Tāmaki tribes today
Today there are six tribes in the wider Tāmaki (Auckland) region: Ngāti Pāoa on Waiheke Island; Ngāi Tai at Maraetai; Ngāti Whātua at Ōrākei; Te Wai-o-Hua/Ngā Oho at Māngere; Ngāti Te Ata at Manukau; and Te Kawerau-a-Maki in the Waitākere Ranges.
Waitangi Tribunal reports and settlements
Between 1985 and 1987 the Waitangi Tribunal released three reports concerning tribes in the Tāmaki region.
The Waiheke report stated that Ngāti Pāoa had been unfairly made almost landless. In 1990 a settlement was signed that transferred ownership of the Ngāti Pāoa Station on Waiheke Island and provided finance for the purchase of stock.
The Manukau report detailed tribal land loss around Manukau Harbour. It was instrumental in introducing the Resource Management Act 1991, which makes statutory allowance for the consideration of Māori environmental concerns. In another positive outcome, Te Wai-o-Hua and Ngāti Te Ata were named as consultant guardians of Manukau Harbour.
The Ōrākei report found that Ngāti Whātua had unfairly lost lands, and that the eviction from Ōkahu Bay in the 1950s was unjust. The tribe received financial compensation and now play a prominent role in the Māori cultural and political life of Auckland. Ngāi Tai and Te Kawerau-a-Maki have also submitted claims before the Waitangi Tribunal.
The future
The Tāmaki tribes now live in an environment where local authorities increasingly recognise their importance to the future of Auckland. For example, Te Kawerau-a-Maki now have a significant role at the visitors’ centre in Arataki, the gateway to the Waitākere Ranges.
