Whānau from Ihumātao’s Makaurau Marae have announced this morning that they will continue to hold the land and have made an official invitation to the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern asking her to visit the site.
In a media standup this morning, Haki Wilson of Makaurau Marae said, “This is an invitation to the prime minister to come to the land, to experience what we are experiencing, to talk to her people, to engage with whoever’s here, mana whenua.”
Pania Newton said they will continue to hold the land “peacefully and passively”.
“We are seeking written confirmation from Fletcher and the government that there will be no construction on the whenua until we have reached a resolution for Ihumātao whereby all the affected parties are at the table in good faith.”
During the announcement, Newton also asked for Fletcher Construction and police enforcement officers to leave "so that we are able to enter the land and exercise our kaitiakitanga and guardianship over the land and the stories that it holds.
“We represent five generations of whānau from the marae who are making decisions for our whenua. It is very disrespectful to our kaumatua and kuia who continue to hear this narrative around rangatahi versus rangatira.”
Wilson added that they are very grateful to the people who have come from across New Zealand to help protect the land.
Te Ao will have more on this story tonight at 6.30pm on Māori Television.