Walk 17 – Lake Okataina, 17 May 2019
From the boards: Okataina means the lake of laughter. It was an important link in pre-European times where canoes were carried from Tarawera to Okataina, and from Okataina to Rotoiti. Okataina road follows one of these ancient portage routes.
In 1823 Te Koutu Pa was attacked by Hongi Hika using a portage route.
The lake has no surface outlet – it drains by seepage through fissured lava towards Lake Tarawera which is about 20 metres lower in elevation. Because of this, the lake levels fluctuate dramatically with the rainfall.
In 1886 the area was covered in volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Tarawera.
There are small caves at the pa site. Tarawera ash has made it appear that caves were dug below ground level when in reality you had to step up to enter them. Some caves are characterised by a slightly domed ceiling. Some are L shaped with straight walls and a perfect gable ceiling, the outside is characterised by an extra recess for the door.
Te Arawa iwi Ngāti Tarawhai are the principal iwi now associated with the Okataina district. 1Te Karere TVNZ report that Lake Okataina was one of many strongholds for Ngāti Tarāwhai iwi who settled there following the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886.
In 1921 they gifted the foreshores of Lake Okataina to the crown to be set aside as reserves.
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Toitu te whenua – leave the land undisturbed.
Walk: Rotorua 29
★★★★★
History
In previous times this area was settled by different iwi (tribes) who either pre-dated or derived from Te Arawa Waka. According to Ngati Tarawhai history, the first people to settle in the area was an iwi called Te Tini o Maruiwi (the myriads of Maruiwi.) They were followed by Te Tini o Ruatomore (the myriads of Ruatomore) who were to later adopt the name Ngati Kahupungapunga. Source: Lake Okataina Scenic Reserve history
The last stand of Ngāti Kahupungapunga was at Pohaturoa Rock.
THE MARUIWI FOLK OF THE BAY OF PLENTY DISTRICT: Volume 37 1928 > Volume 37, No. 146 > The Maruiwi folk of the Bay of Plenty District, by Elsdon Best, p 194-225
The refugees of Ngati Kahu-pungapunga
After the Ngāti Raukawa–Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga War, some of the surviving members of Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga fled to the Rotorua region. According Ānaha Te Rāhui, Wahiao settled some of these refugees at Whekau on Lake Ōkataina. Tarāwhai found out about this, went to Whekau and killed one of their men, Paiere, while he was digging for fern root. Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga travelled on to Tuhourangi (Rangiuru, on the Kaituna River near Te Puke) and Ngāti Uruhina.
Source: Wikipedia, Ngāti Raukawa–Ngāti Kahu-pungapunga War
Related walks
Twin Craters / Ngahopua Track, Lake Okataina
Links
1 Te Karere TVNZ Protecting wāhi tapu of Lake Okataina no laughing matter.
Entrance to storage Rua – Te Koutu pa
Carved gateway Lake Okataina Koutu Pa taken about 1904
NZShortWalks 