Pounamu is found only on the South Island’s West Coast. Māori recognise the link between awa and the sea and the need to look after awa from their source in the mountains right through to the sea. Kai was gathered from the awa itself or its estuary.įood sources found inland or at sea could be reached easily by awa. Māori often built settlements at the mouth of awa. On the many fast flowing awa of the South Island, mōkihi (rafts of woven reeds) were used. Waka made of hollowed-out logs were used to travel along or across awa. It was easier to get from place to place by canoeing up or down awa than by walking over the mountains or through dense bush.

Māori explored as far as possible upriver on many waterways. Awa were used as landing sites, settlements and a source of fresh water. access to important wāhi tapu – sacred sitesĮarly Māori relied on awa.

cultural materials such as raupō and taonga such as pounamu.

Ko te wai te ora ngā mea katoa - Water is the life giver of all things. Awa are thought of as tīpuna (ancestors) that have been with us throughout history. Māori are connected to water and to the whole natural world through whakapapa – a lineage that descends from Ranginui and Papatūānuku down to people and all parts of the environment. Māori often consider their personal health and the health of the Iwi to be linked to the health of their water bodies. Enhancing the health and wellbeing of our waterways is a priority for many Iwi.

Each body of water also has a life force/mauri and should not be mixed with water from another source.įor Māori, water is the essence of all life, like the blood of Papatūānuku (Earth mother) who supports all people, plants and wildlife. Māori recognise many different types of water/momowai and each has different values and uses. Water is linked to identity, used for transport, gathering food and other materials. In the 2013 census, 15,270 people claimed descent from Te Āti Awa of Taranaki.Water is a taonga of huge importance to Iwi. In 1996 the Waitangi Tribunal acknowledged past breaches of the Treaty of Waitangi, and negotiations for compensation began. Throughout the early 20th century Te Āti Awa land was still being sold off, despite calls for settlement. Their 90 sub-tribes were reduced to the six of today. The loss of land was socially, culturally and politically debilitating for Te Āti Awa. Though there was a truce after a year of fighting, Māori land was later confiscated as a punishment for ‘rebellion’. The British fired at him, and the main phase of the New Zealand wars began. When the government bought some of the tribe’s land, Kīngi disputed the validity of the sale and refused to leave. Even though the tribe were divided, their chief Wiremu Kīngi Te Rangitāke managed to establish a thriving economy by selling crops to the new settlers. This disrupted both the Taranaki area and the tribe itself – some of whom wanted to sell land to settlers, while others opposed land sales. Having come with the express purpose of farming, New Zealand Company immigrants snapped up the fertile Te Āti Awa land. The arrival of European settlers in Taranaki caused upheavals for Te Āti Awa. The individual identity of Te Āti Awa in Taranaki is expressed in their association with the Tokomaru canoe.

The Awa tribes – which include Ngāti Awa in the Bay of Plenty – separated in 1820 and are now independent groups with their own authority. He was the son of a mortal woman, Rongoueroa, and a sky spirit, Tamarau-te-heketanga-a-rangi. Te Āti Awa is one of several Awa tribes, all descended from Awanuiarangi. The traditional lands of Te Āti Awa of Taranaki stretch from the coast north of New Plymouth, to Mt Taranaki (Mt Egmont), and to the Matemateaonga ranges in the south.

Awa meaning