The haka pōwhiri was led by Tama Hata and coordinated by Dr Haturini McGarvey Photo: Te Tarata/Facebook
"We're landless."
Te Ringahuia Hata of Te Whakatōhea says her small East Coast iwi are people who are navigating paths to reach economic sovereignty.
"We have high rates of crime, murder, we're the murder capital of New Zealand, so to speak. That's all those sort of social ills, structural racism. Most of our people are homeless," she rattled off.
It has been 160 years since the battle of Te Tarata where British Crown troops attacked Māori of Te Whakatōhea at Te Tarata Pā in 1865. The war led to 35 casualties and left 35 wounded - now eighth-generation descendants live to tell the story their tūpuna endured.
Post-battle, Te Whakatōhea faced raupatu (land loss) and their people are left with the remnants.
But the iwi of six hapū and 500 kaihaka from iwi affected by the New Zealand Wars stood united as they greeted about 2500 manuhiri at Ōhui Domain in Ōpōtiki on Saturday.
The event brought together performers from the descendants of Ruapekapeka, the Waikato Wars: Ōrākau, Rangiriri, Te Tai Rāwhiti: Waerenga-a Hika, and 200 kaihaka from Te Whakatōhea Photo: Te Tarata/Facebook
The sky was filled with towering clouds, with rain hammering the marae ātea, while thunder and lightning flashed as each ātua was called upon.
"It added to the whole orchestra of events that were happening. It completely added to the whole 1865 mood and what was going on."
That happened during the first powhiri, which led to lightning hitting the aerial of the sound van. But the audio was not cut off, much to Hata's surprise.
Again, while the tohunga of Ngāti Ira Te Rua Rakuraku was acknowledging the death of the king of kotahitanga, Kiingi Tuheitia, lightning cracked and the ground shook.
"Tuheitia ki te rangi, Te Rua Rakuraku ki te whenua - he acknowledged that it was Tuheitia coming down through the heavens," she recalled.
"It was poetic."
The horses were led by Georgina Hudson and her whānau, well-known "horse whisperers" and a respected equestrian family in Ōpōtiki Photo: Te Tarata/Facebook
The second pōwhiri brought on Crown representatives such as Te Pāti Māori co-leader Rawiri Waititi, Labour party MP's Jo Luxton and Kelvin Davis, Hūhana Lyndon and Steve Abel from the Greens, and National MP Tama Potaka.
They were welcomed with a 35-minute-long pōwhiri of 10 haka from groups of the Māori land wars - Ōrākau, Rangiriri, Te Tai Rāwhiti: Waerenga-a-Hika, Ruapekapeka - ending on a 60 women-strong haka composed in honour of Te Arikinui Kuini Nga wai hono i te po.
But this time the sky had cleared.
"There was a deathly silence."
Kaiwero (the challenger) laid down a noose for Minister Potaka to pick up - the noose was specially made and signified Te Whakatōhea chief Mokomoko who was one of five Māori sentenced to the death penalty by hanging.
He was blamed for the murder of missionary Carl Völkner, who was hanged from a willow tree near his church in Ōpōtiki.
Ngāti Ira horses re-enacted the 1865 battle and circled the Crown Photo: Te Tarata/Facebook
Hata said Mokomoko was innocent.
"Laying down of the noose was a hugely significant representation of Te Whakatohea reminding the crown of the history of the era before, but also the peace and reconciliation that comes with it."
Circled by hoiho (horses), Potaka picked up the taura (rope) and during his speech with his pants rolled up and his feet stamped into the mud, he acknowledged the wrongdoings of the Crown during that era.
The hoiho are a part of that history.
It was the first cavalry charge in New Zealand, Hata said. The cavalry entered Te Whakatōhea lands with stolen horses - their own horses.
On one of the horses in the 160-year anniversary was Tame Iti, dressed in his white Victorian threads that he once told RNZ were taken from Captain Cook.
Tame Iti at the 160-year anniversary of the battle of Te Tarata Photo: Te Tarata/Facebook
"He changed out his suit for the second pōwhiri and just reenacted that whole period."
Hata described Potaka to be wearing his pōtae for being a descendant Winiata Te Whaaroa who was arrested at his kainga of Pokopoko in 1897. The day after the arrest, the kainga was destroyed and houses were burned to the ground.
"He's very, very connected to our grievances just as much as we are during that period."
The commemorations brought healing to the iwi.
"It was very cathartic for Te Whakatohea because for a long time, my iwi had been divided through the treaty settlement process. It was also a good platform to get everyone back on a restorative healing journey, post-settlement.
Hata said it was the chance for iwi to come together again after so long and come under that banner of kōtahitanga. Photo: Te Tarata/Facebook
"Of course, the settlement doesn't mean that the people are settled. It doesn't mean that the Crown's off the hook."
Hata is now confident to step aside for rangatahi to lead the event.
"For me being the aunty, because I'm the aunty now, and for the ones like Linda Munn came waving her flag, Annette Sykes was there staring down the crown, Tame was still doing his thing, you had them watching over the new generation and making sure that they're safe in those political spaces and guiding them through.
"Watching that all play out, it was a beautiful platform for my next generation to figure out where they want to start moving in their future."
The cultural renaissance is here, she said.
The youngest in the kapa haka was 4 years old while the oldest performer was 68. Photo: Te Tarata/Facebook
"I'm really, really happy my mokopuna are safe in the hands of legacies like Ngā wai hono i te po, Hana-Rawhiti Maipi-Clark, and a lot of the talent that came out of Whakatōhea
"Our role now, step aside and let them do their thing, just provide that support, that aunty support and protection, that's my role now, I'm able to train them and let the reins go."
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