Waikato River Settlement - Case Study Example

Waikato River Settlement Table of contents …………………………………………………………………………………………3 Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………..4 Case study………………………………………………………………………………..………..4 History of Waikato River…………………………………………………………...……………..7 The status and quality of Waikato River water……………………………………………………8 Discussion…………………………………………………………………………………………8 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………...…………………9 Recommendation……………………………………………………………..………………….10 References………………………………………………………………………………………..11 Appendix…………………………………………………………………..……………………..12 Abstract The Crown and Waikato Tainui tribes had differing perceptions on how the Waikato River should be restored and brought back to its original state. The role of this report is to emphasize the diverse world perceptions each of the people hold and how they are managed in order to manage the river. Tainui thought that the Crown disturbed their capabilities and potential to defend and preserve their familial river. Following many raupatu assertions against the Crown propelled by Waikato Tainui a Deed of Settlement in the year 2008 was marked and presented to the two people who were key to the preservation and management of the familial river. The rationale of the settlement is to work as a team to preserve, restore, and maintain the safety of the Waikato River for upcoming generations. For the co-management arrangements to function in a uniform manner, the Crown was required to recognize the mana whakahaere, which are the power and rights of control and the mana Ao te awa, which is the spiritual, physical, and cultural relationship of Waikato Tainui and the Waikato river. Waikato Tainui required pardoning the Crown for their forceful occupation of Maori cultural land or property and identifying that the transformations attained to the Waikato River provided the rapidly increasing population of New Zealand (Background to Raupatu, 2010). In New Zealand, the increasing population is in dire need of power or electricity, waste water system and farm water. The Waikato community did not tolerate the contamination and corrosion of the Waikato River because it threatened their existence. It is significant to note that the Crown had power and right over the Waikato River. However, despite the two having opposing perceptions about the management and restoration of the river, they thought it was necessary to dwell and center on future means to preserve and bring the river to its original state. Introduction The Waikato River has important sense to Maori tribes such as the large Waikato Tainui. Their cultural and spiritual association with the river provides them the liability and accountability to guard and preserve it. For many years, the river has been influential and essential to the Waikato tribes because it offers with food and guards them from bad luck or damage. Following confiscation or occupation of the land in the 1860’s, the Waikato River was utilized as a basis for stormwater, power or electricity, farming, and wastewater systems in the Waikato community. This in turn led to the expansion of New Zealand economy and for the rapidly increasing New Zealand population. The transformation achieved to the Waikato River affected on the corrosion of the safety of the river. Most raupatu thoughts concern the rights of ownership of the river and duty to protect the river. The crown did not respect the river and this behavior led to the deterioration of the Waikato River. In turn, the Waikato Tainui believed that the crown interrupted their capability to guard and care for the river (Background to Raupatu, 2010). Case study It is significant to note that the Waikato River is found in New Zealand. It is the longest river in New Zealand and stretched more than 400 kilometers. The Waikato River starts from the Eastern Mountains and flows through the city of Hamilton and ends into the Tasman Sea at Port Waikato. The waipa and Ngaruawahia Rivers are the main tributaries of the Waikato River. In English language, the Waikato River is known as the flowing water. Figure (1) Tributary of the Waikato River, Hamilton photos by kiwi (2006) The Waikato River has a chain of eight dams and hydroelectric power stations. They were build between 1929 and 1971, and currently, they have the potential to generate over 10 percent of total electricity of New Zealand. It is important to note that there is a power station at Lake Taupo. The power station at this site controls the flow of Waikato River. It is estimated that it takes atleast eighteen hours for the water to be released to the dams or power stations until reaches the final power station located at Karapiro. The river also offers cooling water for the natural gas propelled thermal power station. The resource management has strict measures to control water temperatures and minimize water and quantity temperature that flows in and out of the Waikato River (Treaty FAQs, 2011). Figure (2) Flow of Waikato River, Hamilton photos by kiwi (2006) The Waikato River is extensively utilized for leisure roles like skiing, kayaking, rowing and waka ama in the Hamilton city district. There are also some places outside of the city limits for water skiing and jet skis. White-water kayaking is located north of Taupo and Lake Karapiro is perceived as one of the best rowing places in New Zealand. Figure (3) Rowing in the Waikato River, Hamilton photos by kiwi (2006) History of Waikato River The claim of The Waikato Raupatu started in 1858 with the development of the kiingitanga. The kiingitanga was a Maori group to make a Maori state under a Maori king. The Maori thought that the British administration would gain control over the Waikato land. Maori Chiefs thought that the kiingitanga would guard Maori possession of the land and avoid further loss of land to the Britons. In 1865, war broke out and the Britons confiscated over one million acres of land. The conflict and abstraction of the Waikato River led to social and cultural harm to Waikato Tainui. The Tainui confederation is made up of the four iwi Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa and Waikato. The Waikato River is perceived as an ancestor and form of prestige to the Waikato Tainui. This represents the life force of the tribe. They had deep respect and honor for the Waikato River because they knew that a strong body and a spiritual energy established the life found in the River. They had a strong and powerful relationship with the river because from it they acquired life, therefore, it was their role to guard the river and ensure that the future generation benefit from it. The adjacent lands have important cultural, religious, and political significance to the Waikato community (Corporate governance, 2011). After the abstraction of land, cities and farms were created along the River. It was utilized for farming, coal mining, power generation, and waste to advance the economic expansion. This influenced the contamination and corrosion of the health of the Waikato River, influencing marine ecosystem. For over a century, Tainui iwi have continued to look for mean to preserve and restore their rights over the Waikato River and other surrounding land. Following numerous Raupatu claims over the Waikato River, a different title Deed of Settlement was signed in August that empowered Waikato Tainui the duty to preserve and restore the river. The status and quality of Waikato River water The water of Waikato River is tested n monthly basis to ensure that it is not contaminated or polluted. Further, the water is measured for its quality because it has numerous functions. For instance, the water is tested to ensure it is safe for dinking. The clarity of the water when it leaves Lake Taupo is outstanding which implies that it is suitable for various functions. Discussion Waikato Tainui’s capability to guard the Waikato River and its property under the mana of the kiingitanga was diminished by the Crowns raupatu. Waikato Tainui was stressed over the manner the river was supervised by the Crown. They thought that they had not succeeded in protecting the river. The reason of the Deed of Settlement was to advance the relationship between Waikato Tainui and the Crown. Disagreements between the Maori and the Crown were to be ignored for them to work together to preserve and restore the well-being of the Waikato River. To advance the relationship between the two groups, contrasting perceptions on the Waikato River were to be recognized (Corporate governance, 2011). According to Crown, the river was an immense foundation to meet the requirements of the rapidly increasing population. For instance, they drained the wetlands, introduced flood protection mechanism, and they eliminated stones and sand. Other important activities such as sewage treatment and farming were introduced which contributed to the growth of the economy. In addition, the crown perceived the Waikato River as a good way to make funds and paid less attention to the effects it would have on the environment. These selfish motives and desires contributed to deterioration and pollution of the river (Background to Raupatu, 2010). According to Waikato Tainui, the River is their ancestor, which contains spiritual power and authority. This shows the life energy present among the Tainui people. They viewed the river as an indivisible being that runs from Huka falls at Port Waikato and comprises its waters, beds, banks, wetlands and all life within. They understood that the river belonged to them and was part of their daily life. They view the river as a reward given to them by the gods and their ancestors. Therefore, it was their role to guard the river for future generations to benefit from its vast resources. Further, in traditional setting, Maori people believed that Mana whenua had an intricate system of land and property rights. Mana whenua refers to the tribal authority or power over and control of property and land in the society. Within the tribal settings, the community held the land as a collective property rather than a personal or individual property. The Mana or power was held by the tribal collections, families and individuals could claim the right to utilize particular areas for cultivation, construction of houses and cutting down a tree for a canoe. Individuals could attain the rights to use the land and could pass these rights to their descendants (Background to Raupatu, 2010). In order for the co-management to work as a team, the Crown should have recognized the power or authority, rights of control of the river by the Tainui and the spiritual, physical, and cultural relationship of Waikato Tainui with the Waikato River. This is because the river nurtures the lives of the people who live around it by offering numerous benefits such as food and stormwater (Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims Settlement Act, 2010). Conclusion The Waikato Tainui and crown experienced many disagreements regarding the manner in which the river was managed. Crown perceived the river as a basis for economic expansion because of the increasing population. On the other hand, the Waikato Tainui perceived the river as a source of authority, pride, and cultural significance. However, for the co-management to work together, they had to recognize the arguments and beliefs of each other. Recommendation Work as a team to preserve the status of the river Persist to strengthen the relationship between the two groups appreciate the diverse perceptions on the Waikato River and solve disagreements References Background to Raupatu. (2010). 31 October 2013 from Waikato Tainui: http://www.tainui.co.nz/bakgr_raupatu.htm Corporate governance. (2011). Retrieved 31 October 2013 from Mighty river power: http://www.mightyriverpower.co.nz/AboutUs/CorporateGovernance/ Deed of Settlement between Waikato-Tainui and the Crown summary. (2008). Retrieved 31 October 2013 from Tainui: http://www.tainui.co.nz/docs/Release_Summary_Waikato_River_Claim220808.pdf Hamilton photos by kiwi. (2006). Retrieved 31 October 2013, from Virtual tourist: http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/pb/1cbd78/361b/ Treaty FAQs. (2011). Retrieved 31 October 2013 from. NZ History: http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/politics/treaty/treaty-faqs Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) Settlement Act 2010. (2010). Retrieved 31 October 2013 from New Zealand Legislation: Acts: http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/2010/0024/latest/viewpdf.aspx Appendix 1. Figure (1) Tributary of the Waikato River 2. Figure (2) Flow of Waikato River 3. Figure (3) Rowing in the Waikato River Read More