November 10, 2014
Spiritual value of beach recognised
A far north iwi leader says tourism operators need to get alongside tangata whenua so they can get the best out of Te Oneroa a Tohe-Ninety Mile Beach.
Settlement legislation now before parliament returns control of the beach to the various iwi along its length.
Te Rarawa chair Haami Piripi says it’s something the iwi have been fighting for since the 1950s when they first took a claim for the beach to the courts.
He says they are concerned about protecting the beach and its wildlife, as well as ensuring the cultural dimension is respected.
"For the first time in New Zealand history legislation will recognise Te Ara Wairua, somethng which people can't see or hear but is recognised in law and it's great for us, it is recognising our cultural values and our spiritual uniqueness, and I think that's what our tourism operators are worried about but what it means is they have got to sit down and talk with us about how we can keep the area pristine and maintain the environmental integrity and the spiritual and cultural integrity of it as well," Mr Piripi says.
He says many tourism operators have been telling Maori stories as part of their trip to Cape Reinga, but they haven’t bothered to involve Maori in their business.
FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH HAAMI PIRIPI CLICK ON THE LINK
https://secure.zeald.com/uma/play_podcast?podlink=MjM4ODc=
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