Recommendation

The Māori Affairs Committee has examined the Mokomoko (Restoration of Character, Mana, and Reputation) Bill and recommends that it be passed with the amendment shown.

Introduction

Mokomoko, a Te Whakatōhea Rangatira, was tried and executed in 1866 for the murder of Carl Sylvius Volkner. Mokomoko maintained his innocence throughout the trial. He was originally buried at Auckland Jail and Courthouse, but was reinterred at Waiaua Marae at Ōpōtiki in October 1989.

Mokomoko was granted a free pardon by the Governor-General in 1992. However this pardon was granted without consulting te whānau a Mokomoko, and differed from the pardon granted to two men of Ngāti Awa for the same event. Te whānau a Mokomoko were concerned that the terms of the 1992 pardon for Mokomoko did not expressly restore his character, mana, and reputation, or those of his uri (descendants).

Te whānau a Mokomoko and the Crown signed an agreement in September 2011 regarding the introduction of legislation to give statutory recognition to the Mokomoko pardon and to further the Crown’s objective of building healthy relationships with te whānau a Mokomoko. While the purpose of the bill is to give legal effect to the agreement, its enactment would not preclude the whānau from seeking through the Treaty of Waitangi settlement process to pursue their aspirations in respect of the restoration of the character, mana, and reputation of Mokomoko and his uri; and the settlement of their historical Treaty of Waitangi claims, by means including exploring the possibility of separate settlement negotiations between the Crown and te whānau a Mokomoko.

Preamble

This issue was discussed by Crown officials with te whānau a Mokomoko. The whānau wished for an expanded historical narrative, but this would have required a renegotiation of the previously signed agreement, which in turn would require approval by Cabinet. We acknowledge the whānau’s concern about this issue being overwhelmed in a larger Treaty settlement, particularly as their relationship with their potential co-claimants has not always been positive. We are disappointed that the two parties could not come to an agreement on these issues.

We note that the preamble outlines the background to the trial and execution of Mokomoko and its impact on te whānau a Mokomoko, the Waitangi Tribunal findings on the matter, and the details of the 1992 pardon. It includes an acknowledgement by the Crown that the terms of the 1992 pardon did not expressly restore his character, mana, and reputation, or those of his uri. Importantly, the preamble includes a statement of regret by the Crown for any ongoing shame or stigma this has caused his uri.

We are satisfied that the bill acknowledges that the Crown should have consulted te whānau a Mokomoko about the wording of the free pardon. Part 2 of the bill specifically provides that the character, mana, and reputation of Mokomoko and his uri are restored by the passing of the bill.

Apology

We note that te whānau a Mokomoko also requested an apology from the Crown to be included in this bill, but understand that such a step also would require Cabinet approval. Like the requested historical narrative, an apology might be more appropriately included in a Treaty settlement

Te Reo Māori translation

We support the wish of te whānau a Mokomoko and have recommended amending the bill by inserting a Te Reo Māori translation into it. This would allow the uri of Mokomoko to read the legislation in the language of their tupuna. To do so would be a legal first, as it appears that no legislation has previously been enacted including a full translation in Te Reo Māori.

We considered the possibility that a precedent could be set if a full Te Reo Māori translation were inserted into the bill. However, because of the special nature of this particular bill, we do not believe that this would happen.

We are advised that translating this legislation before enactment would have the legal impact that the English and Te Reo Māori versions would be considered equal and any inconsistencies between them would have to be resolved in a court of law.

The committee realises the positive impact that the dual translation could have on future legislation.

We acknowledge the contribution of our friend and colleague Hon Parekura Horomia during the passage of this bill.

Tūtohutanga

Kua āta tirohia e te Komiti Whiriwhiri Take Māori Te Pire (Whakaoranga i te Āhuatanga, Mana, me te Ingoa Pai) o Mokomoko, ā, ka tūtohu kia whakamanahia me te whakatikatika kua oti te whakaatu.

Kupu Whakataki

I te tau 1866, i whakawātia, i whakamatea hoki a Mokomoko, rangatira o Te Whakatōhea, mō te kōhurutanga o Carl Sylvius Volkner. I whakapuaki a Mokomoko i tana haranga kore puta noa i te haerenga o te whakawātanga. I tanumia ia i te tuatahi, ki te Whareherehere me te Kōti o Tāmaki-makau-rau, ā, nō te marama o Whiringa-ā-nuku o te 1989, i tanumia anōtia a ia ki te Marae o Waiaua i Ōpōtiki.

I te tau 1992, i whakaheia tētahi unuhanga hara e te Kāwana-Tianara ki a Mokomoko. Heoi, i whakaheia tēnei wetenga hara me te kore whai whakawhitinga whakaaro i te whānau a Mokomoko, me te rerekē anō o te wetenga hara i whakaheia ki ngā tangata e rua o Ngāti Awa mō te kaupapa rite. I te māharahara te whānau a Mokomoko, kāore ngā ritenga o te wetenga hara mō Mokomoko i te tau 1992 i whakaora tonu ake i te āhuatanga, te mana me te ingoa pai o Mokomoko, ā, me ērā rānei o ōna uri.

I waitohungia tētahi whakaaetanga e te whānau a Mokomoko me te Karauna, i te mārama o Mahuru 2011 e pā ana ki te whakatakinga o te hanganga ture hei whakarite arotanga ā-ture ki te wetenga hara o Mokomoko, me te kauneke i te whāinga a te Karauna ki te whakapakari hononga whaikiko i te taha o te whānau a Mokomoko. Ahakoa ko te kaupapa kē o te pire he whakamana i te whakaaetanga, kāore tōna whakamanatanga e aukati i te whānau ki te whaiwhai ake i ō rātou wawata mō te whakaoranga o te āhuatanga, te mana, me te ingoa pai o Mokomoko me ērā hoki o ōna uri; ā, me te whakataunga hoki o ō rātou kerēme hītori mō Te Tiriti o Waitangi, tae noa ki te hōpara tērā pea, ka taea he whiriwhiringa whakataunga wehe kē i waenganui i te Karauna me te whānau a Mokomoko.

Tauākī whakatīmata

I matapakia te take nei e ngā kiri āwhina o te Kārauna i te taha o te whānau a Mokomoko. Ko te hiahia ia o te whānau kia whakawhānuitia ake te kōrero hītori ēngari, ko te raruraru kē o tēnei hiahia, ko te hoki anō o ngā taha e rua ki te whiriwhiri anō i te whakaaetanga kua oti kē rā te haina i mua atu. Tua atu i tērā, ka hiahiatia anōtia hoki te whakaaetanga o te Rūnanga Kāwanatanga. Ka whakaae atu mātou ki te māharahara o te whānau mō te take nei, arā, te tāmiatanga e tētahi whakataunga Tiriti rahi rawa atu, i te mea, kāore tō rātou piringa ki ō rātou hoa-kaikereme pūmanawa noho puku kia tauake i ngā wā katoa. Kei te pāpōuri mātou kīhai ngā taha e rua i kaha ki te whakatutuki whakaaetanga mō te take nei.

Ko tērā kua kite mātou, whakamārama ai te tauākī whakatīmata i ngā kōrero o muri, mō te whakawātanga me te whakamatenga o Mokomoko me ōna tukinga i te whānau a Mokomoko. Whakamārama ai hoki i ngā kitenga a Te Rōpū Whakamana i te Tiriti o Waitangi mō te take, ā, me ngā taipitopito e pā ana ki te wetenga hara o te tau 1992. Kei roto i te tauākī whakatīmata he whākinga nā te Karauna, kāore ngā ritenga o te wetenga hara o te tau 1992 i tino whakaora ake i tōna āhuatanga, tōna mana me tōna ingoa pai, ā, me ērā hoki o ōna uri. Ko te mea nui rawa atu, kei roto i te tauākī whakatīmata tētahi tauākī pā pōuri nā te Karauna ki ōna uri, mō tētahi whakamātanga, tau haetanga rānei ka haere tonu ki te tuki i a rātou.

Whakaae ai te pire, ko te tikanga kē kia haere te Karauna ki te rapu tohutohu i te whānau a Mokomoko, mō ngā kupu e pā ana ki te wetenga hara tuku noa. Kei te ngata mātou nā te mea, ko tērā kē te tikanga. Mārama ana te whakatakoto a Wāhanga 2 o te pire, mā te whakaaetanga o te pire e whakaoratia ake te āhuatanga, te mana, te ingoa pai o Mokomoko me ōna uri.

Te whakapāha

Kua kite mātou i tono te whānau a Mokomoko mō te whakapāha a te Karauna, kia raua ki roto i te pire nei ēngari, ki tō mātou mōhio ka whāia ana tērā, me hoki anō hoki ki te Rūnanga Kāwanatanga mō tōna whakaaetanga. Ā, pērā anō ki te kōrero hītori i tonohia, he tika kē ake pea, kia purua tētahi whakapāha ki roto whakataunga Tiriti.

Whakawhitinga ki Te Reo Māori

E tautoko ana mātou i te hiahia o te whānau a Mokomoko, ā, ka tūtohu hoki mātou kia whakatikaina te pire mā te whakauru whakamāoritanga ki roto. Mā tēnei e tukua ai ngā uri o Mokomoko ki te pānui i te hanganga ture i roto i te reo ake o tō rātou tupuna. Inā, ka pēneitia ana tēnei, kua noho mai rā hei mea tuatahi i te aroaro o te ture i te mea me te mea nei, kīhai anō he pire i mua kia purua tētahi whakawhitinga katoa i Te Reo Māori, ki roto.

I uru mai anō hoki ki a mātou te whakaaro tērā pea, he whakatakotoranga tauira tēnei mā te whakauru i te katoa o tētahi whakamāoritanga ki roto i te pire. Heoi, nā te motuhake kē o te āhua o tēnei ake pire mātou ka whakapono, kore rawa tēnei e tūpono ake anō.

Ko te whakamaherehere ki a mātou e pēnei ana. Ko te papātanga ki te taha ture o te whakawhiti ā-tuhutuhi i tēnei hanganga ture i mua o te whakamanatanga, he ōrite te mana o ngā taha, arā, tērā mō Te Reo Pākehā, tērā mō Te Reo Māori. Nā, mō ngā maiorooro i waenganui i ngā reo e rua, mā tētahi kōti ture ērā e whakatau.

E mōhio ana te komiti ki te pātanga tauake o ngā whakawhitinga ā-tuhituhi tuarua ka pā ki ngā hanganga tūre kei mua i te aroaro.

Ka whakatau mātou i te āwhina o tō mātou hoa, mema Pāremata hoki a Hōnore Parekura Horomia i te wā haerenga o te pire nei.