October 02, 2015
Cavalry coming to Whakatohea commemoration
Whakatohea is this weekend marking the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Te Tarata.
The Opotiki-based tribe still hasn’t settled its historical treaty claims, after rejecting a $40 million offer almost 20 years ago, and spokesperson Robyn Hata-Gage says the sense of grievance over the confiscation of 450,000 acres of its land still burns.
The killing of the missionary Volkner, wrongly blamed on the rangatira Mokomoko, was used as the pretext for the invasion and raupatu of Whakatohea land.
Ms Hata-Gage says iwi from around the country are joining the commemoration, along with Governor General Sir Jerry Mataparae, Defence Force heads and Treaty Negotiations Minister Christopher Finlayson.
Included in the commemorations will be a mass haka and the re-enactment of the cavalry charge against the iwi.
"It’s an extremely emotional time for us and we have a lot of our pakeke who are committed to make our day on Sunday so most definitely these discussions will continue about the settlement of our raupatu claims in the future," she says.
Sunday’s commemorations start with the pre-dawn unveiling of commemorative pou on two sites in Opotiki, followed by welcomes for King Tuheitia and the crown officials.
Radio Waatea will be taking a live broadcast of the commemorations on Sunday from 8am
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