Waitangi wahi tapu - Te Karaka Tapu:

The Official Information Act request (or LGOIMA request) to Far North District Council produced information which contradicts the information provided by Police to a similar request.

The information provided by FNDC regarding the land referred to in the permit to occupy issued by FNDC to 'Hinewhare Harawire' (sic) refers to the wahi tapu (historical sacred land) which tangata whenua know to be Te Karaka Tapu as "Lot 37 DP 43842, and the whenua referred to as "The Island" as "Lot 38 DP 43842":

However on the Heritage NZ website and elsewhere Te Karaka Tapu is referred to as Lot 39 DP 43842.

Dun Mihaka and Katherina Raue hereby announce that a hui will be held on this whenua - Te Karaka Tapu - on 26, 27, 28 and 29 October 2018 to discuss the events that occurred on this whenua on Waitangi day 2018 involving the Far North District Council and NZ Police, and other matters.  We will be holding a hui to discuss whakaputanga, kotahitanga, justice, mental health, and other relevant issues:

Liz Davidson, FNDC
Dawn Underwood,FNDC
Ted Wihongi, FNDC
7 July 2018

Tena koutou katoa,
He Whakaputanga:
This is a formal complaint regarding the actions of FNDC and Police (acting on instructions from FNDC) at the annual commemorations in February 2018 at Te Tii marae at Waitangi.  It is also a declaration of intention to occupy the whenua which Police evicted tangata whenua from in February, which is referred to in the information provided by FNDC and Police as "Shippey's Reserve" and "The Island".

Information received from FNDC and Police shows that there was communication between Police and FNDC regarding a "Permit to occupy Shippies Reserve and the Island" which was issued by FNDC to "Hinewhare Harawire".

This "permit" is dated December 2018, and we declare it invalid.  It was clearly anticipated by FNDC that the "permit" would be challenged, as evident from the emails between FNDC and Police, and the reason for that anticipation is clearly the well established and well documented 'divide and conquer' approach to consultation with tangata whenua which is traditionally employed by the FNDC and Police.   There is evidence of community discontent with more than one event organised by Hinewhare Harawira - the permit is issued to "Hinewhare Harawire" in addition to the December 2018 date - the information provided by Police and FNDC raises serious questions.

The "permit" refers to a "Hikoi for Justice".  There was no "Hikoi for Justice".  After Police pulled out tent pegs and physically evicted lawful occupiers of the whenua they refer to as "The Island" a number of Police stood guard on the land all day and it is indisputable that the whenua was unoccupied all day.  Police made no attempt whatsoever to ask any of the people they evicted whether or not they were affiliated with a "Hikoi for Justice", they simply evicted everyone, because it seemed they were well aware that there was no such Hikoi.

Later when Police attempted to throw their weight around in the same manner on the whenua traditionally known as Te Karaka Tapu, they were themselves evicted by the kaumatua of Te Tii marae led by Kingi Taurua and Dun Mihaka.  There was no Hikoi for Justice, and we challenge FNDC and Police to produce any evidence to the contrary.  Police backed down in the face of the wero issued by Dun Mihaka and Kingi Taurua and clearly endorsed fully by other senior members of Ngapuhi and senior kuia and kaumatua of Te Tii Marae, and accepted what they were told - that they have no jurisdiction over that whenua - it is Ngapuhi whenua tapu!  

The actions of Police and FNDC are offensive in the extreme. 

Evidence of these events is indisputable.  It can be viewed on the website: http://waitangi2018.blogspot.com/

It is also evident that the claim of ownership of the whenua referred to in this "permit" warrants scrutiny, as do other aspects of the claims made by Police and FNDC.  

We hereby challenge FNDC claims of ownership of this whenua.   The information provided so far by FNDC is incomplete and unclear, and we are engaging in further communication with both Police and FNDC regarding these matters and the actions of both entities.

We therefore hereby declare that we are holding a Hui for Justice on the whenua referred to in the documents provided by FNDC and Police as "The Island" and "Shippey's Reserve" on 26, 27, 28 and 29 October 2018 to discuss the "permit" issued by FNDC dated "24 December 2018" and related matters.  As we claim ownership of this whenua and dispute the claims of Police and FNDC and the validity of the actions taken earlier this year in regard to these matters by FNDC and Police we do not intend to ask FNDC for "permission" to occupy our own wahi tapu.

We hereby notify FNDC and Police that we are holding this Hui, and invite FNDC to issue us with a valid "permit" in accordance with the "permit" they issued to "Hinewhare Harawire" in order to protect our rights according to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.  

Our roopu has the right to occupy this whenua according to law, and according to tikanga and whakapapa.  We occupy it every year, as our tipuna occupied it before us.  Our roopu includes senior Ngapuhi kuia and kaumatua, and members of the Ngati Rahiri Mauri Komiti ( - FNDC refers in the information provided so far to a "Maori Committee" and we have requested clarification regarding this, among other things).

We expect to receive this "permit" without delay, and we expect it to be in order - with a valid date, etc, in order that we are not further bullied by Police at the behest of the FNDC.  We also expect FNDC to write to the trustees as they did in regard to the "permit" issued to "Hinewhare Harawire", and we expect FNDC to email Police to advise that we have been issued with such a "permit", exactly as they did regarding the "permit" FNDC issued to "Hinewhare Harawire", and we expect copies of these communications without delay please.
Nga mihi,
Te Ringa Mangu Mihaka
Katherina Raue