Te Roroa tries new tack on stolen burial cave
Thursday 3rd November, 2011
Northland's Te Roroa iwi is having another crack at getting back a significant burial cave at Waimamaku in the South Hokianga.
Tribal historian Garry Hooker says the Crown refused to include the land in the iwi's 2008 settlement because it was in private hands, and now the land is up for sale it refuses to open the case.
“Well it's land the Crown took when it had no right to take by juggling round survey plans and despite numerous petitions as detailed by the Waitangi Tribunal said it couldn’t do anything and is now saying 150 years after the event that it still can’t do anything which makes me think why do we have a government when the government is so powerless,” he says.
Mr Hooker says the iwi is allowed to make additional claims where it has shared customary interests, so a claim has been lodged with the Waitangi Tribunal under the mana of Ngati Po.
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