This thesis is a study of Waitaha, a Bay of Plenty iwi that has been marginalized through
the loss of most of its land, much of its language, tikanga, and mana. The purpose of the
work is to communicate, through the 'voice' and the history of the people, a chronicle, of
their alienation to a Pākehā audience that remains in large part ignorant and distant from
their plight.
The thesis is motivated by an academic responsibility to the Treaty of Waitangi and the
lack of understanding to the present needs of Māori as evidenced for example, by the
support for the January 2004 Orewa speech, by the leader of the National Party, Don
Brash. It is predicated upon the understanding that this response, which minimalises the
impact of colonization upon Māori, is constructed by many, through a convenience of
distance. It is motivated also on the understanding that most Pākehā who now inhabit the rohe of Waitaha, are completely ignorant of the identity of tangata whenua. It is hoped
that the presentation of the Waitaha story, will provoke a greater empathy from Pākehā,
and thereby facilitate an environment, whereby grievances can be addressed in an
environment of greater understanding.
The thesis is a qualitative based research exercise, carried out in consultation with
kaumātua and other Waitaha members, and attempts to acknowledge and integrate current kaupapa Māori epistemologies with traditional Western academic methodology.
The study uses interviews, Waitangi Tribunal evidence, and other historical references to
construct a narrative that conveys something of the 'voice' of Waitaha. Specifically, it
outlines a chronology of Waitaha settlement, followed by a description of their encounter
with Pākehā, the consequent alienation of the majority of their lands by the Crown, and
concludes, with a glimpse into the current circumstance of Manoeka, the papakainga of
Waitaha.
