During this time the Rūnanga was successful in securing the return of Ngāti Awa Farm, the Mataatua Wharenui and the Te Manuka Tutahi site in Whakatāne.
The Settlement
The Settlement
Contemporary settlement negotiations with the Crown took over twenty years to complete.
The first Crown offer made in 1983 was rejected. The second offer made in 1987 was accepted as part payment towards the final settlement. The final Deed of Settlement was agreed to between the Rūnanga and the Crown in 2002 and ratified by members of Ngāti Awa through a postal ballot during 2004.
In March 2005, the Ngāti Awa Claims Settlement Act was passed, settling the long standing Treaty of Waitangi Claims and establishing the Rūnanga as a new governance body under the Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa Act 2005. Since this time, the Rūnanga has also partially completed settlement of the Ngāti Awa Fisheries Claim and various other ancillary matters.
The return of Pūtauaki Maunga to Ngāti Awa has yet to be realised, although work continues on a number of fronts at this point in time.
Our settlement with the Crown in 2005 was approximately $42 million, including assets and cash transferred to the Rūnanga. Full details of the settlement package can be found in the Deed of Settlement.
The purchase of forestry assets and receipt of accumulated rentals post-settlement, enabled the Rūnanga to establish an economic base through its commercial arm Ngāti Awa Group Holdings Limited.
Today, the Rūnanga has interests in agriculture, fisheries, forestry, equities and property totaling $94 million.
These commercial activities enable the Rūnanga to deliver a range of services to Ngāti Awa via our social arm Ngāti Awa Community Development Trust.
The office of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa also provides environmental, research and archival, and iwi development services.
The benefits of the settlement are for all members of Ngāti Awa, wherever they may live.
Settlement data
245,000
acres confiscated
77,000
acres returned
29/01/1929
First Raupatu Settlement meeting held at Pūkeko Marae
22/10/1980
Eruera Manuera meets Sir James Fletcher to discuss return of Putauaki.
16/11/1980
Ngāti Awa Trust Board is formed at Puawairua Marae