Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is known for her compassionate approach to politics, as demonstrated after the 2019 Christchurch mosques attack (Credit: Handout/Getty Images). For several days there was a tense standoff. In April this year New Zealands auditor-general found the deal to be unlawful until validated by an act of parliament. Cabs are easily available on hire from the railway station. 1 Why did the government take Bastion Point? New Zealand was placed in complete lockdown to stop the spread of Covid-19 across the country (Credit: Bradley White/Getty Images). [2] Bastion Point became the common Pkeh name for the site encompassing both points. 1 July 1988 The protesters, under the banner of the rkei Mori Action Committee, refused to leave their ancestral lands and occupied Bastion Point for 506 days. They surrounded the camp and made 222 arrests for trespassing. A justification for this eviction was health and sanitation issues, for which the government was ultimately responsible. In brief, the tribunal found what the claimants had insisted for generations was true, the government had failed to uphold the tribal ownership which Ngati Whatuapreferred. And their management was, as usual, expedient and not particularly honourable. Readers of Britains Telegraph have named it their favourite country seven years in a row; and after Donald Trumps 2016 election, US migration inquiries to New Zealand immediately rose 24-fold, according to The Guardian. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Aerial Shot of Bastion Point as it looks today. Protesters occupied Bastion Point (Takaparawh) in Auckland in January 1977 after the government announced a housing development on former Ngti Whtua reserve land. The national response to the coronavirus pandemic, however, so far appears to lead the world. Bastion Point was originally a Mori fishing village of the Ngti Whtua iwi that was surrounded by rich farming land. They suggest many advances didnt happen because of a conscious desire to bring forth change, but because of the nations values of fairness and equality society simply thought they were the fair or decent thing to do at the time. When did the Maori get Bastion Point back? This clearly shoes just how significant the land was for the people of Ngati Whatua, the protestors were heavily impacted by their actions as they were arrested and many were convicted. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The attention of protest action turned to the court cases of the protestors that were arrested at Bastion Point. There were a number of key significant causes of the Bastion Point Protest of 1977-78. Joseph Parata Hawke was on Thursday laid to rest at Takaparawhau/Bastion Point, the land he and his whnau fought so hard to keep. By the mid-1900s many Mori had left their traditional lands and were living in cities. These causes dated back to the mid 1800's and the occupation itself all stemmed from issues surrounding the loss of land Ngati Whatua as a result of rulings by the Native Land Court and the early New Zealand government. The illumination of the past showed the need not just for a settlement of present claims, but a better law for the future. (This was the last 60 acres (24.3ha) of uncommitted land at rkei that Ngti Whtua rkei still hoped to get back. But this remote nation is not as perfect as it seems. The area is significant in New Zealand history as the site of protests in the late 1970s by Mori against forced land alienation by Pkeh (European settlers). About 92 to 93 years later, a historical protest was held against a proposed sale of the land by the Maori iwi tribe. Dutch explorer Abel Tasman was the first European to travel to New Zealand in 1642. Robin Hyde wrote No More Dancing at Orakei. To request a copy of the recording, contact Sound Archives Ng . Gross, built above the disused Fort Britomart. So, taxis and intercity buses, especially the hop-on and hop-off buses are best to reach the point from any part of Auckland. Where should I start working out out of shape? Bastion Point was Mori ancestral land belonging to the Ngti Whtua iwi (tribe), but the New Zealand government began confiscating it in the mid-19th century. The British suppressed all Mori resistance. The nation managed to successfully contain the community spread of Covid-19 through its world-leading response to the pandemic (Credit: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images), Now a lot of the rhetoric goes, Well, if we do this, well be a world leader. Bastion Point was originally a Mori fishing village of the Ngti Whtua iwi that was surrounded by rich farming land. It was given to the Crown by Ngti Whtua as a defence site during the Russian scare of 1885. It was quickly apparent that they would need to create or repair machines from whatever scrap was lying around. In 1977-78 a 506-day protest against a proposed Crown sale was held there. Bastion Point land returned The government announced that it had agreed to the Waitangi Tribunals recommendation that Takaparawh (Bastion Point) on the southern shore of Aucklands Waitemat Harbour be returned to local iwi Ngti Whtua. In typical Kiwi black humour, the unofficial national anthem celebrates complacency: John Clarkes We Dont Know How Lucky We Are. By 1952, the last remaining residents of Orkei had been evicted from their homes and shifted into state houses. The Treaty of Waitangi, signed in 1840 by the British Crown and many Mori chiefs, was meant to be a partnership between Mori and the Crown. Other attractions located within 3 kilometres from Bastion Point can also be explored over a one-day trip. They set the terms of the negotiation, they set the parameters, they even have standard statements of apology that iwi are asked to choose from. In 1885 the New Zealand Government built a military outpost at Bastion Point, because of its commanding strategic position overlooking the Waitemat Harbour, known as Fort Bastion. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. The protest ended when the government sent in police to clear the protesters and demolish their makeshift homes. We had been so alienated from the land in the physical sense, and we just felt like we couldnt trust the authorities, she says. It is also popular for its tranquil, clean and pollution-free atmosphere. For travel information and stories specifically related to coronavirus, please readthe latest updates from ourcolleaguesat BBC News. Radio NZ sound bite interviews on the 1970s Bastion Point protest. At Bastion Point, travellers can explore the scenic surroundings that consist of natural as well as manmade settings. Any re-use of this audio is a breach of copyright. Several tour buses often make a pitstop at the harbour for it provides a great view of the river. Apart from its beautiful surroundings, it is also popular because of its history, especially the 19th-century Maori Protest that continued for almost two years. . Who wrote the music and lyrics for Kinky Boots? Without the land, the phrase tangata whenua becomes a poetic expression rather than a statement of belonging.. The saga began when hundreds of protesters, representing Ngti Whtua rkei, occupied the land after the Government of the day pushed ahead with a housing development on a former iwi reserve. The whole settlement process came about because of pressure from our people, and so in the end I think the movement for change will be unstoppable., New Zealand health chief slams gutless racism against Pasifika people over Covid cluster, Tiny New Zealand airport that tells Mori love story in running for global design award, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. These issues were created by the city council earlier when a sewer line and road were built along the foreshore which blocked the flow of storm water, creating the quagmire of sanitation problems. It is a vast expanse of coastal land that overlooks the Waitemata Harbour. [14] In 1886, the Crown used the Public Works Act 1882 (46 Vict No 37) to take ownership of 13 acres (5.3ha) of Bastion Point for this purpose of defence. It does not store any personal data. [7], The land was occupied by Ngti Whtua rkei, and before the colonisation of New Zealand it was part of important lands for the hap, overlooking rich fishing and farming areas. This led to the occupation of Bastion Point. Initially planned for Waitangi Day in February, the government pushed the announcement back until December, before revealing the land would be bought from Fletcher using $30m from the Land for Housing program. The Polynesian Panther Party (PPP) was a revolutionary social justice movement formed to target racial inequalities carried out against indigenous Mori and Pacific Islanders in Auckland, New Zealand. The 700-acre rkei block was all that remained. "Bastion Point is Mori land. Its charming surroundings draw a considerable number of visitors each year. The new housing was never built and under a Treaty of Waitangi settlement much of the land was returned to Ngti Whtua. There have been all sorts of fish hooks in it, says Jackson. Her compassionate approach to politics where success is measured not only by the nations GDP but by better lives lived by its people has caused many to see New Zealand as a bastion of progressive government. What are 6 of Charles Dickens classic novels? Since 1975, Mori have been able to reclaim land through a tribunal but its reach is limited and now they are exploring other options. the latest updates from ourcolleaguesat BBC News, measure national progress in wellbeing targets, The unexpected philosophy Icelanders live by, Where San Francisco's spirit of tolerance came from, Global attention once again turned to the nation, sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter. New Zealands government realized that the coastal land was important for the growth of Auckland and began confiscating it for public use in the mid-1800s. Looking east to Takaparawhau showing Tamaki Yacht Club where Bastion Rock was removed, 2022. According to Mori cosmogony, the earth is Papatuanuku, the mother. A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. At the same time the village at kahu Bay was not connected to the city's fresh water supply. The best time to visit Bastion Point is during the summer season which begins in the month of December and lasts till February. Savage Memorial, Auckland. Ten years later the Waitangi Tribunal supported Mori claims to the land, and the government accepted this finding. More than a year later, in May 1978, the government won a court injunction to remove the occupiers. Guns, searchlights, and an anti-submarine boom stretched to Torpedo Bay near North Head, were installed at the front of the Tamaki Yacht Club, and were later incorporated into the yacht club building. The value of land to Mori is more than economic. Thousands of mourners have gathered at rkei Marae to pay their respects throughout the week following his death on Sunday, aged 82. Read more. Choose a language from the menu above to view a computer-translated version of this page. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Numerous attempts to restore tribal ownership were made over the following decades, through the Mori Land Court, the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, the Compensation Court, and through 15 petitions to Parliament, all without success. Its purpose was to hear claims of the crowns violation of the treaty, signed in 1840 and considered New Zealands founding document. When Lieutenant G. Philpotts of the Hazard ordered the bombardment of Kororreka, Mori began looting the town. Bastion Point and the land surrounding it was seized for public works and further development of the region was carried out which continued well into the mid-20th century. It is a vast expanse of coastal land that overlooks the Waitemata Harbour. 506 days The nearby beach named Waiparera by Mori was changed to Kohimarama Beach by Pkeh. In the report which it produced in 1987 the tribunalrecommendedthe return of Bastion point to its rightful owners, Ngati Whatua. New Zealand's government realized that the coastal land was important for the growth of Auckland and began confiscating it for public use in the mid-1800s. Raglan golf course. The tribe mounted a 506-day occupation of the site in 197778. European settlement on Mori land caused conflict, and Mori began to resist European occupation. [19], When in 1941 the Crown no longer needed Bastion Point for defence, it did not return the land to its traditional Mori owners but instead gifted it to the Auckland City Council for a reserve. 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