This article was first published on RNZ.
Members of Hawke’s Bay iwi Ngāti Kahungunu gathered earlier this week at Kahurānaki Station to protest the recent sale of the station, which includes the ancestral mountain of the same name.
Kahurānaki Station - a 1156 hectare sheep and beef farm south of Havelock North - came up for sale earlier this year, the first time the station had been on the market for over 100 years.
The iwi launched a fundraising campaign to buy it, including the ‘He Maunga Ka Taea’ horse trek from Māhia to the summit of Kahurānaki over 10 days, but were unsuccessful in their bid.
Ngāti Kahungunu Iwi Chair and Waimārama Marae spokesperson, Bayden Barber said they didn’t advertise the protest but the ‘kūmara vine’ did its work and about 70 whānau turned up.
“From our point of view, it’s unacceptable that we’re not the ones being negotiated with to buy back Kahurānaki Station, simple as that,” he said.
Barber said the station owner unexpectedly met the protest at the driveway and shared some information with the whānau who joined.
It has been a month since the iwi bid was unsuccessful and the preferred purchasers had yet to engage with the iwi, he said.
“We want to have an engagement, a conversation, so that they understand the importance of Kahurānaki to us. We’d love to buy it off them, we’d actually love for the settlement not to happen.”
Barber said the iwi is hopeful that the purchasers will engage in open dialogue about how the aspirations of marae and hapū can be met, but the iwi can’t do anything if they don’t know who they are talking to.
Tamatea Pōkai Whenua Trust tendered the bid on behalf of the iwi, chair Pohatu Paku said both the trust and wider community were disappointed by the sale of the station to an undisclosed buyer.
“We undertook an exhaustive due diligence process engaging with a wide range of stakeholders and conducting thorough investigations in our bid to repatriate this taonga for our people. The overwhelming support from Kahungunu whānau, marae and hapū was a powerful testament to the collective desire to see Kahurānaki returned. Initiatives like He Maunga Ka Taea for example, along with various other fundraising efforts were expressions of that shared commitment.
“We are, however, deeply disappointed that the tender process itself did not allow for the kind of open and transparent dialogue that is essential to honouring the true significance of this whenua. The process was inherently limited, leaving little room for meaningful negotiation or the type of engagement we believe is necessary to safeguard the interests of our people.”
Paku hoped the preferred purchasers of Kahurānaki Station would engage with Tamatea Pōkai Whenua in good faith.
“This is not just about reclaiming land, it is about restoring a deep cultural connection, and we believe there is a real opportunity to work together, honouring the mana of this maunga. By engaging with us, the preferred purchasers will not only acknowledge the ancestral significance of this whenua, but also contribute to a positive and lasting relationship, built on respect and collaboration. We would value the opportunity to share our history and outline our aspirations and expectations as a Trust and explore how we can move forward together in a way that again, honours the true significance of this whenua.”
He Maunga Ka Taea fundraising campaign organiser, Kelly Aroha Huata said this is not a normal land acquisition.
“This is not a straight land and sale purchase. This is whakapapa. Do the right thing. Return the whenua to those who have a deep spiritual, cultural & emotional connection to the land. Come forward and let us buy Kahurānaki back.”
Kahurānaki Marae and Ngāti Kahungunu kaumātua Jerry Hāpuku said, “My ancestor Te Hapuku’s dying wish in 1878 was to be placed so that his eyes could close watching the sacred Kahurānaki mountain. To us, this is not about the money, but the mana or prestige that Kahurānaki gives our people.”
Barber said this is the first time in a century that there has been a chance to buy back the mountain. There are 23 marae and over 50 hapū that have a direct connection to Kahurānaki, and they won’t give up on it, he said.
“At the end of the day, our final outcome, the only outcome, is for that mountain to be back in Māori hands, Māori ownership.”
By Pokere Paewai of RNZ.
