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Tairongo’s Food Basket
In the 14th century Polynesian navigators chose Ōhiwa harbour as a perfect landing site. We know because of the Tokitoki midden on the eastern side of the harbour where the remains of a long history of human occupation has been found.
The lowest layer of the Tokitoki midden sits just above a layer of ash from a huge volcanic eruption known to have occurred near Rotorua around 1305. A midden is an ancient ‘rubbish tip’ and here archaeologists have found huge piles of shells and thousands of bone fish hooks in the midden.
Rocks from as far away as the Marlborough Sounds found there tell us about long-distance trade networks of Māori and the likelihood that Tokitoki served as a manufacturing and repair workshop and trade centre for fishhooks, adzes, chisels and obsidian knives. Obsidian came from Tuhua/Mayor Island 35 km north of Tauranga.
The various iwi and hapū of the region view Ōhiwa Harbour in different ways. They all have their own stories relating to ‘Te Kete o Tairongo’, one of many names for the harbour. Each group determines which stories best represent their people, and all stories are respected and acknowledged equally.
Below is one story, shared by Te Ūpokorehe and other iwi in the Ōhiwa Harbour Strategy:
Many generations ago Tairongo, arrived in his waka (double hulled ocean going vessel) Oturereao. Tairongo is the great ancestor of the people of Ōhiwa Harbour. He was of the Hapuoneone people, the original inhabitants of the harbour. Te Rangimātoru and Mataatua waka are also known to have landed at the sheltered waters of Ōhiwa.
Ōhiwa became the turangawaewae (standing ground) of Tairongo’s descendants. They eventually formed Te Ūpokorehe, Ngāti Awa, Whakatōhea and Te Waimana tribal groupings.
Almost 100 pā sites are thought to have existed on the harbour’s headlands and islands between 1500 and 1769. It was a busy place thanks to the plentiful supply of fish and shellfish in the estuary!
