Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa Trust will commence legal proceedings in the High Court
Kai ngā karangatanga maha ō ngā iwi me ngā hapū o te rohe o Te Wairoa, tēnā kōutou.
Tēnā kōutou e noho nei i Te Waipounamu. He karere tēnei mō tō tātau whakawākanga i te Kōti Matua ki Otautahi. Ko tō tātau Wai te take
Nāreira, haere mai, whakarauika mai ra!
Kia ora,
Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa Trust will commence legal proceedings in the High Court in Ōtautahi in support of Ngāi Tahu’s Freshwater Statement of Claim. We are seeking formal recognition of the rights and responsibilities of our iwi and hapū over freshwater within the rohe o Te Wairoa.
We invite our members and whānau who live in Ōtautahi and Te Waipounamu to come and support the kaupapa.
Whānau are able to participate in the following ways:
Monday 10 February at 8.30am
Ngāi Tahu opening at the High Court, 20 Lichfield Street, Christchurch. We will be responding to the reo pōhiri ā Ngāi Tahu in the high court with our waiata tautoko, Te Karakia ā Ruawharo – see the video below.
Monday 10 February at 5.30pm
Hui Taura Here for whānau to gather, hear from our legal counsel about the high court case and from our trust directors on what we’ve been up to. Join us on Level 1 at the Crowne Plaza on 764 Colombo Street, Christchurch
Tuesday 11 and Wednesday 12 March
Opening of Te Wairoa’s case and evidence of our witnesses.
Live stream and court room access
Access to the hearing is restricted in numbers due to the size of the court room, so the Judge in the case has given permission for Ngāi Tahu to livestream proceedings to alleviate pressure on numbers. We ask whānau to ensure kaumātua, witnesses and plaintiffs have access to court room seating.
We will appreciate attendance in court from whānau that know the waiata tautoko during the whakatau.
For those who don’t know the waiata tautoko, please view the livestream of the trial at Kahuraki on level 3 at Te Whare. This is available for the duration of the trial and you are welcome to sit in and hear the witnesses giving evidence. Please prioritise seating in the room for manuhiri (Kahungunu whānau / Rūnanga Reps / Chairs / Exec).
“The settlement we received from the Crown acknowledges our past wrongs, but it also highlighted the ongoing challenges we face, particularly regarding the state of our freshwater. This is about ensuring the future of our rivers, lakes, and communities—our people rely on these taonga for food, cultural practices, and sustenance."
“The reality for our people in Te Wairoa is that the health of our freshwater systems directly impacts our quality of life. Our people have relied on these resources for centuries, and the degradation of these waterways is both an environmental and cultural crisis.”
– Tātau Tātau o Te Wairoa Chairperson, Leon Symes
(previously Deputy Chairperson of Te Tira Whakaemi o Te Wairoa, the mandated pre-settlement entity)