Local iwi on Aotea Great Barrier Island may have found evidence that could put a halt to the Crown giving “their” land to another iwi.

Ngātiwai ki Aotea Hapū Trust, which represents mana whenua on Aotea Great Barrier Island, says the Crown was wrong to offer properties on the island to Hauraki iwi as part of their Treaty settlement deal in 2018, and the trust has evidence to prove it.

The trust commissioned well-known Treaty of Waitangi historian Tony Walzl to research the history of Aotea Great Barrier Island.

The 600-page report found Hauraki has no ancestral links to the land, as well as “fundamental flaws” in the Crown’s research which led to the pre-emptive land giving.

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Treaty Minister Andrew Little received the report on Saturday and is yet to make a decision on the matter.

Ngātiwai Trust Board chairperson Aperahama Kerepeti-Edwards said the research validated what the board had voiced since day one – that there are no Hauraki-based interests on Aotea.

“There are no other mana whenua on Aotea.

“The research found that Hauraki tūpuna were wrongfully recognised by the Crown and that the only Te Tiriti o Waitangi breaches on Aotea Great Barrier were against Ngātiwai, Ngāti Rehua – Ngātiwai ki Aotea,” he said.

“The marae on Aotea are ours, the urupā, the kāinga are all our people’s. The only people who conduct tikanga, place rāhui and live on the Barrier are our own whānau.”

Kerepeti-Edwards said it was almost unbelievable that the hapū have found themselves in this situation, but hoped the evidence provided in the report would restore their rights over the whenua in their tribal territory.

Huhana Lyndon, chief executive of the trust, said the research project was an independent comprehensive examination into the Crown’s offerings to Hauraki on Aotea.

“The research report evaluates Hauraki interests on Aotea, the nature of the historic land transactions (1838 – 1856) and evaluates the Māori Land Court judgment of 1998.”

While the report appears damning, lead negotiator of Pare Hauraki Collective’s settlement Paul Majurey said Marutuahu and Pare Hauraki also have independent expert historical research confirming their customary interests at Aotea.

However, as the High Court recently confirmed in its decision to reject the exclusive mana whenua claim of Ngāti Whatua Ōrākei in April, the role of historians in contests over tikanga is limited, Majurey said.

“The reality here is that the iwi have different traditions and different tikanga. Neither is superior, they are different and reflect the respective histories of the iwi.

“Ultimately, what is important is the whanaungatanga shared between us.”

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But Aotea kaumātua Opo Ngāwaka said, in light of the new evidence, it was imperative that the Crown revoke its offer of properties on Aotea to their southern relatives.

“We are whanaunga, but we will never support the Crown offering settlement to Hauraki on the island.”

Little said the re-evaluation of redress offers relating to Aotea and Hauraki iwi was an issue that had been under consideration, however, he was yet to make any call on whether to uphold Ngātiwai’s concerns following the report.

“I am awaiting further advice from officials on the request.”