Moutohora Island

Region: Bay of Plenty
Project type: Restoration
Key person: Te Kei Merito

Moutohora Island

Nga Tapuwae tatai hikohiko

This project aims to revive Ngati Awa papa nohonga tipuna on Moutohora Island, Bay of Plenty.

Features

With the support of Matauranga Kura Taiao funding, Ngati Awa are restoring and resuscitating key sites of spiritual, historical and cultural significance on Moutohora Island.

These are the mara kumara (kumara gardens) at Te Rawhiti, Onepu/nga/ngawha and the stone terracing at Raetihi Pa.

History

Moutohora Island (143 hectares) lies 9 km off the coast near Whakatane and has long been a key ancestral site of the Ngati Awa. Three of their chiefs occupied Raetihi Pa: Rongotauaroa-a-tai c. 1400AD, Taiwhakaea c. 1600 AD and the last was Te Ngarara during the turbulent 1800's.

Moutohora has numerous papa nohonga tipuna including the remnants of fortified works at Raetihi, and an urupa (wahi tapu) called Te Pari Kawau at One Roa (Boulder Bay). Other archaelogical sites include;

• Stone windbreaks around the original garden sites (Mara kumara at Te Rawhiti)
• Middens
• House terraces
• Stone tool manufacturing areas
• Areas of thermal activity used for medicinal purposes

In 1867 the island was 'sold' to (aquired by) Hans Tapsell and in 1915 the island was bought by P. Orchard after numerous changes of ownership. Over the years it became host to various unsuccessful ventures. A whaling station failed through lack of whales. A mining company attempted to extract sulphur and it was quarried for rocks. Farming proved impossible because of the huge numbers of feral goats vying with stock for feed.

The owners had the island declared a Wildlife Refuge in 1965 and a restoration plan was begun with their consent. In 1984 Moutohora was bought by the Crown with control going to Department of Conservation in 1987. Extensive re-planting, restoration of birds and animals once plentiful to the island, pest control and visitor management programmes were established.

One of the most significant of these restoration schemes was the successful relocation of forty North Island saddlebacks (tieke) from Cuvier Island, Coromandel in 1999. In Ngati Awa lore the Mataatua waka was accompanied by two tieke from Repanga to Whakatane centuries ago. This flight followed the drowning of the twin sons of Muriwai, sister of Toroa, the captain of the waka. The two tieke settled briefly on Moutohora before returning to Cuvier Island.

Throughout this entire period manawhenua (cultural rights) were contested by Ngati Awa under the Treaty of Waitangi. As tangata whenua, they consider that they have not been adequately consulted or involved with the island's management and also rights of access have been difficult.

When their claim was finally settled, a Joint Management Committee comprising members of Ngati Awa, DOC and the Bay of Plenty Conservation Board was put in place.

Restoring traditional practices

The intention is to replicate what was once there in order to research, restore and revive traditional teachings and practices for the benefit of Ngati Awa descendants and the wider community.

This is the beginning of a larger plan to establish a cultural/educational pathway following the 'truncated footprints' of Ngati Awa's venerable ancestors through the area (ultimately including Rurima Islands). It is envisaged the history of key sites and their associated cultural practices will be collected, collated, authenticated and fully archived.

In addition an access track linking all sites identified as important will be built.

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