27. In short, Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma assert customary interests in Te Puke. We know other hapü are there too.

28. The customary and traditional evidence provided by our ancestors who stated their claims in Judge Symond’s Court we believe is absolutely correct.

29. In making these statements, and supporting the words and deeds of our ancestors, we also acknowledge the primacy of the Waitaha tüturu in Te Puke. Their claim is certainly more significant than outs, we wish only to set the historical record right, as according to the traditions and history ofNgäti Te Pukuohäkoma, and establishing a firm foundation for the future.

Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma and the Native Land Court

30. Native Land Court decisions in the past severely impacted upon Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma. The Court decision limiting our interests in Te Puke to 87 acres, shared between 5 individuals, and confiscating our interests in Tauranga lead to our demise. Whether the 5 were meant to be trustees it is not known. We certainly have no traditions that the Native Land Court treated the 5 individuals as trustees. What is known though is that not all Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma were included. As this was the only piece of land awarded Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma in name, all of the hapū other than the 5 people named received nothing what so ever, essentially sealing the fate of the hapü. This hapü ceased to function as a hapü after this date, and most of the members went to live with Ngäti Pükenga. In my view, this is a good example of how hapü interests were transferred to a small number of individuals through the Native Land Court system. Our communal hapü title was destroyed.

31. Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma has suffered considerably as a hapü, indeed more than most. Land confiscation in Tauranga Moana deprived Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma of all their traditional interests there, amounting to many thousands of acres, this was acknowledged by both Commissioner Clarke in Tauranga, and later by Judge Symonds in his judgement for Te Puke.

32. While all Waitaha suffered, Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma were left totally bereft. Of the lands awarded to Waitaha, Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma received a mere 87 acres, of 1,500 acres in total returned to Waitaha in Te Puke, and nothing in Tauranga. While Hakaraia’s rebellion was the reason given for dispossessing all of Waitaha, clearly it was about the monetary value the land represented.

33. Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma in the 19^th Century under the leadership of notable leaders such as Ihaka Te Hiwi fought hard to protect and maintain the mana of the hapü. Like many of Te Arawa, including a good proportion of Waitaha, he aligned his people with the Crown believing that by doing so the interests of his hapü would be protected. While the bigger hapü, such as Ngäti Whakaue may have prosper ed through this relationship (albeit for a short period), smaller hapü like Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma did not. Ngäti Te Pukuohäkoma, in retrospect, would have feared better had they taken up arms against the Crown.