OTAWHIWHI RESERVE AND BOWENTOWN DOMAIN by Richard Kay Heather Bassett A research report commissioned by the Waitangi Tribunal forWai 47 December 1996 TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of Figures 3 1. Introduction 4 Statement of Claim 4 Location 5 ~~ 5 Background History of Bowentown 6 2. Traditional Histories 8 3. Crown Acquisition 11 The Katikati Te Puna Purchase 11 Ngaiterangi Deed 13 Ngatimaru and Ngatitamatera Deed 14 4. Otawhiwhi Reserve and Marae 16 Occupation of the Reserve 16 Marae Renaissance 19 5. Establishment of the Domain 22 6. Development of the Domain 24 Tenants or Squatters, Baches or Shacks 24 Promoting, Developing and Managing the Domain - 1950s Onwards 27 7. Case Studies in Domain Management 32 The Recognition and Protection of Archaeological Sites 32 Sand Removal, EroSion, and Planting 34 Toilet Block Site 36 Coastguard Site 37 8. Summary 40 Bibliography 44 Appendix One: Statement of Claim, Wai 47 46 2 TABLE OF FIGURES Figure 1: Bowentown Heads and Te Kura a Maia U 13/31 (from McFadgen, p 18) Figure 2: Pa Sites of the Western Bay of Plenty (from McFadgen, pI) Figure 3: Katikati Te Puna Purchase (from Stokes, 1990, p 2) Figure 4: Te Moananui's Land Claims (from Stokes, 1992, p 88) Figure 5: Lots 25 and 26 Parish of Katikati (from LS 3/2/40) Figure 6: Domain Developments (from LS 3/2/40) Figure 7: Archaeological Sites (from Stokes, 1980, p 74) Figure 8: Te Kura a Maia (from MacFadgen, title page) Figure 9: Sand Extraction Site (from LS 3/2/40) Figure 10: Proposed Site Plan for Toilet (from Katikati Domain Records, Western Bay of Plenty District Council) Figure 11: Proposed Site Plan for Coast Guard (from Katikati Domain Records, Western Bay of Plenty District Council) Figure 12: Otawhiwhi Marae (from Katikati Advertiser, 15 April 1986) 3 1. INTRODUCTION My name is Richard James Kay. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in history, from Otago University and a Master of Arts Honours degree, majoring in history, from Waikato University. I have a Diploma of Teaching (secondary) from the Auckland College of Education. Since 1994 I have been teaching history and classical studies in Wellington. I am now based in Auckland and this is my first report for the Waitangi Tribunal. This report has been written with the assistance of Heather Bassett, who holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree, majoring in History, from Waikato University. Heather worked as a researcher for the Crown Forestry Rental Trust from 1993 to 1995, during which time she co-authored the Maori Land Legislation Manual. Heather was a staff member at the Waitangi Tribunal from June 1995 to October 1996, and has written research reports on the Otawa No 2 blocks (Wai 210) and the . urbanisation ofMaungatapu and Hairini (Wai 342 and Wai 370). All opinions, unless otherwise stated, are those of the authors. This report is a historical narrative, largely compiled from written sources. Although traditional evidence is cited, the report does not claim to speak for Maori. It is anticipated that the evidence produced in this report will be supplemented at Tribunal hearings by submissions from those Maori affected by the events herein described. Statement of Claim (see Appendix One) The Wai 47 statement of claim was lodged with the Waitangi Tribunal in February 1990. The claim was made on behalf of Ngati Pukenga, Ngaiterangi and Ngati Ranginui by William Ohia, who was then the chair of the Tauranga Moana Maori Trust Board. The claim lists several grievances relating to the whole of Tauranga Moana, including raupatu, compensation paid under the Tauranga Moana Trust Board Act 1981, TaurangaHarbour, and specific sites of significance. This report has been produced as a result of a commission from the Tribunal to research one aspect of the Wai 47 claim: 5. The failure of the Crown to provide for the control and management by the claimant iwi and hapu of reserve areas and wahi tapu of special significance to them, namely: Mauao (Mount Maunganui) Mangatawa Hill (Maunga Mana) Pukewhanake Otawhiwhi Reserve Nga Kuri a Wharei Huharua (Plummers Point) Monmouth Redoubt 4 Mauao and Monmouth Redoubt are under research as part of commissions for other Tauranga claims (Wai 540 and Wai 580 respectively). This report covers Otawhiwhi Reserve, and separate reports have also been completed under this research commission for Mangatawa, Pukewhanake, Huharua, and Nga Kuri a Wharei. Location This report focuses on the area known today as Bowentown Heads at the northern entrance to the Tauranga Harbour, overlooking Matakana Island. A sandy beach eight kilometres long with extensive sand dunes extends from Waihi Beach to the rocky headland at Bowentown. The other side of the peninsula is a tidal estuary (Waiau), facing towards Athenree (see figure 1). The headland contains prominent pa sites, including Te Kura a Maia, on which the terraced fortifications are still clearly visible. For most of the last 100 years, the majority of the peninsula has been a public recreation reserve, known as the Katikati Domain or the Bowentown Domain. The 75 hectare reserve consists of lot 25 and lot 26, Parish of Katikati, including a long stretch of sand dunes on the ocean beach side and the headland. The reserve is used extensively by both visitors and the small local population, which is considerably increased over the summer months. Lots 25 and 26 were Crown land as a result of the Katikati Te Puna purchase. Today the reserve is vested in the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, who are responsible for its administration. The name 'Otawhiwhi' traditionally refers to sandy flats on the estuary side, in front of the marae, which is also known as Otawhiwhi. The marae is situated on part of a 68 acre reserve created for Maori out of the Katikati Te Puna purchase (Lot 1, Parish of Katikati). Most of this reserve is still Maori freehold land today, held by the Whanau a Tauwhao hapu ofNgai te Rangi. Issues In 1982, as part of a submission to the Tauranga County Council and the Bay of Plenty Harbour Board, the Tauranga Moana District Maori Council had this to say about the Bowentown Heads/Otawhiwhi area: The pa sites on the heads are all included in the Domain area which is public recreation area. The shoreline area adjacent to the marae to the foot of the Pa 0 Auturourou, and including the wahi tapu, the rock which provided the name Otawhiwhi, should be seen as part of the marae development. This area of Maori land is used by Whanau 0 Tauwhao for camping, as a base for fishing and gathering pipi and tuangi ( cockles) from the nearby beds in the estuary of the Waiau. Because public camping and recreation areas are already provided in the Domain, with access to the harbour this area of shoreline and harbour should be seen as mainly, though not exclusively, used by Whanau 0 Tauwhao and visitors to the marae. 1 1 'Maori Cultural Values and Planning for Tauranga Harbour', Submission to Tauranga County Council and Bay of Plenty Harbour Board from Tauranga Moana District Maori Council, March 1982, in Evelyn Stokes, Te Raupatu 0 Tauranga Moana: Volume 2: Documents Relating to Tribal History, Confiscation and Reallocation of Tauranga Lands, University ofWaikato, Hamilton, 1992, p 42 5 As this quote states, the domain is adjacent to an area that is both traditionally important to Maori, and is still used by Maori today. The domain itself also contains several important pa and wahi tapu sites. The development and management of the domain naturally impacts on the people of Otawhiwhi, one of the small areas of land remaining in Maori ownership after the Katikati Te Puna purchase. This report focuses on the history of the administration of the recreation reserve under the Katikati Domain Board and the Department of Lands and Survey. It will be seen that throughout most of that administration, Maori had no involvement in decisions made on the use of the domain and little effort was made to protect the pa and wahi tapu sites. The history of the domain reveals conflicting views on what forms public use of a recreation reserve should take, and the increasing pressures and demands made on reserve land. This land is no longer owned by the Crown. It was vested in the Tauranga County Council. Background History of Bowentown The original inhabitants or tangata whenua of the region were Ngamarama. These people are thought to have built the terraced pa Te Kura a Maia. Today the earthworks and shell middell$ of Te Kura a Maia on the peninsula headland overlooking the northwestern entrance to Tauranga Harbour are still one of the best examples of a traditional Maori coastal fortification (see figure 2).2 The Maori name for this area was Katikati (not to be confused with the site of the current town of Katikati). According to the Historic Places Trust, the name Te Kura a Maia, when translated to English, means a training ground for young warriors, which is an apt description for a pa which was much fought over:3 Originally, the headland was just terraced, the ditch and bank across the headland being added later, but when the terraces were built, and when the ditch and bank were added is not known. There are many pa around Tauranga but terraced pa like Te Kura a Maia are uncommon, and are possibly an early form. A pa such as Te Kura a Maia could have held scores of people, although it is unlikely that so many people would have lived on Te Kura a Maia all the time.