Ngati kahu, Wairoa River

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Contents

History

Natural

Geology

  • The Kaimai Range is a mountain range in the North Island of New Zealand. It can be seen as a continuation southwards of the hills of the Coromandel Peninsula, and separates the Waikato in the west from the Bay of Plenty in the east. The range is rough, and only two roads pass over it: State Highway 2, across the northern end of the range through the notoriously winding Karangahake Gorge, and State Highway 29 from Tauranga to Hamilton.
  • The Kaimai Railway Tunnel runs for nearly nine kilometres under the ranges, making it the longest tunnel in New Zealand. Construction of the tunnel started from both sides of the range in 1969: the headings met in 1976 and the tunnel opened to traffic on 12 September 1978.
  • Just after 9am on July 4, 1963 the DC-3 Skyliner ZK-AYZ Hastings crashed into the ranges during a flight from Whenuapai Airport, Auckland to Tauranga. All 25 aboard died, making it the worst air disaster in mainland New Zealand.
  • The Kaimai Range is the result of a fault that uplifted primarily andesitic rocks from long-extinct volcanoes. This fault has not been active for about 140,000 years and started more than a million years ago.

Ref:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaimai_Ranges

Cultural

  • Tauranga and the Western Bay Of Plenty were among the first areas of new Zealand to be settled by Polynesian immigrants.
  • Tangata Whenua have occupied the area for over 800 years.
  • Wairoa hapu are descendants from ngamarama and intermarriage with Ranginui and Ngaiterangi hapu.
  • Ngati Kahu is recognised in Tauranga Moana as being Kaitiaki of Wairoa River where they maintain culturally significant and spiritual relationships with the river and environs.
  • Ngati Pango share this role on their side of the river.
  • other Hapu associated with the valley are Pirirakau and Ngati Hangarau.

European Arrival in 1800's

  • 1820 First europen visitor Samuel Marsden - first recordings of the area.
  • 1826 Fisrt vessel to enter the Harbour - C.M.S mission Schooner Herald.
  • European settlement was around the mouth of the Wairoa River.
  • 1860's Maori Europen wars - conflict over land.
  • 1900's Omanawa falls and McLaren falls Power Stations built.
  • 1981 Ruahihi Power Station 1981.

Ruahihi Power Station c/o www.trustpower.co.nz

Mclaren Falls

Samuel Marsden Preaching to Maori c/o www.biblesociety.org.nz

Map of Tauranga Harbour June1835 AlexanderTurnbull Library


The change of Maori Land Ownership

Maori land ownership 1860

Maori land ownership 1890

Maori land ownership 1910

Maori land ownership 1939

Maori land ownership 2000

Percentages of Maori who can converse in Maori language

Te Reo

Orientation

Wairoa River flows to Tauranga Harbour (roughly North East).

Connections

Context

  • Tauranga is located at the head of a large harbour which extends along the western Bay of Plenty, and is protected by Matakana Island. The town and headland of Mount Maunganui stand at the entrance to the harbour, five kilometres north of Tauranga. "The Mount", as it is known, is often regarded as a satellite town of Tauranga.
  • The name Tauranga comes from Maori, it roughly translates to "a sheltered anchorage".
  • Tauranga is 105 km east of Hamilton and 85 km north of Rotorua, and is the city with the fastest growing population in New Zealand.

Ref:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tauranga

The Wairoa River
  • Wairoa River flows to Tauranga Harbour (roughly North East).
  • The River is approximately 14km long.
  • The river discharges approximately 391/s/square km3 of fresh water into the Tauraga harbour.
  • Other tributaries that feed into the wairoa river are Mangakarengorengo-Opuiaki-Mangapapa-Omanawa below Ruahihi-Ruangarara(Ohourere)
  • To the south and west are the bush covered Kaimai Ranges.

The Wairoa River flows into the Tauranga Harbour, located on the eastern coast of the North Island of NZ. The Wairoa River Valley is unique ands special environment valued by the community for its natural and spiritual qualities. There are pressures both existing and emerging that are impacting on the Wairoa River and its environs (surrounding areas), particularly a surge in sub-division and development land use practices that can seriously impact on those, cultural, social and economical assets that are community values.

Climatic Conditions

  • Due to its sheltered position on the east coast, Tauranga enjoys a warm, dry climate. This has made it a popular location to retire to. During the summer months the population swells as the holidaymakers descend on the city.

Ref:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tauranga

Environmental Values

  • The Wairoa River contributes 50% of the total inflow of fresh water into the Tauranga Harbour.
  • The high volumes of floodwater sediments and debris causes the low-lying flood plains downs stream to be more susseptible to flooding.
  • The Wairoa River forms an important ecological corridor between the Tauranga Harbour and its upstream environs and the Kaimai Ranges.
  • The catchment is the southern most extent of the natural range of Kauri.
  • The estuarine wetlands in the area are an important component of the ecology of the lower valley.
  • The freshwater streams and rivers have been identified as being "highly significant" for protection.
  • Some tributaries remain relatively unmodified including the -Ohourere Stream and Ngamuwahine Stream.

Landscape

  • 1995 study divided the Tauranga District into types. The Wairoa River Valley was identified as an 'Outstanding Natural Feature and Landscape Feature'

This classification was based on landscape, hydrological, botanical and habitat values.

Topography

  • The Valley is formed by river flats and harbour plains (0-3degree slope)- poorly drained flats with a moderatly high water table subject to runoff.
  • Slopes of the valley margin - rolling to strongly rolling with free draining soils (8-20degree slope)- mainly pasture and horticulture - escarpments generally managed as woodlots running to the plateau's.

Fauna

Aquatic life found in the Wairoa River and catchment:

  • Shortjawed Kokopu (below dam)
  • Giant Bully
  • Inanga
  • Red finned Bully
  • Longfinned Eel
  • Short finned Eel
  • Common Smelt
  • Common Bully
  • Inanga
  • Banded Kokopu
  • Giant Kokopu

Ref: Environment Bay of Plenty - Schedule 1, Aquatic Ecosystem Areas www.envbop.govt.nz/media/pdf/WALP_Schedules_v8.1.pdf

Site Boundaries

Marae boundaries

Site Boundaries

Ngati Kahu Land allocations

Major boundaries

(Note-on Ngati Kahu Map Other= Mixed residential/rural land use)


Major Boundaries

  • Railway line
  • State Highway 2
  • Wairoa River
  • Tauranga City Council/Western bay of plenty Line
  • Res A properties on Marae Land
  • Waimarino Adventure Centre
  • stop banks

Psychological Boundaries

Because of the nature and topography of the site, the boundaries of 'ownership' tend to stretch further than the legislative boundaries do. On the Hapu land itself, because of the floodplain and the plateau which overlooks the floodplain, river, and land which is on the other side, this land becomes important to the Iwi as it is what they view when they are at their Urupa, or on theriver. If any development was to happen in these area, the sense of identity and place would begin to lower. Even though the land is not owned by them, it frames their own land and gives a stronger connection.

Following this, the area of land on the northern side of the Hapu land is also important to the Iwi. The land past their ownership boundary houses another Marae and houses which members of the Ngati Kahu Marae own. Therefore, the pressures on this land through the extension of the subdivision makes this area of space one of the most contested lands in the area.

The subdivision has been landslocked by the cutting off of the stream which ran through the site, as well as a wetland which could possibly provide drainage facilities for the residents if it was reinstated.

These psychological boundaries are important as we have to think about what impact our strategies will have on people who not only own the land, but have ties to it in some other way eg views, spiritual connections etc.

city boundaries

Tauranga City Council Zoning

Existing City development zones for Tauranga City Council

Materiality

Existing Infrastructure

Buildings

The buildings which exist on the site already are the Marae, the whare kai, 'the jungle', and numerous homes of the Marae community.

yellow squares are existing houses on the site

The housing in the site is a sporadic layout of community housing, owned by members of the Hapu. People tend to move away and come back alot so some of the housing is temporary such as caravans or camper home which can be easily moved in these situations.

Roads

yellow lines depict internal rough roads

S.H.2 is the main infrastructural road affecting the site, the roads withing the site are better described as rough tracks carved out of the land where necessary for access to community housing areas. The site can be accessed off S.H.2 at the entrance by the marae or by Carmichael Road where many drive ways enter the site.

Vegetation
  • Existing vegetation consists of small pockets of native river and estuarine plants.
  • The Lower banks are rural grasslands to the banks edge.

Natives

  • Manuka
  • Oioi(carex species)
  • Ropoa-rushes
  • Harakeke-flax
  • Manua - Mangroves
  • wetland species
  • Cabbage Trees
  • Mamaku - Black punga
  • toi toi

etc...

Harakeke

Mamaku

OiOi

Manuwa-Mangroves

Cabbage Tree

The river corridor is currently in a state of Ecological decline due to

  • sedimentation
  • pollution
  • agricultural run-off
  • growth of unwanted species
  • decline in aquaculture

Weeds

  • wattle
  • willow
  • Gorse

Introduced Species

Willow

Gorse

Orchards/Plantations

  • Kiwi Fruit
  • Wine

Kiwi Fruit

Transportation

Vehicular

S.H.2

Wairoa Marae is located off Tauranga West Road (State Highway 2). It is the main road between Tauranga and the Coromandel peninsula, including towns such as Waihi, Paeroa, Whangamata and Thames. This road is also often used as a route to Auckland.

This makes this stretch of road reasonable busy, especially on public holidays and during the summer months.


Private

Rough vehicluar dirt tracks randomly placed within ngati kahu land, no sealed roading.

Pedestrian

  • No pedestrian infrustructure along major roads
  • Minor Streets have footpaths
  • Rough cut tracks on ngati kahu land- some over grown need weeding

Programmes

  • Population= 107,706 (2006 census)
  • Population of Tauranga District= 90,900 (2001)
  • Population of Western Bay Of Plenty= 38,230 (2001)
  • Tauranga is the city with the fastest growing population in New Zealand.


  • Esplanade reserves are in place along the majority of the lower Wairoa River an the Tauranga city side.
  • On the Western B.O.P side there are existing and proposed reserves.
  • current public recreation reserves - Miles Lane and the Lower Wairoa River Reserve.

Current Programme

various activites such as:

  • passive recreation, walking along banks, fishing.
  • active recreation such as Kayaking, swimming.
  • commercial ventures - rafting etc.
  • using water for irrigation pursposes.
  • formal and informal public boat launches.
  • 26 days of the year the river is opened to commercial and non-commercial rafters and canoeists.
  • Much of the countryside surrounding Tauranga is horticultural land, used to grow a wide range of fresh produce for both domestic consumption and export. The area is particularly well known for growing tangelos (a grapefruit / tangerine cross) and kiwifruit. The Port of Tauranga also experiences brisk but seasonal shipping traffic and is a regular stop off for both container ships and luxury cruise liners.

Ref:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tauranga

Cultural Significance

Maori view of the land

  • "I am the river, the river is me."
  • Ahi Ka - returning to places to keep the land warm - 'home fires'
  • walking in the footsteps of our ansestors
  • The concept of 'Papa Kainga' - can sell the house but not the land.

Use of the land

Current uses:

  • agriculture - corn, harakeke, crops
  • grazing/riding of horses
  • housing-marae buildings/whare kai/'the jungle'
  • burial grounds - urupa's
  • waka launch + waitangi celebration area
  • railway lines

Peoples Response

Tangata Whenua

  • Tangata Whenua are represented at all hearings about the region by the Tangata Whenua Liason Group. This group includes representatives from Ngati Kahu, Poripori Farm Trust, Ngati Hangarau and Pirirakau Inc.


Ngati Kahu Identity Statement

Mauao te Maunga Mauao is our sacred mountain

Ko Tauranga te Moana Tauranga is the sea

Ko Taakitimu me Mataatua nga Waka Taakitimu and Mataatua are our


Ko Ngati Ranginui, Ngai te Rangi me

Ngati Pukenga nga iwi Ngati Ranginui, Ngai te Rangi and Ngati Pukenga are the tribal people

Ko Wairoa te Awa Wairoa is the river

Ko Wairoa re Marae Wairoa is the Marae (village)

Ko Ngati Kahu te hapu Ngati Kahu is the sub tribe


ref: http://www.treatycouncil.org/section_2115131122.htm

Tauranga public

Council

Proposed Developments

The Wairoa River Valley Strategies over all aims are:

Other Strategies of the Tauranga City Council:

  • Aquatics Strategy
  • Extrreme Sports Strategy
  • Papamoa East Strategy
  • SmartEconomy
  • SmartGrowth
  • SmartTourism
  • Sport and Active Living Strategy
  • Tauranga Tomorrow
  • Walking and Cycling Strategy
  • Waterfront and CBD Strategic Development Framework


Site SWOT

Strengths

  • their attitude and love of the land
  • their willingness to fight for their land
  • community living/creating a stong heart
  • potential for upgrade of site
  • cultural myths and stories associated with the land
  • good soils

Weaknesses

  • sometimes one sided attitude
  • uncompromising stance on things
  • weeds throughout the land
  • current use of land it not fufulling its potential
  • tentativeness towards upgrading because of rate inflation
  • uncompromising neighbours
  • councils lack of recognition of sarced landscapes
  • overall polution of river and harbour area
  • a lack of visual interpretation for other significant sites in Tauranga i.e Gate Pa
  • councils lack of use of native species in civic planting
  • pressure on edges from developers
  • loss of wetland environment from development
  • traffic noise by marae
  • visual pollution of bridge and highway
  • sedimentation in river

Opportunities

  • Whare (meeting house) can be moved. Iwi has discussed this already
  • Close to river, land has been drained to remove wetland. Opportunity to either use the drained land, or revert it back to wetland.
  • the potential to be self sufficient
  • moving buildings on site may provide a better system for the ngati kahu land
  • moving buildings for sun
  • argriculture for economic gain
  • developing cultural tourism for the marae
  • wetland restoration
  • large scale river scheme
  • developing the land to further suit the maraes community needs

Threats

One of the major threats to the site is the prolific amount of residential subdivision which is occuring in Tauranga at the moment. The subject of land use for subdivision is a hot topic all over the country, with the same issues being argued.

New Subdivision-Carmichael RD

an example of residential pressure

Pay for paradise?

Tauriko Business Estate

New Zealand Listener April 16-22, 2005 "Calling the shots" Bruce Ashely pg 16

This article dicusses opinions on residential development in Wanaka, ranging from the successful developer who wants to use all avaliable land for development, to those residents who are opposed to the proposals, who prefer the "tightly knit town centre with some low density stuff on its fringes" - not spreading over everything.

This article will be useful in our research when we are looking at the different arguments for and against subdivision in an area, and what other places are doing to combat the building tension between parties. It could also provide a different perspective to what we learn when we visit the marae.


New Zealand Listener December 31 - January 6 2006 "Fight for the beaches" Tim Watkin pg 10

The article is discussing the danger we are in of losing access to those classic waterfront summer places we are so used to visiting for summer holidays. Once again broaching the issue of residential development in popular holiday spots over New Zealand, this article tells of the destruction of our pritine coastline by selling land to people who want to live by the beach. It goes onto say that soon we will not be able to spend our time at the beach without being over looked, or even kept out, by multi million dollar mansions which are appearing along the coastline. The text is interrupted by writings taken from various sources that back up statements and give another persepctive on the issue, for example:

Michael I have such vivid memories of this place...It was as if we were alone in the universe, just the four of us, swaddled in the night

Simon That was five thousand subdivisions ago.

Michael God, ain't that the truth. what is the matter with people? If its suburbia they want, why dont they stay where they are? Why do they have to turn the entire country into Pakuranga? -The Bach by Stephen Sinclair

This article once again discusses opinions on subdivision and the impact its having on the natural landscapes of New Zealand. It will be good, as mentioned above, expose us to different opinions and arguments on the issue, and also help to decide what is relevant for our site.

  • council not listening to iwi requests - native vegetation.
  • council developing methods to avoid the most active candidates of the Hapu by approaching elders

Site topography

Significant Landmarks

Natural

  • Salt Marshes and Wetlands
  • Mauao - Mt Maunganui
  • Wairoa River
  • Kaimai Ranges

Salt Marshes on Hangarau Land

Remaining Wetlands

Mauao

Cultural

Places of significance to Ngati Kahu:

  • the eastern side of the Wairoa river from mouth(Whakaheke Pa) to the Ruahihi Pa and Ongaonga in the Kaimai.
  • the Pa of Papa O Wharia located near the home of the Taniwha.
  • Mahinga Kai - food gathering places
  • Gate Pa

Old Pa site at Ruahihi Power Station

Pukewhanaki Pa - Western B.O.P

Significant Sites

Drawing of Gate Pa (Atlas of Historic Places)

Gate Pa - Cameron Road

Huria Marae, Offical meeting place of Maori Queen

Theory

Literature Review

The Yamuna Riverfront, India: A comparative study of Islamic and Hindu traditions in cultural landscapes.

Making a mess in the countryside: Organic farming and the threat to sense of place

Seeing landscape through cross-cultural eyes: embracing a trans-cultural lens toward multi-lingual design approaches in the landscape studio

Whenua – the ecology of placental connection

Maori and Tourism: A relationship of history, constitution and rites.

External links


Specific Links PDFs

Retrieved from "http://www.collaborativelandscape.org/wiki/Ngati_kahu%2C_Wairoa_River"
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