Ngati Koata iwi members were gathering at Whakatu Marae in Nelson on Friday to witness the signing of a Treaty settlement with the Crown.
The Deed of Settlement includes financial and commercial redress valued at $11.76 million and allows Ngati Koata the chance to buy Crown-owned lands, including the site of a police station.
Ngati Koata says the signing began at 8.30am with a powhiri and is a momentous occasion.
Trust chairperson Jeanette Grace says it's a day of reflection, a day to honour the memory of their tupuna (ancestors) and thank those people who worked hard towards the outcome.
She says the Treaty package includes a Crown apology, provides historical background, as well as cultural, financial and commercial redress.
Ms Grace says the deed gives the tribe the opportunity to use some of its financial redress to purchase Crown-owned properties, including Stoke community police station and the Department of Conservation's Renwick area office.
