The ancestral lands of Ngaati Koroki Kahukura span south of Hamilton, following the Waikato River to the northern end of Lake Arapuni, inland to Te Awamutu and returning through the south of Hamilton. This encompasses Maungatautari, the tuupuna maunga and Waikato, our awa tuupuna.
Through the Ngaati Koroki Kahukura non-raupatu Treaty settlement, our dominant mana whenua interests are confirmed in our homeland area, which includes in and around Cambridge and from Te Tiki o Te Ihingaarangi (a historic paa site on the north western side of Karaapiro) and Te Taurapa o Te Ihingaarangi (eastern side of Karaapiro) through Pukekura, Horahora and Maungatautari land blocks to the south eastern corner of the Maungatautari blocks where the Oowairaka river and our awa tuupuna, the Waikato River, meet at Waotu North.
Maungatautari is the sacred mountain of the Ngaati Koroki Kahukura and Ngaati Hauaa people. Ngaati Koroki Kahukura’s two marae, Maungatautari and Poohara are on its flanks.
We acknowledge that others also have interests in the maunga, including Waikato, Ngaati Hauaa, Ngāti Wairere, Ngaati Maahanga, Ngaati Maniapoto, Ngaati Ruru, Ngaati Raukawa, Ngaati Werohiko, Ngaati Kauwhata and Panehākua. This is not an exhaustive list of groups that claim interests in Maungatautari. The many groups that connect to the maunga illustrate the iconic and spiritual importance that it has to our people. Maungatautari is the tūpuna maunga and living taonga to the Ngaati Korokii-Kahukura people. His forests offered shelter to the people in hard times and provided foods such as birdlife and native flora and fauna. Maungatautari is a symbol of mana for Ngaati Korokii-Kahukura.
We are a river iwi. Our relationship with our awa tupuna (ancestral river) has developed over centuries. It is a unique relationship in that our awa tupuna is the ancestral river of the people, which has its own mauri and spiritual integrity. Our spiritual and cultural well-being therefore is inherently linked to the well-being of our awa tupuna.
The Waikato River is like the blood that streams through our bodies, it is the bloodline of our iwi and there is an urgent need to ensure that our awa tupuna is protected from further degradation. As an iwi who resides by its banks, we have over the generations, developed tikanga and a profound respect for our awa tupuna and all life within it.
“Spiritually the Waikato River is constant, enduring and perpetual. It brings us peace in times of stress, relieves us from illness and pain, cleanses and purifies our bodies and souls from the many problems that surround us…” – Te Kaapo Tuuwhakaea.
