NZ History MapAotearoa 1800–2000
Treaty & Crown–Māori relations

The Pākaitore occupation

Pākaitore

When
28 February 1995 – 18 May 1995
Where
Pākaitore, Whanganui · Pākaitore
Reach
Local

Whanganui iwi occupied Moutoa Gardens for 79 days, claiming the site had never been sold. The town divided sharply, and it ended peacefully.

Pākaitore had been a trading settlement and meeting place before the land became a municipal park. The occupation coincided with the government’s ‘fiscal envelope’ proposal to cap total settlements, which was rejected at hui around the country. A negotiated withdrawal avoided the confrontation many expected, and in 2001 an agreement recognised the site’s status, with the land held jointly.

Regions affected

Manawatū-Whanganui

Sources

Written for this project from these references rather than copied from them. Follow a link to check the account against the original.

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