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Taranaki hapu, Ngati Te Whiti,
urge property developers to speak with them
before they dig up and discover any ancient human bones this summer.
The warning comes as property developments increase.
Ngati Te Whiti says they are frustrated
at being brought in after the fact.
The local people of Ngati Te Whiti are frustrated
with the land development view that takes place in their region.
Non-locals don't know whether or not
there are burial sites close to where they're digging.
Summer is a busy time for building houses, developing land,
and digging everywhere in the New Plymouth region.
It's not until after they begin digging and find bones,
that they call me and I say well it's your land, it's your problem.
That's the warning
that the local sub-tribe wants everyone to know
when they dig up their ancestors bones.
This is the most recent site of human bones discovery.
Non-local's first questions should be what's the history,
what are the rules and they should come and have a chat
before they start any developments.
But they think we are a nuisance
so they completely disregard our culture and beliefs.
They are disrespectful.
Ngati Te Whiti had numerous pa sites in Taranaki in pre-European times.
It's no wonder bones are being discovered in that sand dune,
that hill and all over New Plymouth.
Take the bones where?
Put them back where you found them.
I went and got the last lot of bones and reburied here.
They asked me where are the bones?
I said I put them back.
If you happen to come by some bones contact the police station.
Roihana Nuri, Te Karere.