Righting a wrong in our history was the theme behind a recent Waikato District Council decision regarding the Raglan Airfield.
Councillors unanimously agreed to approve staff’s engagement with the Office for Crown Relations and other agencies to facilitate the return of the land to its rightful owners.
Mana whenua representatives (Ngati Maahanga, Newton Whaanau Trust & Papahua 1 and descendants of Te Kopua Block / Tainui O Tainui) attended the hui and welcomed the council decision.
Angeline Greensill, chairperson of Tainui o Tainui says the announcement is significant. Her mother Tuaiwa Hautai ‘Eva’ Rickard began petitioning the government for the return of Te Kōpua in 1972 but died in 1996 leaving unfinished business.
“Our kaumatua supported her efforts, attended countless hui and court cases. They were there to karakia and witness the arrests in 1978. Unfortunately they never lived to hear the council’s decision to return the land. Our whaanau, hapu and iwi however have witnessed this milestone, and like me, are looking forward to the day when the historical treaty claims in Whāingaroa are finally resolved, and we can all get on and plan a better future.”
For Taruke Thomson, Ngati Maahanga/Hourua representative for Papahua 2 Block, the timing was right for this agreement and is the result of discussions with council over many years.
“It’s the result of building good relationships, and it has coincided with the Treaty claims and the visit of the Minister Andrew Little (in May). It’s come about through a collaboration of hapu with each other, and the engagement of hapu with the council. There have been some really good discussions and goodwill on the part of all of those groups.”
Verna Tuteao, descendant of Te Kopua 1 block, says the council vote will add weight to the voice of mana whenua expressed to Minister Little earlier this year.
“My grandchildren are the fifth generation from the taking of the land. For my brother and sister, it is six generations of enforced alienation. So, it was moving to sit with my niece, confident that her grandchildren and mine will soon stand on this whenua with a true sense of knowing. For all of us present, and the whaanau we represent, it was moving to witness the fruits of discussion with Mayor Sanson and staff. Even better to see that the mayor and councillors were hundred percent of one voice. For the descendants of Te Kopua 1, reuniting the remaining parcel with the portion previously ‘returned’ will require an additional process to put things right.”
The area now known as Raglan Airfield was selected as a suitable location for an emergency airfield by an airforce officer, following reported conversations with local Māori elders and obtained for this purpose in February 1936.
The 36-hectare airfield block was made up of land from the Te Kopua and Papahua blocks which were Māori freehold land.
No longer required for defence purposes after WWII, the land was retained and the Raglan County Council took over the administration of the airfield.
In 1969, the land was declared ‘Crown Land’ and formally vested in the Raglan County Council.
From 1971 Tuaiwa (Eva) Rickard and the Matakite-O-Aotearoa Movement fought to have the land returned.
It took 16 years of struggle but the golf course land was finally returned to Māori ownership in 1987.
However, the Raglan Airfield was retained by Waikato District Council, the successor of Raglan County Council, and the council has continued to operate it as an unmanned airfield.
In early 2019, after the CAA issued a notice for airfield operators to review the safety of their sites, the council closed the airfield to begin safety improvements.
During the building of a fence around the perimeter of the airfield, significant interest was generated in the community which resulted in an onsite occupation of the land.
This action coincided with conversations between council staff, Mayor Allan Sanson, councillor Thomson and mana whenua on the future of the airfield.
These discussions resulted in the council facilitating the return of the land to its rightful owners.
The reserve land is an amalgamation of what was previously three main separate land parcels – Part Papahua No. 2, Part Papahua No. 1 and Te Kopua.
Currently, the land (10.3ha) is owned by the Waikato District Council and held in trust under the Reserves Act 1977, and classified as a Local Purpose (aerodrome) Reserve.
Until this classification is changed, it must be managed in accordance with the act.
Council staff will start discussions with the minister to request the vesting of the reserve is cancelled.
But it is important to note that while the decision will ultimately result in the land changing ownership, it does not enact the change.
As progress is made with the process, further recommendations will be made and relevant legal considerations will be highlighted to council.
The process to return the land is likely to be complicated, involve multiple agencies and parties, and will not always be in council’s direct control.
by Janine Jackson
A path to treaty settlements
Response by chairperson Rākaunui 1B Ahu Whenua Trust (Ngā uri o Amiria Mahikai – Papahua 1 owners) Monika Newton-Karekare
We are grateful and pay due respect to Mayor Allan Sanson and councillors for their consideration and passing of this much welcomed resolution to start the processes required to return the whenua to the rightful owners. The vibes were positive, the kōrero spoken by both sides were short but heartfelt.
Special mention to Lisa Thomson, Roger MacCulloch, Gavin Ion and Sam Toka for their guidance, support and expertise. It felt good to sit beside our dedicated whanaunga as a collective and working together towards the same goal. There were many years and much mahi before I became involved that needs to be acknowledged and we are forever grateful for all that was done and achieved for us all in such different times.
In regards to the airfield occupation, from my point of view the occupation swung from one kaupapa to another and back to another. I was never really sure what the main drive and intention was from the beginning, it became personal very quickly and brought out conflicting opinions of individuals in the community and within whānau. What it did end up creating was a lot of unecessary drama and cost for all involved when it morphed into a whenua issue which was already on the table and being dealt with.
From the early weeks of the protest action we visited to kōrero and ask our whanaunga to please reconsider their actions in continuing to occupy. It really did not make us happy, to see that they were being misled, manipulated and used as a shield to give validity to this kaupapa. Our intention for the visits were to get them safe and warm in their homes and away from any sort of ridicule and abuse. We do however have to give our whanaunga credit and mihi to them for demonstrating and highlighting by their protest action yet again the intense amount of mamae (pain) that is still very real and present within our whānau, hapū, iwi in relation to takings of our whenua. The aim is to bring our whenua back to us in a peaceful and dignified way without all the division that occupations can cause within whānau and community alike.
There was resounding agreement at a well attended hui amongst the majority of the owners that descend from our tupuna Wetini Mahikai, a leader and chief in Whāingaroa in the 1800s, that we continued down the path of the treaty settlements process and council hui to address and begin to right the wrongs.
Our main concern and drive is to, first and foremost, look to the future and the bigger picture, and attempt to make the best decisions together for all involved.
We are excited and happy that slowly but surely we are making progress, blessed to have our rich whakapapa and history of which we are very proud. We will enjoy the journey, and strive to bring about positive and real change on the ground; we have much to do.
