It is a vast expanse of coastal land that overlooks the Waitemata Harbour. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. The closest airport to Bastion Point is located about 29 kilometres away, near Mangere and is called the Auckland International Airport (AKL). Fletchers Building planned to construct 500 houses on the land after buying it in 2016. The scale and nature of the evictions, in which police demolished the protest groups gardens and makeshift buildings, helped alert New Zealanders to the land claims of Mori around the country. Ten years later the Waitangi Tribunal supported Mori claims to the land, and the government accepted this finding. The protest contributed to the cause of other movements such as the occupation of Bastion Point in 1978. 6 Why was Bastion Point important to New Zealand? This railway station is the closest to Bastion Point. Savage Memorial, Auckland. They know deep down.. In the end the state prevailed. If you are visiting New Zealand on February 6th, youll be part of Waitangi Day, our national holiday. Several tour buses often make a pitstop at the harbour for it provides a great view of the river. areas. What are 6 of Charles Dickens classic novels? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The weather is comparatively cold and transitioning into the summer. Independence 1947 - New Zealand gains full independence from Britain. 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. [14] The occupiers constructed a marae and housing, and grew crops. What were the causes of the Bastion Point occupation? The whole idea of that relationship with the Earth mother is not some exotic, spiritual thing its actually a very practical thing, says Jackson. We value your privacy. It began on 5 January 1977, and ended on 25 May 1978 (the 507th day), when 222 protesters were evicted and arrested by police. [18] Mori from the p met Savages' body when it arrived back in Auckland in 1940. New Zealand is unique among former British colonies as it has a treaty, signed in 1840 between the Maori chiefs through New Zealand, and the Crown. By continuing to use this site, you consent to the terms of our cookie policy, which can be found in our. Tourists often visit via hop-on and hop-off buses. [5], On 20 March 1840 in the Manukau Harbour area where Ngti Whtua farmed, paramount chief Apihai Te Kawau signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi. She pointed to her grubby sweatshirt. Ihumtao contains evidence of New Zealands first commercial gardens, where thousands of hectares were planted with kumara, a tropical sweet potato which thrived in the warm and nutritious soil. This led to the occupation of Bastion Point. The best time to visit Bastion Point is during the summer season which begins in the month of December and lasts till February. Looking east along Biddicks Bay towards Takaparawha showing Bastion Rock, since demolished, 1901. The future of the world is written in penguin blood. In the report which it produced in 1987 the tribunalrecommendedthe return of Bastion point to its rightful owners, Ngati Whatua. On May the 25th 1978, police and army evicted 222 people from the waterfront reserve after a 506 day standoff. Five hundred and six days later, police and army arrived en masse to remove them. Bastion Point (Mori: Takaparawhau) is a coastal piece of land in Orakei, Auckland, New Zealand, overlooking the Waitemat Harbour. Bastion Point celebrated and remembered. They were the first inhabitants of the islands. Other than the summer, people could find the spring season worth visiting the destination too i.e. Pania Newton, a recent law graduate, moved into a caravan on the site in November 2016, determined to stop the planned development. The firm planned to build almost 500 houses on the plot a goldmine in Auckland, where the nations housing crisis has seen prices increase to more than 10 times the average annual income. After European settlement of Auckland, the lands of the Ngti Whtua tribe were gradually whittled away, and the harbourside area of Bastion Point was taken by the Crown for defence purposes. Police block protesters from the site at Ihumtao. If there were ever a time to close the gap between groups of people across New Zealand in different positions, it is now, Ardern said. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Culture, Worklife and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. Today is a celebration of the courage of those men and women who held out for over 500 days until they were forcibly removed. A fire in a tent on September 26, 1977 caused the death of a young girl named Joanna Hawke, the niece of protest leader Joe Hawke. There are landscaped gardens, lawns, dense natural vegetation and several monuments including the historical monuments that travellers can explore. By its 30th anniversary in October 2005, the Tribunal had So, taxis and intercity buses, especially the hop-on and hop-off buses are best to reach the point from any part of Auckland. 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. People can visit the Tamaki River, Waitemata Harbour, Mission Bay Beach, M J Savage Memorial Park, Sea Life Kelly Tarltons Aquarium, etc. This reflected New Zealanders view that equality (rather than freedom) was the most important political value and the most compelling goal for the society to strive for and protect.. Global attention once again turned to the nation: while there was some criticism over how the government reacted, others said New Zealand offered a model response of empathy, clarity and trust in science. An estimated 8.3m hectares (20.5m acres) of land in the North Island nearly 73% of the landmass as well as almost the entire South Island were taken from Mori through confiscation and inequitable purchases between 1840 and 1939. Takaparawhau / Bastion Point is a coastal piece of land in rkei, Auckland, New Zealand, overlooking the Waitemat Harbour. Unable to get the land back, a group of Ngti Whtua spent 506 days occupying Bastion Point in a nonviolent protest to bring attention to the issue. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. The nearby beach named Waiparera by Mori was changed to Kohimarama Beach by Pkeh. She believes wholeheartedly the best way to uphold that is to keep it, rightfully, as customary land. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Mori are members of a Polynesian people who arrived in New Zealand in the early 13th century. However the tribunal did not only lay blame with the government, they also made negative comments about the actions of Joe Hawke and the protestors who occupied the land at Bastion Point. Why SJF Cannot be implemented practically? The protest ended when the government sent in police to clear the protesters and demolish their makeshift homes. . But in the 1860s, war broke out between the British crown and a federation of iwi, or tribes, known as the Kingitanga, who were trying to counter the increasingly aggressive land grabs by settlers. As Ranganui Walker states, this is by no means a simple case of willful dispossession: "In a long running battle to resist the state and save the land, there were eight actions in the Maori Land Court, four in the Supreme Court, two in the Court of Appeal, two in the Compensation Court, six appearances before Commissions or Committees of Inquiry, and fifteen Parliamentary Petitions. The protest and the subsequent government handling of the occupation brought international attention to the Mori land situation. A 1977 government plan to develop expensive housing on Bastion Point prompted a 506-day occupation by the tribe and supporters. The occupation and the use of force to end it played a part in highlighting injustices against Mori, and the occupation became a major landmark in the history of Mori protest. However, in the 1970s Mori groups became politically active. 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. It would remain so for the next 150 years. Britannica does not review the converted text. Who was plundering and looting Kororreka Why? The protest ended when the government sent in police to clear the protesters and demolish their makeshift homes. The illumination of the past showed the need not just for a settlement of present claims, but a better law for the future. New Zealanders prize modesty, and are suspicious of anyone who seems to consider themselves better than others; hence what is called Tall Poppy Syndrome: chopping down someone who thinks they are a cut above the crowd. Who is the rightful owner of Bastion Point? While those solutions were not entirely satisfactory, Newton says the success at Ihumtao shows the viability of alternative avenues by which Mori can pursue the reclamation of their land outside the treaty process. After the end of the occupation, Ngti Whtua filed claims to the Waitangi Tribunal, which the government largely accepted. He said the garden, and perhaps by implication, the whole protest, was too late. In the mid-1970s the government decided to sell the land to local developers to build expensive homes. The Orakei block ought to have been reserved in tribal ownership and control forever. Jackson says the governments solution was typical of the way in which it deals with Mori land rights. The pou has the shape of a taurapa (the stern of a waka) standing on a concrete plinth representing the toka (rock) that acted as a beacon for waka, known as Bastion Rock.[28]. Why was Bastion Point important to New Zealand? Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. The Anglican and Catholic churches were spared from destruction on Hekes orders. Beginning in the 1970s, widespread campaigns and occupations began pressuring the government to recognise the grievances of Mori who had been dispossessed. Bastion Point was originally a Mori fishing village of the Ngti Whtua iwi that was surrounded by rich farming land. The tribe mounted a 506-day occupation of the site in 197778. 40 years ago the eviction of protesters from Bastion Point or Takaparawhau in Auckland triggered the beginning of the new era in land rights, says the Minister of Mori Development the Hon Nanaia Mahuta. Please note: Text within images is not translated, some features may not work properly after translation, and the translation may not accurately convey the intended meaning. Panorama showing the annual Manu Aute Kite Day, held on Takaparawhau on the first Matariki long weekend, June 2022. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. They surrounded the camp and made 222 arrests for trespassing. The national response to the coronavirus pandemic, however, so far appears to lead the world. (The tribunal had been set up in 1975 to consider Mori claims about breaches in the 1840 treaty.) The area is significant in New Zealand history as the site of protests by Mori against forced land alienation by pkeh (European settlers) in the late 1970s. Mission Bay is located seven kilometres to the east of the city centre, on the southern shore of the Waitemat Harbour, between rkei and Kohimarama. WithJoeHawke advocating for the claim, the Orakei claim, as it was known, became the the first of the historical claimswhich the tribunal investigated, and this would pave the way for countless claims to come. The 1991 rkei Act was passed to recognise the rights of Ngti Whtua rkei under the treaty. Local Mori were certain they would be priced out, despite Fletchers assurances that a number of homes would be reserved. It didn't belong to the Crown. In 1976 the government proposed selling part of the Bastion Point reserve for luxury housing. Soon after signing Te Tiriti, Ngti Whtua rkei, the primary hap and landowner in Tmaki Makaurau, made a tuku (strategic gift) of 3,500 acres (1,400 hectares) of land on the Waitemat Harbour to William Hobson, the new Governor of New Zealand, for the new capital. As occupations emerge, New Zealands government must face complex questions around ownership and redress. Watch Bastion Point: the untold story (1999), from NZ On Screen: Why was there a protest at Bastion Point? It has large columns, sunken gardens and a reflecting pool which was built in two years by Fletcher Construction for 34,533, with the cost raised by subscription. In 1982 two. Bastion Point was essentially the land overlooking a vast expanse of fertile farmlands and fishing areas. Protesters occupied Bastion Point (Takaparawh) in Auckland in January 1977 after the government announced a housing development on former Ngti Whtua reserve land. 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. In 1988 the government agreed with the Waitangi Tribunals recommendation and gave Takaparawhau back to the Ngti Whtua. From the city centre, Bastion Point is located about 3 kilometres away and can be accessed via this route Federal Street Wyndham Street Albert Street Customs Street W Customs Street E Commerce Street Quay Street. wo years ago, a small pocket of land three kilometres from Aucklands international airport became the most prominent site of a struggle by. The tomb is inscribed: Michael Joseph Savage, 18721940, He loved his fellow men. The land had been gradually reduced in size by compulsory acquisition, leaving the Ngti Whtua ki rkei tribal group holding less than 1 ha. Read more 25 May 1978 Bastion Point protesters evicted, Copyright All rights reserved. Read more. Radio NZ sound bite interviews on the 1970s Bastion Point protest. This documentary examines the rich and tragic history of Bastion Point/Takaparawhau including how questionable methods were used to gradually . The treaty is one source of New Zealands constitutional system, however the documents Mori translation has been contentious since its inception. 1 July 1988 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. When the crown enters into negotiations over what they call settlements, I think its a misnomer, says Jackson. Food can be another reason for travellers to spend some more time at Bastion Point. Today, the nation has shamefully unequal rates of Mori health, educational and judicial outcomes, and youth suicide statistics are tragically high. The land was occupied by Ngti Whtua, and before the colonisation of New Zealand it was part of important lands for the iwi (tribe), overlooking rich fishing and farming areas. 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). The subjects covered everything from very specific local problems to These claims have not stopped, in the last 10 years there have been a number of multi-million dollar claims settled as a result of findings of the tribunal. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. 1 When did the Maori get Bastion Point back? It also paid $3 million to Mori to assist with housing and development issues. Its purpose was to hear claims of the crowns violation of the treaty, signed in 1840 and considered New Zealands founding document. If you look at the right of women to vote, in the 1890s, no-one was saying, We want to be the first, said Professor Paul Moon, respected historian and social commentator. As a result of this Ngati Whatua has built a strong relationship with Auckland City over the last 20 years, and they have been given shared responsibility for public spaces within their area. 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. It is a vast expanse of coastal land that overlooks the Waitemata Harbour. "Bastion Point is Mori land. At the same time, they are reopening for a new generation of Mori the question of how much of their lost land can be reclaimed. "[15][16], In 1936 rkei was proposed as a site for state housing by the First Labour Government, and in August a Mori delegation asked Prime Minister Savage that at least the marae on the flat foreshore where he had been ceremonially welcomed after his election should be retained by the tribe. It was misleading for the government to be pushing for it to be purchased using housing money, when clearly it could be purchased using a heritage fund, or the conservation fund, but they wanted to make it look as though there were still going to be houses on that land.. The occupants were served with trespass notices and a large police presence moved in. Panorama showing Tamaki Yacht Club, both Takaparawhau points and searchlight emplacement number three, 2022. 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