Ngāti Toa Sites of Significance

Whitireia sits at the furthest point of Tītahi Bay. It is often referred to as the maunga for Ngāti Toa and you will hear this recited in Ngāti Toa pepeha.

Whitireia may not be considered a mountain when compared to Taranaki or Ruapehu however, in terms of a strategic vantage point it was as lofty as any of the maunga in Aotearoa. From the peak of Whitireia you could see to the Kapiti Coast, along Wellington’s west coast and across Raukawa Moana (Cook Strait) to the South Island. It was an ideal trading post while also allowing any potential threats to be seen.

There is evidence of historic gardens along the north terraces of Whitireia that once grew kūmara.

Whitireia is notable for the 1877 court case taken by Wī Parata Te Kākākura vs The Bishop of Wellington, Octavius Hadfield. Wī Parata sought the return of the land at Whitireia which had been gifted to the Anglican Church for the sole purpose of building a school. The gifting of this land was based on the promise a school would be built for Ngāti Toa children. The school was never built and the land was retained by the crown.

Wī Parata used the Treaty of Waitangi as the reason for the return of the land in court. However the presiding Judge ruled the Treaty, “a simple nullity”, ruling out any reference to this binding document in court. This result had far-reaching consequences including setting a legal precedent which prohibited future cases from using the Treaty as a legally binding document. This influenced decision-making on Treaty of Waitangi issues for decades, ultimately enabling the alienation of more Māori land.

As part of the Ngāti Toa Treaty Settlement, land at Whitireia formed part of the settlement redress package along with the establishment of the Whitireia Park Board. This board is made up of representation from Ngāti Toa and Greater Wellington Regional Council, who have been tasked to administer Whitireia Park as a recreation reserve.

Te Punga o Matahourua (also known as Maungaroa), the anchor stone of the revered navigator Kupe, lay at Onehunga Bay at Whitireia before being moved in the 19th century to Paremata. You can see a commemorative stone to mark its place in the carpark at Onehunga Bay. The original anchor stone is held at Te Papa Tongarewa. This stone provides evidence that predates the arrival of Māori to the shores of Aotearoa.

Rangituhi is the traditional name for the site commonly known as Colonial Knob.

Under the ‘Ngāti Toa Deed of Settlement of Historical Claims’ (the document outlining the final settlement of all the historical claims under the Traty of Waitangi, resulting from Crown acts that impacted negatively on Ngāti Toa) the name of Colonial Knob was officially changed to Rangituhi/Colonial Knob.

Rangituhi can simply be translated as ‘Sky Glow’, this name ringing true with the setting sun and the colours that would permeate across the ridge line. Rangituhi was a site abundant with birdlife and plants. Many of the plants would be suitable for use as rongoā (traditional Māori medicine). Freshwater streams were easily accessible and provided drinking water and kai.

Te Rangihaeata was a prominent Ngāti Toa chief and was instrumental in the migration of the iwi to the Kapiti region. He can be associated with a number of significant Ngāti Toa war campaigns and skirmishes. Notably, Te Rangihaeata played a key role in the events that occurred around the area now known as Battle Hill.

In 1846, there were a series of raids by the British army, local militia and native allies to the Crown. It was during this time that Mātaitaua Pā was attacked, forcing Te Rangihaeata to lead 300 Ngāti Toa troops from Mātaitaua, through heavy bush along the Battle Hill ridge line towards Levin. Te Rangihaeata later settled in Poroutāwhao, Mātaitaua Pā was left empty, eventually taken over by the army who used it as a base for their road building projects in the Paremata area. Mātaitaua Pā was known as a fighting pā and was surrounded by palisades up to five metres high with gun pits throughout.

Te Awarua o Porirua is the full name of the former Porirua Harbour. As part of the Ngāti Toa Historical Treaty Settlement the name of the harbour was changed to Te Awarua o Porirua. The name Awarua translates as the two waters.

The harbour is made from two tides, Ngā Pari e Rua - two flowing tides. The tide flowing from the east is known as Pāuatahanui and the tide flowing from the west is known as Onepoto.

Te Awarua o Porirua was one of the main reasons why Te Rauparaha decided to settle in the Kapiti region and is considered to be a taonga to Ngāti Toa.

Te Awarua was once plentiful, with kaimoana. Ngāti Toa kaumātua referred to the awa as the food basket for the iwi. It was well-known for the large pipi, pūpū and patiki (flounder). There were well established mahinga kai sites (natural resources from the environment). The accessibility of kai allowed cultural practices to flourish for Ngāti Toa as they gathered kaimoana for various events including tangihanga and hui. The ability to provide kai enhanced the mana of the iwi.

Due to decades of pollution Te Awarua o Porirua is no longer able to provide the abundance of kai it once did. Iwi interaction with this integral part of Ngāti Toa identity diminished over time and activities that were once available, have now been prohibited through health and safety warnings.

The iwi is currently working alongside local government agencies and the wider community to restore the health of the awa and there is a hope that it will one day be returned to its former glory. Today whānau endeavor to recconect with the awa in a variety of ways. Recreational activities including waka ama, provide many with opportunities to interact with this taonga throughout the year.

The iwi promotes regular harbour clean-ups and undertakes research studies working towards revitalising the awa. These studies draw on Ngāti Toa tikanga using a cultural lens to develop work that supports iwi goals.

Originally commissioned by Carter Observatory with support from Wellington City Council, the project was led by Wiremu Grace, with master carvers Hermann and Tana Salzmann, supported by Nathan Rei and Waiāriki Grace. The stone came from Ōamaru, the designs shaped through kōrero with Toa Waka, inspired by navigation and star constellations.