Statement of Evidence of Manahi Paewai2.1.1
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BEFORE THE HEARING PANEL IN THE MATTER of the Resource Management Act 1991 A N D IN THE MATTER of Applications by Tararua District Council to Horizons Regional Council for Application APP-1993001253.02 for resource consents associated with the operation of the Pahiatua Wastewater Treatment Plant, including a discharge of treated wastewater from the Pahiatua Wastewater Treatment Plant into the Mangatainoka River. STATEMENT OF EVIDENCE OF MANAHI PAEWAI FOR RANGITĀNE O TAMAKI NUI-Ā-RUA Dated 12 May 2017 Ko Ruahine te maunga Ko Manawatū te awa Ko Te Rangiwhaka-ewa te tangata Ko Rangitāne te iwi Ko Kurahaupō te waka INTRODUCTION 1. My name is Manahi Paewai. I am a member of Rangitāne. I am a qualified teacher and have considerable knowledge about the tribal history and tikanga of Rangitāne. 2. I have prepared this expert cultural evidence on behalf of Rangitāne o Tamaki nui- ā-Rua (“RoTNAR”) in relation to the application by the Tararua District Council (“TDC”) for resource consent associated with the operation of the Pahiatua Wastewater Treatment Plant, including a discharge permit to discharge treated wastewater into the Mangatainoka River (“the TDC application”). 3. I have previously given evidence on behalf of RoTNAR in relation to the application by TDC for resource consent associated with the Eketahuna Wastewater Treatment Plant, including a discharge into the Mākakahi River, a discharge to air (principally odour), and a discharge to land via pond seepage, Bridge Street, Eketahuna. A lot of my evidence about our iwi history and values included in that evidence is relevant to the current evidence and has been repeated here with necessary amendments. Personal Background 4. My waka is Kurahaupō. 5. My iwi is RoTNAR and my hapū from that line are Ngāti Te Rangiwhaka-ewa, Ngāti Pakapaka, Ngāti Mutuahi, Ngāti Te Koro and Ngāti Hāmua. 6. My whakapapa is as follows: Whātonga I Tautoki I Rangitāne I Kōpuparapara I Kuaopango I Uengārehupango I Hāmua I Wahatuarā I Hinerautekawa = Rākaimaro I Korakotaiwaho I Te Rangiwhaka-ewa I Parikoau I Tauarohaki I Kapa I Uewha I Te Rautahi I Hinetewhiurangi = Te Rangapu _____________________ I____________________________________________ I I I I I I Wiremu Ani Tapatu Pitau Paora Te Rangiwhakaewa Rawinia Aperahama Rautahi Te Huata = Maata Te Opukahu ________________________________I_______________________________________ I I I I I I I I Mapu Hori Herehere Hokimate Tawhai Peeti Hoera Haira Hirai l l Paraneha Hori Paraneha = Manahi Paewai l I l Rangirangi l l Paraneha Pakere = Nireaha Paewai ______________I______________ I I I Punga Te Kurairirangi Manahi 7. I have many years of local Māori and community involvement. Following the 1984 Hui Taumata (Māori Economic Summit Conference), I became involved in the iwi authority movement. I was the Chairman of the Kurahaupō Waka Society Authority (a collective of Ngāti Apa, Muaūpoko and Rangitāne) from 1987 to 1991. 8. In the past I have also been the Chairperson of Te Rūnanganui o Rangitāne, and have been involved in the political and cultural arm of Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-ā- Rua Incorporated, which looks after the interests of Rangitāne in the RoTNAR takiwā. 9. I have previously presented evidence before the Waitangi Tribunal as part of the Wairarapa ki Tararua District Inquiry as a named claimant in the Wai 166 Treaty claim on behalf of RoTNAR, provided evidence in the Wellington Tenths Inquiry on behalf of Rangitāne o Te Whanganui-ā-Tara, and prepared an affidavit in support of the urgent Foreshore and Seabed Inquiry (Wai 1071). 10. I have also been involved as a cultural advisor to the Rangitāne Settlement Negotiations Trust (“RSNT”) that held a Crown endorsed mandate to negotiate the historical Treaty of Waitangi claims for Rangitāne in the Wairarapa and Tararua (Tamaki nui-ā-Rua) regions, including the area covered by the TDC application. Throughout this role as cultural advisor, I advised on the mana whenua interests and sites of significance in the Pahiatua region. 11. I am also a member of Te Kāuru, which is the eastern Manawatū River hapū collective. 12. I am the current co-manager, together with Lui Paewai, of the Cultural and Political Services, which is part of Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-ā-Rua Incorporated. 13. I am a fluent speaker of te reo Māori and have significant knowledge of Rangitāne whakapapa, tikanga and our iwi history of occupation and resource use within the area subject to the TDC application. I have this knowledge through the teachings of our old people via oral kōrero as well as through documentary evidence such as Native Land Court minute books and other primary and secondary written material over many years. 14. I have read the Code of Conduct for Expert Witnesses in the Environment Court Practice Note. This evidence has been prepared in accordance with it and I agree to comply with it subject to the proviso outlined below. I have not omitted to consider material facts known to me that might alter or detract from the opinions expressed. I confirm that the issues addressed in this brief of evidence are within my area of expertise. For the purposes of transparency, I confirm that whilst I have read and understood the code, I confirm that I am a member of Rangitāne and have a whakapapa connection to those who represent Rangitāne o Tamaki nui-ā-Rua Incorporated in bringing this submission to the hearing panel. Given my connection and the fact that I have given evidence on matters relating to my own iwi, it is not appropriate for me to be speaking in the third person. This should not detract from the fact that this is to be considered expert evidence as much of my cultural knowledge has emanated from my elders who are the experts. Overview of the Evidence 15. The RoTNAR submission dated 19 May 2016 (“the submission”), sets out the following general points regarding the TDC application: (a) We strongly object to any activity that had the potential to cause blemish, pollution and devastation to Papatūānuku; (b) We seek to encourage work towards advanced operations in line with the goal of no discharge to waterways; (c) The term sought of 15 years is too long and a 10 year term with 5 yearly reviews would be more appropriate; (d) Through the monitoring and reporting procedures, we would like to be kept informed on the quality and quantity being discharged into our waterways. 16. In light of the submissions and evidence provided by TDC in support of its application, my evidence will address the following matters: (a) Our origins and overview of the hapū with mana whenua in the area effected by the TDC application; (b) An overview of the values and tikanga associated with the Mangatainoka River; (c) A description of the relationships we have with the Mangatainoka River, including evidence of sites of significance; (d) Evidence of the adverse effects that the discharge is having on our values, tikanga and relationship with the Mangatainoka River, and the adverse effects on our culture and traditions; (e) An overview of why discharges of human waste to wastewater cause adverse effects and cultural offence as well as an explanation as to why discharge to land is our preferred approach; and (f) My views on the TDC application and evidence as to whether it adequately describes and addresses the actual and potential effects on our culture, tradition and values. Our origins and overview of the hapū with mana whenua in the area effected by the TDC application Origins of RoTNAR 17. RoTNAR originate from Whātonga of the Kurahaupō waka, which made final landfall on the Mahia Peninsula at Nukutaurua. Whātonga later settled on the coastline landward of Cape Kidnappers and in full visual contact with the Mahia Peninsula. As the Waitangi Tribunal has recognised, it was here that Whātonga built a home for his people. 18. Whātonga married Hotuwaipara and had a son called Tara. From Whātonga's second marriage to Reretua, another son, Tautoki, was born. Tautoki married Waipuna (a Kupe descendant) and had a son named Tāne-nui-a-Rangi who became known as Rangitāne. 19. Like his grandfather, Whātonga, Rangitāne travelled throughout the Tamaki nui-ā- Rua, Wairarapa and Manawatū takiwā. The Ngāi Tara and Rangitāne people eventually settled on much of the land from Heretaunga to Te Whanganui-a-Tara, inclusive of land west of the Ruahine and Tararua Ranges. 20. Descendants of Rangitāne soon grew in numbers following inter marriage with the descendants of Tangowhiti (the descendant of Nukutoaea). Whata, Ngāi Tahu, Kupe and gradual merging with their tuakana, Ngāti Tara, led to the prominence of Rangitāne in Tamaki nui-ā-Rua. Mana Whenua 21. It is important to understand who has mana whenua in the area subject to the TDC application for the simple reason to understand the tangata whenua who will be affected by the TDC application. It also gives a basis for the evidence I will give about our values, tikanga and traditions that will be impacted on by the TDC application. 22. I have read the Cultural Values Assessment Report prepared by Peter McBurney and support the historical references he makes about the origins and values of Rangitāne and its associated hapū. 23. The major hapū with customary interest in Pahiatua is Te Kapuārangi, but there are also elements of other hapū with interests in the area including along the banks of the Mangatainoka River between Pahiatua and Ngaawapurua, where the Mangatainoka River joins with the Manawatū River. Those hapū include Ngāti Mutuahi, Ngāti Te Koro and the matua Rangitāne hapū, Ngāti Hāmua. Attached and marked “A” is the whakapapa which shows the connections between Rangitāne tūpuna and the associated hapū.