Addressing historical greviances
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Local Māori will soon be able to return to live on their customary land.
Waimakariri District Council chief executive Jeff Millward says the proposed Waimakariri District Plan, which was notified in September 2021, includes special purpose zoning for Māori Reserve 873, between Kaiapoi and Rangiora.
This included allowing for up to seven houses on a four hectare section.
These have been incorporated into the draft Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan, which has recognised the need for infrastructure investment for kāinga nohoanga (places of residence) across the Greater Christchurch area.
"Historically they have been prevented from living on their own land and growing crops for mahinga kai," Millward said.
The National Policy Statement on Urban Development stated that well-functioning urban environments needed to have a variety of homes, and this included enabling Māori to express their cultural traditions and norms.
Māori Reserve 873, which included the kāinga (village) of Tuahiwi and the surrounding rural area, was set aside by the Crown in 1848 as a kāinga nohoanga.
The 1868 Native Land Court defined Ngāi Tahu mahinga kai and whānau rights.
But subsequent territorial authorities, including the Waimakariri District Council, which was established in 1989, had overlooked the history and introduced rural zoning rules and applied them to Māori Reserve 873.
Most recently, about 2005, the Waimakariri District Council changed the rural zoning for the reserve to 10 acres without consulting with the rūnanga.
This was unworkable as properties were already much smaller and had multiple houses on them.
The land grievances were due in part to different cultural understandings and the complexity of Māori ownership.
Māori practised Kaitiakitanga (stewardship) where resources including land were looked after by the hapū for the next generation.
The consequence has seen Māori lose the ability to use the land for mahinga kai and whānau have been unable to live on the land.
Comment was sought from Ngāi Tūāhuriri.
■ Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.
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Hero
“I was born and raised in war. To be honest, those are not good memories.
I really like Iran, and I really miss it, but I couldn’t be myself there. Even though my family didn’t like my decision, I left Iran. I promised myself that I would do whatever I can for all communities, especially for the kids, so they do not have the same experience I had.
I studied software engineering in Iran and left in 2006. I went to Malaysia and stayed in Kuala Lumpur for seven years. I was admitted to Lincoln University to do my PhD here, but unfortunately, I couldn’t afford the expenses. I requested a scholarship, but they told me I had to be there for six months first. So, I stayed in Malaysia and did my PhD in network security. In December 2013, I came to New Zealand with a work visa.
It took me a while to connect with the Iranian community here. I volunteered with the Multicultural Council, SPCA, and community patrol, and I established the Christchurch Iranian Society in 2017. Before that, I started working on Radio Toranj, the only Farsi-language radio show in New Zealand.
One of the reasons I started organizing cultural events was to showcase Iranian culture. I wanted to show people that we have delicious food, colorful dresses, traditional customs, and our own instruments. My hope was to show people that we are not what you see in the media.
I am working to involve all the communities that celebrate Nowruz, the Persian New Year, in the Nowruz festival in March 2025. We want to share this celebration not only with our community but with the public as well. It’s better when it’s shared.
I remember the first time someone from Dunedin called me and asked, Hero, can you help? Something happened, and they keep declining Iranian visa applications. When I heard that, I felt insulted. We are still human, so how can they do that?
Through this journey, I’ve learned a lot. Every single day, people with different cases call me, and I try to share my knowledge and guide them as much as I can.
I have received several awards, including the Christchurch Civic Award and an Award of Recognition for my contributions to the community during the pandemic. In 2021, I established Canterbury Kia Ora Academy, a charitable trust. Through this charity, I can help other communities as well, not just the Iranian community.”
- Hero
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