Today, Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi has a population of just over 5,500 descendants.

There are 12 marae and 14 hapuu throughout the Ngaa Rauru Kiitahi region.

Within the northern paahuki, Te Kei o Pahitonoa are four marae; Wai-o-Turi, Whenuakura, Waipapa and Te Wairoa Iti.

The marae of Te Paahuki o te Awa are centrally located; Te Ihupuku, Kaipoo, Takirau, and Tauranga Ika.

And Te Paahuki ki te Tonga thrive in the south; Paakaraka, Taipakee, Te Aroha and Kai Iwi.

Pootonga Neilson, Ngaa Ariki:

‘I do not believe it is possible to settle the Treaty of Waitangi here in Aotearoa. It cannot be settled. As I said earlier, there is no such term in the original document, of settlement or treaty settlement, there’s no such term there so this is a fiction of the Paakehaa.’

Te Pahunga Marty Davis, Ngaati Ruaiti:

‘We felt as if we owed it to the next generation, not to pass this mahi on to them, but to make a solid stance and a difference for them.’

Carolyn Miri Young, Ngaati Ruaiti, Ngaati Maika:

‘I think post-settlement has been a lot more difficult than pre-settlement, really. Because there are so many more challenges, so – it’s just a minefield of challenges out there. And really around the best thing to do. Everybody wants a bite of the pie really.’

Te Huia Bill Hamilton, Ngaati Hine Waiatarua:

‘You always wish you had got more out of it but I think we got enough to establish a portal to grow and develop our iwi, and how well we do that is another question.’

Pootonga Neilson, Ngaa Ariki:

‘The bottom line really is, to be able to say to my mokopuna, hoki mai ki te kaainga kei reira too whenua. Our people don’t have the resources for such things and the saddest part for me is our rangatahi don’t even dream of going back to the whenua.

I’ve had them say to me, oh we don’t want to live at the paa. But it’s a lifestyle that my dad dreamed of, that I dreamed of, and it’s impossible now. So that’s really a sad aspect of the whole settlement process. It was very divisive right from the beginning.’

Mike Neho, Tumu Whakarae, Te Kaahui o Rauru:

‘In time, our descendants will sit in these roles at Te Kaahui o Rauru. If we nurture them with these sentiments, ‘Ngaa Rauru Kiitahitanga - thriving and excelling across future generations’, without a doubt, those descendants who follow after me, Marty, Bill, or whoever, Ngaapari and others, they too will sit and say, these are our long term goals.’