Mining As Political Paranoia

Ngati Kahu's Stance On Mining; A Media Beatup?

Dr. Mutu the Chair of the Ngati Kahu Runanga has threatened to kick mining interests off Ngati Kahu land. Apart from the fact that there's not a lot of it left and what there is is not under the Runanga's jurisdiction (yet!) the threat is nothing more than her usual grandstanding. The largest areas of land such as Rangiputa is still SOE land under claim by the said iwi just as soon as the Runanga claimants get their a into g. They also are attempting to link Carrington Farms Ltd land to this mining threat. The Dr. "won" a case against this company who were planning a subdivision near a former burial cave (Te Ana O Taitehe) only to be hit with an appeal a week later by the company and the FNDC. This was after they lost before a FNDC hearing and the Environment Court. That case is still pending, it's holding up the iwi's claim, and much of the iwi's time and resources have been spent on this ego trip also. 

Te Karere's report has her calling my tupuna's ana Te Ana O Taite. They have failed to correct it. It's not their fault however that they don't know that the ana was a burial ground but Tohunga and Anglican Maori Ministers lifted the tapu off this and other burial places on the Whatuwhiwhi-Karikari Peninsular in the 1870s once church style cemetaries were established. This enabled land use for stock on the open range, gum digging, and other activities otherwise hampered by "tapu."Incidentally in the litigation concerning the subdivision neither side could find this "ana." The High Court decision made no mention at all of it, and its judgement was based on an "agreement" between the Runanga and Carrington Farms Ltd concerning resource consents. This agreement managed to tramp on the mana whenua of both the marae and hapu. 

Our iwi rohe in fact was subject to copper mining by a Walter Brodie between 1839 and about 1845 at a place called Te Kapa. (Click map to enlarge. Brodie's OLC is visible) Fortunately for us it wasn't successful and only a hole in the ground was left. Mining is obviously of much interest and quite rightly there have been protests at Te Whanau A Apanui where oil exploration has begun at Ruakumara. However why is the Dr. jumping up and down allegedly on behalf of Ngati Kahu? Mining exploration licenses have been granted there some years ago but not taken up by the applicants. Finally she needs to be warned that should her dire prediction materialise, then the hapu affected will decide their response  unlike other decisions dictated by the Runanga in the past.