Whenua o te Ngāti Hauā
The following information is a collection of what has been located online to date. My sincerest apologies to readers for the fact that many of the kupu (words) quoted directly from source material are missing tohutō. Coupled with the way that the Māori vernacular has been pluralised in an Anglicised way, it is likely that these particular accounts have been written through a Pākeha lens, and therefore show only one possible perspective on historical accounts. If you have other information/perspectives to add, please do get in touch!
“A high-priest of the Tainui tribe, Rakataura, with his wife Kahuere, explored the area of land around Cambridge and found it suitable for colonisation. The highlands of Maungatautari and the Pukekura Hills were particularly suitable as natural defence sites for pa's, with the river as a barrier protecting the fertile cultivation prospects between. Tribal lore again tells us that a chief named Koroki had two sons, Hape and Haua. Haua was the progenitor of the Ngati-Haua tribe who originally settled in the Maungakawa Hills. The pre-European Maori proved to be brave, fierce and tenacious. They put the natural contours of the land to good use for defensive pa's, and adapted the lower terrace or streamed valleys for settlement and cultivation. Fortified posts surmounted the hill-tops, and the larger settlements of Maungatautari and Maungakawa extended to smaller settlements at Tauwhare, Matangi and Tamahere. The population was supported by the plentiful food from the swamps and bush, and produce from their primitive agriculture. By the use of 'hinakis' or eel-traps, the Maoris harvested the swamps, and on the fertile land of the hills and plains kumara were grown; later potatoes and wheat were cultivated” (Heritage Waikato, Matangi District).
Mahuru Springs sits on the ancestral lands of Ngāti Hauā, descendants of Waka Tainui. The closest marae is Te Iti o Hauā Marae (also known as Tauwhare Marae), with the primary hapū of this marae being Rangitoupi, who identify with maunga Maungatautari and awa Waikato. The whare tipuna (ancestral meeting house) at Te Iti o Hauā Marae is named Hauā; the wharekai (place of eating), Tamangaarangi; and the whare moe (sleeping house), Tumataura and Hinekune (Māori Maps, n.d.). On a side-note, some great news was announced in recently, which was that “the government committed $734,311 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae and 4 other Ngāti Hauā marae, creating 7 jobs” (Marae Announcements, Provicial Growth Fund, 2020).
Mahuru Springs sits on the ancestral lands of Ngāti Hauā, descendants of Waka Tainui. The closest marae is Te Iti o Hauā Marae (also known as Tauwhare Marae), with the primary hapū of this marae being Rangitoupi, who identify with maunga Maungatautari and awa Waikato. The whare tipuna (ancestral meeting house) at Te Iti o Hauā Marae is named Hauā; the wharekai (place of eating), Tamangaarangi; and the whare moe (sleeping house), Tumataura and Hinekune (Māori Maps, n.d.). On a side-note, some great news was announced in recently, which was that “the government committed $734,311 from the Provincial Growth Fund to upgrade the marae and 4 other Ngāti Hauā marae, creating 7 jobs” (Marae Announcements, Provicial Growth Fund, 2020).
This image from the Wetland Mauri Framework identifies the historic wetlands within the Ngāti Hauā tribal rohe, as of 1840. Mahuru Springs falls within the marked area, being within 7km driving distance from Te Iti o Hauā Marae.
The following excerpts are from the Wetland Mauri Framework. “The catchment of Mangaonua and Mangaone arises next to the Karapiro Stream and flows in a northerly direction, covering the Matangi, Tauwhare, and Fencourt settlements” (p. 5) ... The Mangaonua Stream which runs past Te Iti o Hauā (Tauwhare Pā), is considered to be the blood vein of Maungakawa Maunga, and therefore is culturally significant to Ngāti Hauā” (p. 5) ... “Traditionally (1840s), the area was covered in indigenous secondary growth vegetation, later modified by land development, predominately dairying, industrial activities, and, most recently, extensive residential subdivisions”. |
“The Mangaonua and Mangaone gullies are characterised by steep slopes with both streams running through a wide floodplain at the base of the gully ... The gully systems provide important habitat for many indigenous fauna species, including threatened indigenous species such as black mudfish (Neochanna diversus) and tuna (longfin eel) in the streams and wetlands, and pekapeka (long-tailed bats, Chalinolobus tuberculatus) in the canopy of the riparian margins” (p. 6). Mahuru Springs is home to both tuna and pekapeka, with the potential, according to the Waikato Regional Council, for black mudfish to be living in the spring-fed waterway that runs through the middle of the property, contributing to the Mangaonua Stream.
“Maintaining habitat for the threatened native pekapeka populations is important to the whānau of Ngāti Hauā. Pekapeka populations are known to use a range of habitats throughout the catchment, including indigenous canopy species tōtara (Podocarpus totara), kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides), and tī kouka, as well as exotic species such as Populus spp., Pinus spp., eucalyptus spp., and crack willow trees” (p. 6). Recent plantings at Mahuru Springs have included tōtara, kahikatea and tī kouka, while established species providing suitable habitats for roosting include tī kouka, poplars, pines and eucalyptus.
“Maintaining habitat for the threatened native pekapeka populations is important to the whānau of Ngāti Hauā. Pekapeka populations are known to use a range of habitats throughout the catchment, including indigenous canopy species tōtara (Podocarpus totara), kahikatea (Dacrycarpus dacrydioides), and tī kouka, as well as exotic species such as Populus spp., Pinus spp., eucalyptus spp., and crack willow trees” (p. 6). Recent plantings at Mahuru Springs have included tōtara, kahikatea and tī kouka, while established species providing suitable habitats for roosting include tī kouka, poplars, pines and eucalyptus.
Ngāti Hauā Mahi Trust
Ngāti Hauā Mahi Trust (NHMT), a Charitable Trust that leads environmental and restoration projects within the the Ngāti Hauā rohe, was formed in response to a need within their iwi, to provide work in community as a way to support their people, enabling them to stay local and connected. General Manager Keri Thompson shares about the formation of the Trust, the underpinning vision, values, and the mahi (work). Formed by kaumātua of their five Marae, the Trust’s core vision drives the work. “Our vision is the core of what drives us. Tiaki manaakitia te tāngata, if we look after our people, tiaki manaakitia te taiao, they’ll look after our environment...Our decision was that we would work within our own rohe, so within Ngāti Hauā. So Ngāti Hauā Mahi Trust - any works are the ones that are culturally significant to us. And there are a lot of awa around here. We work on the Mangaonua and in the Mangaone, the Mangaharakeke, Karapiro. There are deeds of funding that happen within the Waikato River Authority, which means 3 years’ worth of funding in terms of putting plants in the ground and doing the work”.
The Trust formalised a research partnership with the Manaaki Whenua (Landcare), ensuring that the values of Ngāti Hauā were integrated into the planning process and outcomes. “A research plan was designed to co-develop a Wetland Mauri Framework to support wetland restoration within the Mangaonua and Mangaone Stream Catchment” (Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust, 2019). Funding from the Ngāti Hauā Mahi Trust has helped us in the beginnings of our restoration efforts here at Mahuru Springs, through the provision of 200 native saplings which were gifted to us to plant and nurture. We are extremely grateful for the Trust’s offerings and all the work that sits behind this, and feel very privileged to be a part of the bigger picture of reviving the natural habitat along the fringes of our local part of the Mangaonua Stream. Crimson Trust have helped further these efforts with another 500 native saplings planted in 2020, along with support from the Waikato Regional Council with regards to animal and plant pest control, as well as the initial monitoring for Pekapeka-tou-roa (long-tail bats).
Given that the intentional mahi occurring at Mahuru Springs is focused on wellbeing, it is even more special that the plants which have come from the Trust provide healing in their own right, along with the whakapapa in terms of restoring the health of the environment, and in turn their people. “We know that, if you grow a plant, it’s going to contribute environmentally. But to have it here, alongside of growing young people, is a whole different level. When you are in there, there is the wairua that comes with you because its so peaceful. Putting your hands in the dirt and growing those plants creates a space where there’s a lot of healing going on. So there’s a healing with the growing of the plants, but there’s whenua here at Mangateparu, land that has been returned through the settlement. So growing plants and growing kai heals not only people but heals space. There’s the whakapapa part that they’re creating this future out there, restoring our mauri for the water that they’re going to be living beside or the whenua that they’re going to be living on. But they’re healing every person that comes through here in terms of just being in our presence, so we’re really lucky to have the nursery” (Pokapū Akoranga Putaiao/Science Learn Hub).
This dovetails beautifully with the ongoing mahi of Te Hauora o Ngāti Hauā which “promote[s] a quality of life which reflects health and well being within the communities and people of Ngāti Hauā” and is led by the vision of “Ka Tu Mai a Haua”, emphasising that Ngāti Hauā exercise ‘rangatirangata’ over their lives, environments and circumstances and are nurtured within their communities to meet their needs and aspirations”.
Each of the Ngāti Hauā Marae have a kaitiaki a rohe, “who is responsible for liaising on any environmental issues within their exclusive rohe” - Muna Whatawhara, Operations Manager, Ngāti Hauā Trust Board. We, at Mahuru Springs look forward to building a positive relationship with the kaitiaki a rohe of Te Iti o Hauā, and being guided our efforts to ensure our mahi aligns with the values of Ngāti Hauā as outlined in the Wetland Mauri Framework.
Ngāti Hauā Mahi Trust (NHMT), a Charitable Trust that leads environmental and restoration projects within the the Ngāti Hauā rohe, was formed in response to a need within their iwi, to provide work in community as a way to support their people, enabling them to stay local and connected. General Manager Keri Thompson shares about the formation of the Trust, the underpinning vision, values, and the mahi (work). Formed by kaumātua of their five Marae, the Trust’s core vision drives the work. “Our vision is the core of what drives us. Tiaki manaakitia te tāngata, if we look after our people, tiaki manaakitia te taiao, they’ll look after our environment...Our decision was that we would work within our own rohe, so within Ngāti Hauā. So Ngāti Hauā Mahi Trust - any works are the ones that are culturally significant to us. And there are a lot of awa around here. We work on the Mangaonua and in the Mangaone, the Mangaharakeke, Karapiro. There are deeds of funding that happen within the Waikato River Authority, which means 3 years’ worth of funding in terms of putting plants in the ground and doing the work”.
The Trust formalised a research partnership with the Manaaki Whenua (Landcare), ensuring that the values of Ngāti Hauā were integrated into the planning process and outcomes. “A research plan was designed to co-develop a Wetland Mauri Framework to support wetland restoration within the Mangaonua and Mangaone Stream Catchment” (Ngāti Hauā Iwi Trust, 2019). Funding from the Ngāti Hauā Mahi Trust has helped us in the beginnings of our restoration efforts here at Mahuru Springs, through the provision of 200 native saplings which were gifted to us to plant and nurture. We are extremely grateful for the Trust’s offerings and all the work that sits behind this, and feel very privileged to be a part of the bigger picture of reviving the natural habitat along the fringes of our local part of the Mangaonua Stream. Crimson Trust have helped further these efforts with another 500 native saplings planted in 2020, along with support from the Waikato Regional Council with regards to animal and plant pest control, as well as the initial monitoring for Pekapeka-tou-roa (long-tail bats).
Given that the intentional mahi occurring at Mahuru Springs is focused on wellbeing, it is even more special that the plants which have come from the Trust provide healing in their own right, along with the whakapapa in terms of restoring the health of the environment, and in turn their people. “We know that, if you grow a plant, it’s going to contribute environmentally. But to have it here, alongside of growing young people, is a whole different level. When you are in there, there is the wairua that comes with you because its so peaceful. Putting your hands in the dirt and growing those plants creates a space where there’s a lot of healing going on. So there’s a healing with the growing of the plants, but there’s whenua here at Mangateparu, land that has been returned through the settlement. So growing plants and growing kai heals not only people but heals space. There’s the whakapapa part that they’re creating this future out there, restoring our mauri for the water that they’re going to be living beside or the whenua that they’re going to be living on. But they’re healing every person that comes through here in terms of just being in our presence, so we’re really lucky to have the nursery” (Pokapū Akoranga Putaiao/Science Learn Hub).
This dovetails beautifully with the ongoing mahi of Te Hauora o Ngāti Hauā which “promote[s] a quality of life which reflects health and well being within the communities and people of Ngāti Hauā” and is led by the vision of “Ka Tu Mai a Haua”, emphasising that Ngāti Hauā exercise ‘rangatirangata’ over their lives, environments and circumstances and are nurtured within their communities to meet their needs and aspirations”.
Each of the Ngāti Hauā Marae have a kaitiaki a rohe, “who is responsible for liaising on any environmental issues within their exclusive rohe” - Muna Whatawhara, Operations Manager, Ngāti Hauā Trust Board. We, at Mahuru Springs look forward to building a positive relationship with the kaitiaki a rohe of Te Iti o Hauā, and being guided our efforts to ensure our mahi aligns with the values of Ngāti Hauā as outlined in the Wetland Mauri Framework.
Nearly every person to enter the grounds of Mahuru Springs comments on the peaceful feelings that wash over and through them; a strong, very natural spiritual connection with Papatuānuku
Initial future goals include a stronger focus on plants suitable for Rongoā Māori as aligned with the the priorities of Ngāti Hauā. “Rongoā Māori species are important to the whānau of Ngāti Hauā, therefore the inclusion of planting a variety of rongoā Māori species within the ecological restoration plan was essential (Large 2015a, b). These species include papapa (Pomaderris kumeraho), kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum), korokio taranga (Corokia buddleioides), hinau (Elaeocarpus dentatus), rata (Metrosideros robusta), kohekohe (Dysoxylum spectabile), and tataramoa taramoa (Rubus cissoides)” (Wetland Mauri Framework, p. 6).
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