In order to set up the Native Council, the Hapu must set themselves in Order. This is done simply by completing the “Set Up Process”. and presenting documents for verification. Set up is a six step process as described below.

1. Identify your lands
2. List your whakapapa
3. Hold a hapu meeting to:
4. – Authenticate whakapapa and lands
5. – Constitute and
6. Record the Hapu as a Hapu Native Council – click here

Step 1. Identify your lands
Gather your land papers together.
– Go to Maori Land Court
– Go to your parents
– Go to your uncles and aunties
Get any land papers with your name, your parents name, your tupuna name on them.
Step One Complete

 

Step 2. List your whakapapa
Get your whakapapa papers together.
– Go to your parents
– Go to your kaumatua and kuia
– Go to you uncles and aunties
– Go to your cousins
Get your whakapapa organized. Cant find your whakapapa on paper? Write
it down as you know it.
Step Two Complete

 

Step 3. Hold a hapu meeting
Hold hui with whanau/hapu
– Invite your koroua and kuia
– Invite your brothers and sisters
– Invite your cousins
Invite only those with likeminded thinking. Leave the others to continue with their chosen direction or come along in their time.
Hold the hui with the intention of Authenticating and Setting the Hapu into.
Step Three Complete

 

Step 4. In that meeting, Authenticate whakapapa and lands
Verify the land papers and whakapapa papers
– In your hui, table your land papers
– Verify as true and correct that the relevant names on the papers are of bloodline descent and not through marriage
– The land papers are now authenticated by the hapu
– Table your whakapapa papers
– Verify as true and correct that the chieftain ancestors are of
bloodline descent and NOT THROUGH MARRIAGE
– The whakapapa is now authenticated by the hapu

Step 5. In that meeting, Constitute the Hapu
– Assent to Te Whakaputanga 1835
– Assent to Te Tiriti O Waitangi 1840
– Agree to the HapuConstitution.
– Have the hui minuted and include the following

All bloodline attendees
Names of all the lands authenticated as true and correct
Names of relevant/selected tupuna of bloodline descent authenticated as bloodline and NOT THROUGH MARRIAGE
The whakapapa authenticated as true and correct
Assent to Te Whakaputanga & Te Tiriti O Waitangi & Hapu Constitution
The Name of the Tupuna of which the Hapu will be named after and their gender
The Name by which the Hapu will be known as
Have the minutes printed up and ready for presentation when applying for Native Council.

(Assent to Te Whakaputanga & Te Tiriti O Waitangi
is necessary to be recognized by Law).
Step Four and Five Complete

Step 6. Record the Hapu as a Native Council
Apply for Native Council Status
– Make the application online or through The Secretariat
– Present your minutes to The Secretariat
– Confirm the Hapu koha with The Secretariat
Step Six Complete

The Set Up Process is complete.
Once all documentation is recieved and verified, The Hapu will receive The essential Native Council pack that allows the Hapu to operate and enact their customs and tikanga under the protection of The Law.

The Secretariat may require witnessing of sensitive land and whakapapa papers. This should only come about if there is another Hapu making application on the same rohe whenua. This should not be offensive to the Hapu with honourable and truthful intention as it is a process to determine honour and truth.