pakanga, ara ko te wai te take. Ki a au, kei te harikoa, i te mea kua tae atu tenei take ki te Taraipiunara o Waitangi, mana tonu e whiriwhiri mena he panga ano a tatou ki te wai, kaore ranei.

Ko te take matua o te wa, ko te kii o te Pirimia i a ia e mea ana, ahakoa te whakatau o te Tarapiunara, ehara i te mea ka whai tonu atu te Kawanatanga i ona korero.

He mea takahi tera i te mana o taua kahui engari, he momo aki, momo whakararu i nga whiriwhiringa o taua runanga i a ia e wananga i nga tika me nga he o taua take.

I hui tahi matou ko te Pirimia inatatanei ki te whakatika I nga raru, a, kua tau. Kua kii mai ratou e kore rawaa Nahinara I whakarite i tetahi ture hou ki te karo i te panga o nga Iwi Maori ki te wai. Ka rawe hoki!

E ai ki ta te Reipa me te ropu Harawira, me puta te Paati Maori! E kii, e kii. Ko Reipa tonu te hunga kore whakarongo ki te Taraipiunara i te wa i a ia e noho hei Kawana, a, i hangaia he ture hou (Foreshore and Seabed Act), ko Harawira te tangata i pirangi ki te noho hei Minita i te wa i noho nei ia i to matou taha. Ko etahi o ratou kei te kii, kaore he take o te Paremata tonu, engari, kei te tu kia noho hei Mema Paremata! He aha ki te maramatanga o tera?!

Ko ta matou ke, he kimi i etahi i painga mo te iwi Maori. kaore i ko atu, kaore i ko mai. He moumou taima te tu tekoteko noa iho.