A Te Arawa Runanga in Bay of Plenty says Ngati Raukawa is trying to stake claim to its tribal lands.
Te Runanga o Ngati Kea Ngati Tuara chairman Eru George says its sacred lands at Horohoro, south-west of Rotorua, do not have ties to south Waikato iwi Raukawa.
The Ngati Kea and Ngati Tuara subtribes traditionally cover about 45,000 hectares stretching from Horohoro and including the east side of Tokoroa.
Mr George says if Raukawa cannot produce genuine proof of its history and connection to land at Horohoro, the runanga will go to the Waitangi Tribunal.
Raukawa says it's talking to neighbouring iwi about overlapping claims and wants to avoid intervention the tribunal's intervention.
Crown guidelines to tribes make it clear that any competing claims need to be resolved before a deed of settlement is initialled.
