October 12, 2017
Ngati Hine standing up to be counted
A Ngati Hine leader hopes that getting included as a separate iwi in the next census will strengthen their hand in their long-running tussle with Te Runanga o Ngapuhi.
Pita Tipene says the runanga blocked Ngati Hine's efforts to be included as an iwi in previous censuses and in the Maori Fisheries Act more than a decade ago.
But new classification rules from Statistics New Zealand means people will be able to tick the Northland tribe as their primary iwi.
He says they can have it both ways.
"While Ngati Hine is ebing listed on the census as an iwi, we are very much Ngapuhi, the blood in our veins is Ngapuhi, our whakapapa is Ngapuhi so we never deny that but what we do say is a committee that is set up as a charitable trust, Te Runanga a Iwi o Ngapuhi, will not speak for us," Mr Tipene says.
Better census data will allow Ngati Hine to respond better to the health, housing and education needs of its people.
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