Ihumatao
Why does Maori not want to give the land to the government?
intro) For the last few weeks, My class and I have been learning about a place named Ihumatao (a little superb in Auckland). The land of Ihumatao is currently trying to be taken and the people of Ihumatao are trying to keep it in their possession. A company named Fletcher homes wants to try to purchase the land so they can can extend the housing population of New Zealand (Auckland in particular). However there is another company trying to defend. This company is named SOUL (save our unique landscape.) The SOUL group thinks that the land should stay widely spaced for its cultural significance. I couldn't agree more. I think that this group is inspirational. Now let's go back further in the years.
1) Back in the day, The land of Ihumatao was cleared in 1865 and then taken by governor grey (previous prime minister of New Zealand). The land was previously owned by the Wallace family so it makes it legal to confiscate (according to the treaty of Waitangi).The land then became in possession of his. Maori would have then travelled on a waka to New Zealand and then settle into the land of Ihumatao. Europeans would then arrive in New Zealand and hope to trade with them (land in particular) or even steal but the land of Ihumatao was not in the hands of the Maori so the land was not theirs to give. After the treaty was signed in 1840, It would be illegal to steal the land but because they are not Maori, they can steal it. No one did so who cares.
2) According to the otago daily times when Maori arrived in the land of Aotearoa, Ihumatao was one of the very first places they would settle into. For Maori that currently live there, it would be hard to give up land that was first owned by their ancestors. If they give up the land to the government/Fletcher homes, it would just be disrespectful so if i were those Maori, i will FIGHT!. Now I understand that the population of New Zealand increases every day but out of every place the Government/Fletcher homes wants to put new houses, Its Ihumatao?. Why wouldn’t they put the homes somewhere else to raise housing developments. Why would the government not want to listen to people of her own country. To me, the government is not being a very good government to her own country. By the looks of things, it looks like Fletcher homes is extending the city of Auckland by building houses as the population increases, But as one of the first location Maori settled into, Fletcher homes will have to fight hard.
3) The land that was going to have 480 homes added to was confiscated by Jacinda Ardern (prime minister of New Zealand). As the land was once owned by their ancestors, the land then becomes Tapu (sacred).
4) Apparently, Fletcher homes wanted to build these 480 houses for people but I bet the people of Ihumatao will be full of relief. In the raid of the land located in Ihumatao, the treaty of waitangi takes part in this event. The treaty of waitangi states that “you cannot take/steal land” and if i can remember, more than forty chiefs signed that treaty. I do not know if this statement only goes for the ones that signed the treaty or just Maori. As the land was first in the hand of Maori, the people of Ihumatao will fight hard to keep the land in their possession..
Paragraph 1 was referenced from Ihumatao, Wikipedia...
Paragraph 2, 3 and 4 were referenced from Otago daily times...
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