Research Report 2: Waimata River Anne Salmond, Caroline Phillips
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TE AWAROA: RESTORING 1000 RIVERS RESEARCH REPORT 2: WAIMATA RIVER ANNE SALMOND, CAROLINE PHILLIPS NATIVE LAND COURT RECORDS OF BLOCKS ON THE WAIMATA RIVER, GISBORNE 1 MAORI LAND COURT MINUTE BOOKS & MAPS OF BLOCKS ON THE WAIMATA RIVER, GISBORNE: A COMPILATION Anne Salmond, Caroline Phillips 2 MLC – Waimata: Caroline Phillips research North of Waimata 1. Arakihi ML 61 1876 WMB 2 21 pages Not read 2. Takapau ML 18 1875 GMB 2 6 pages brief notes 3. Mangaheia 1 no map 1870 GMB 1 5 pages brief notes 4. Rangikohua/Mangapapa ML 103 1876 WMB 2 8 pages brief notes 5. Panikau ML 356 1881 WMB 6 3 pages brief notes 6. Te Pohue ML 160 1879 WMB 3 13 pages Partly got 7. Taumatarata ML 104 1876 WMB 2 12 pages brief notes 8. Waiomoku ML 259 1881 GMB 4 2 pages Not found Coastal 9. Uawa ML 4 1869 GMB 1 9 pages brief notes 10. Paremata ML 329 1870 GMB 1 6 pages brief notes 11. Tokomaru ML 392 1884 WMB 6 58 pages brief notes 12. Tuawhatu ML 87A 1879 WMB 5 17 pages brief notes 13. Mokairau ML 108 1876 WMB 2 7 pages brief notes 14. Puatai ML 538 1868 GMB 1 2 pages brief notes 15. Pokotakina ML 226 1881 GMB 6 11 pages brief notes 16. Pakare 1 & 2 ML 214/215 1881 GMB 6 31 pages Illegible 17. Whangara no map 1870 GMB 1 4 pages brief notes 18. Pouawa (part in Waimata) ML 297 1870 GMB 1 4 pages brief notes 19. Kaiti (part in Waimata) no map 1870 GMB 1 21 pages transcribed Inland (towards Pouawa River) 20. Waihora 2 ML 77 1875 GMB 4 8 pages Not read 21. Paraeroa 1 & 2 ML 265 1881 GMB 6 6 pages Illegible 22. Mangaoae ML 46 1875 GMB 2 18 pages Not read 23. Ahirau ML 45 1875 GMB 2 5 pages brief notes 24. Papakorokoro ML 383 sketch 1883 GMB 8 5 pages brief notes 25. Ngakoroa ML 145 PART Poverty Bay Commission 26. Waihirere ML 799 1882 GMB 8 7 pages Not read 27. Whatuapoko (part in Waimata) ML 433 Poverty Bay Commission Illegible Waimata 28. Whakaroa/Waimata North ML 114 1879 GMB4 16 pages transcribed 29. Waimata West ML 74 GMB 3 7 pages transcribed 30. Te Umu-o-Waiti /Waimata East no map 1879 GMB 4 22 pages transcribed 31. Pukeakura/Waimata South no map 1879 WMB 3 4 pages brief notes 32. Kopuatuaki ML 299 Poverty Bay Commission 18. Pouawa (part coast) ML 297 1870 GMB 1 4 pages brief notes 19. Kaiti (part coast) no map 1870 GMB 1 21 pages transcribed 28. Whatuapoko (part in Waimata) ML 433 Poverty Bay Commission Illegible 3 FINDINGS: i. WAIMATA RIVER A HIGHWAY In ancestral times, the Waimata River served as an inland highway linking Turanga to the East Coast, especially Whangara and Uawa. Those who lived on the North, West and East Waimata blocks had close relationships with Ngati Konohi at Whangara and Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti at Uawa. Some gave their first fruits to the ariki of Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti. Because the river carves its way through steep hill country with relatively few ‘chokepoints’ where hard rock confines its flow, creating fertile flood plains, there was relatively little gardening in the upper reaches of the river. People used the Waimata River largely to gain access to inland bush and freshwater foods, and to travel between the East Coast and Turanga. Most settlements on the Waimata were sited near the river mouth in Turanga, with its access to a sentinel site at Titirangi, extensive alluvial flats, wetlands and the ocean. ii. INLAND WAIMATA A REFUGE In times of war, kin groups might flee inland and live upriver for a time, before returning to the coast. Some inland settlements that survive as placenames or archaeological sites were based on this kind of occupation. The lower Waimata from Motukeo towards Titirangi was used for seasonal occupation, including gardening and harvesting bush and freshwater foods. iii. TE WAI-O-HIHARORE A SAFE HAVEN Before the first Europeans arrived in Turanga, Te Wai-o-Hiharore, a small coastal area between the Waikanae stream (the site of many eel weirs) and Te Oneroa beach (where fishing nets were cast and pipi were collected) on the western mouth of the river was set aside as a fishing camp. In times of war, inland kin groups could safely fish at Te Wai-o-Hiharore, which was used by all of Te Aitanga-a- Mahaki. A freshwater spring on the site flowed under the beach into the sea, attracting kahawai. After the hearings in 1875, the Native Land Court set aside an inalienable reserve on the block as a fishing station for the use of local iwi, under the names of Riparata Kahutia as the major owner (who identified herself as Te Whanau-a-Iwi), then Rutene te Eke, Wi Pere, Pimia Haata & Paora Matua Kore. iv. WHATAUPOKO: CONFLICT RESOLVED BY KONOHI OF WHANGARA In about 1740, before the arrival of the Endeavour, two warriors - Tuarau o Te Rangi from Repongaere and Waiopotango from Whanau-a-Kai - joined forces to try and expel Te Whanau-a-Iwi from the mouth of the Waimata River. At that time Whanau-a-Iwi, the descendants of Iwipuru and Tauwheoro (who married Te Nonoi) lived along the Whataupoko Hills, and the Makauri and Turanganui flats. Unfortunately the notable warrior Tamauia was away, fighting on the Urewera 4 frontier, so Te Whanau-a-Iwi called on Konohi from Whangara to assist them. He made an offer of peace to the younger warriors who turned it aside, and when he met them on the war path at Wai-o-hika, they were captured. Konohi had their heads cut off and hung from a rail on a whata (hence the name Whataupoko) at McRae Point, while their bodies were thrown into the ocean. To mark his victory, Konohi erected a rahui mark named Tuakare at the mouth of the Waikanae Stream, showing that Te Whanau-a-Iwi were under his protection. He put Te Maanga of Ngai Tawhiri in charge of it and returned to Whangara. Te Maanga and his two brothers Manawa-o-te Rangi and Powhakaika lived at Te Wai-o-Hiharore in a house called Pikanga Hau. When Te Maanga was challenged by Te Ika-Whaingata of Ngai Tawhiri, who claimed to be younger and more powerful and put up his own rahui mark on the Awapuni Block, Te Maanga knocked it down. When Te Ika placed another rahui pole at Kopututea at the mouth of the Waipaoa, Te Maanga knocked that down too. After Te Ika placed a third rahui pole near Te Wai-o-Hiharore and Te Maanga knocked it down, Te Ika called on Te Whanau-a-Apanui to assist him in attacking Te Maanga at Muriwai, but Te Maanga escaped. Thinking to kill Te Maanga, Te Ika invited him to join him in attacking Te Papa. When they fought at Te Papa, Te Ika was killed, and his people did not return to the mouth of the river. The guardianship of Te Whanau-a-Kai and Te Wai-o-Hiharore passed to Te Maanga’s son Te Kaapa, Te Kaapa’s son Rukupo, and to his son Kahutia, Riparata Kahutia’s father. Riparata (who named her kin group in Native Land Court hearings as “Te Whanau-a-Iwi, a hapu of Te Aitanga a Mahaki”) was the mother of Heni Materoa, who married Sir James Carrol. This guardianship arrangement remained in place until the time of the Native Land Court in 1875. According to Riparata, her father Kahutia and his forebears occupied sites on Tuamotu and both sides of the mouth of the river: “My ancestors up to the time of my grandfather occupied different places on [the Kaiti] block from near the island of Tuamotu round to the river and used to catch fish and cray fish out of the sea. The fern root digging at Maungaroa spoken of yesterday belonged to my ancestors Kuriwahanui and his children. He dug fern root there after the fights I have mentioned. Another fern root digging was at Parahaki (of my ancestors). Te Kaapa [3 gen] worked that it was bad and he left it. In the time of my father Kahutia he worked the fern root at Maungaroa and put a rahui there. I don’t know whether this was before or after the Pakehas came. That Rahui stood a long time. Rawiri nor any one else ever attempted to knock it down. My ancestor Te Maanga [4 gen] grew food opposite Te Onepu. Te Onepu is on the other side of the stream to Kaiti. He and his people cultivated kumaras at Waikirikiri on this block. He also had a place on a tree for taking kakas. Ruku had a kumara and taro plantation at Urumatai above where the church now stands. Another place of ours was the Whatapaua beyond where Mr William’s house now stands. There were three houses there owned by my father Kahutia. He lived there planted potatoes and caught fish. He was living there when Harris came. I didn’t see the houses but Harris told me before he died that my father had three houses there.” 5 EAST COAST COMMISSION & NATIVE LAND COURT EVIDENCE: BLOCKS 1. AWAPUNI EAST COAST COMMISSION [?] p. 32 November 20 1873 “Te Awapuni” being called – Mr Cuff appeared for Capt. Read Mr. Tucker also appeared for Capt. Read. Riparata Kahutia, sworn. This is my land as described in the map before the Court, my claim is an ancestral one, and I claim through two ancestors, by Te Manga, and Kuriwahanui.