Photo: Te Tarata/Facebook

"We're landless."

Te Ringahuia Hata of Te Whakatōhea says her small East Coast iwi are people who are navigating paths to reach economic sovereignty.

"We have high rates of crime, murder, we're the murder capital of New Zealand, so to speak. That's all those sort of social ills, structural racism. Most of our people are homeless," she rattled off.

It has been 160 years since the battle of Te Tarata where British Crown troops attacked Māori of Te Whakatōhea at Te Tarata Pā in 1865. The war led to 35 casualties and left 35 wounded - now eighth-generation descendants live to tell the story their tūpuna endured.

Post-battle, Te Whakatōhea faced raupatu (land loss) and their people are left with the remnants.

But the iwi of six hapΕ« and 500 kaihaka from iwi affected b

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