2 Sep 2017

Ngāpuhi mandate hui moves hapū towards unanimity

1:49 pm on 2 September 2017

Peace appears to have broken out at a hui in Northland aimed at mending the rifts caused by the Ngāpuhi mandate row.

Huhana Lyndon

Huhana Lyndon helped facilitate the hui. Photo: Supplied

About 200 people attended a two-day wānanga at Otiria marae near Moerewa.

The hui had been billed as an effort to move beyond conflict over treaty settlements and bring people together.

Facilitator Huhana Lyndon said kuia and kaumatua had called for the gathering to allow people on both sides of the dispute to air their hurts and move on.

She said that had now happened and the hapū were now working on visualising the future they wanted for Ngāpuhi.

Erin Shanks, a trustee of the mandated authority Tūhoronuku, said he was staggered by the turnout and believed it showed a groundswell of support for Ngāpuhi to find a way to come together.

The Ngāpuhi wānanga was set to conclude today.

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs