Waikawau - Otauira

Tamatekapua, who captained the waka ‘Arawa’ traversed the oceans of Hawaiki to Aotearoa (approx. 1250 – 1300 AD) following the exploration trail of his tupuna Kupe, the discoverer of Aotearoa whom traversed these same oceans 500 years earlier.

Ihenga, the mokopuna of Tamatekapua, grown into a young man, inherited the same exploration traits as his koroua Tama and his tupuna Kupe, that sense of adventure and discovery of new lands.

Henceforth, Ihenga followed his urge to explore and discover new lands, naming many places as he traveled from Maketu to Rotorua onwards to the far north, the Taitokerau region. 

Within the Rotorua region he named lake Rotoiti, Ohau channel, lake Rotorua, Te Motu Tapu-a-Tinirau now known as Mokoia, and Ngongotaha to name a few. 

He also gave name to ‘Waikawau’, the shore area of what people now know as the Hannah’s Bay reserve, and Otauira the wetlands within the reserve. The name Waikawau was given when Ihenga came upon this shore and saw a mass abundance of Kawau causing him to say, “ka horohia te wai e te kawau, the waters here have been over-whelmed by the Kawau.” 

Note: The Kawau. a general term used for a wide variety of shags which are a medium to large diving bird. Normally all black or black on top and white below, with short webbed feet and long neck, long hooked bills.  And ‘wai’ being the waters of where these ‘Kawau’ were sighted. Further, Kawau takes its name from a battle formation ‘Kawau maaroo’ utilising the triangle in where the points of the triangle were used to spear head attacks that broke and separated the enemy. Similarly, to the Kawau when diving into the waters.

Upon further exploration of the area, Ihenga ventured into the wetlands which surrounded ‘Waikawau’ and was amazed by the wide variety of varying species; plants, fish and insects, that all lived in harmony within this wetland, and the richness of the paru/soil. This prompted him to say, “He rawe nui ngaa tumomo tauira o te waahi nei, this place is possessed by so many amazing differing species of life.” 

Note: Waahi is ‘O’ and ‘Tauira’ is species. The wetlands that Ihenga saw covered the whole of the Hannahs Bay area to the Waengaehe Stream, and included some of the Airport land. Also, the Otauira wetlands and its importance to Ngāti Te Rorooterangi is where our tupuna Manawa buried the famed mere pounamu ‘kai tangata’ of his koroua Te Rorooterangi. This taonga was gifted to his koroua by Ngai Te Rangi (Tauranga Moana) for bravery and compassion shown to their Iwi. Further, Māori were able to create maaraa (man grown food gardens) within these wetlands utilising the richness of the soil.

TE ATE O PAPATUUAANUKU

Wetlands played a very important part to Māori in terms of the well-being of Papatūānuku and the impact that had to the wellness of Māori. They were the purifiers of Papatūānuku, likened to the function of the liver and the kidneys within the tinana of man. Māori are of the belief that their health is intertwined with the health of Papatūānuku - therefore is Papatūānuku is suffering, then so are Māori, hence the importance in terms of responsibility for the care and protection of the wetlands.

UUHI TANGATA

Therein the RESPONSIBILITY for protecting the well-being of these wetlands always sat with Mana Whenua, Ngāti Uenukukopako and his mokopuna Ngāti Te Rorooterangi. The tribes of old and their understanding of Uuhi Tangata and its importance were always respectful of this tikanga and worked with mana whenua in the care and protection of these wetlands.