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"Not one more acre." - Dame Whina Cooper
Puketōtara is a block of whenua in Southern Whangaroa near Kerikeri and Puketerī Forest. Historically, Puketōtara was a place of great significance to Te Whiu and Te Wahineiti. The whenua, which was originally approximately 4,600 acres of (mostly) kauri forest, was displaced from Te Whiu in the early 1800's when it was wrongly granted by the government to a local missionary named Richard Kemp and his family. As a result of this injustice, a long legal battle ensued that involved petitioning by Te Whiu tūpuna to the Native Land Courts. The legal fight spanned decades and brought together people from other local hapū in the Utakura Valley, who provided tautoko for the legal battle. Eventually, a small block (~2000 acres of the original 4,600 acres) of the Western portion was returned to Te Whiu in the 1920s. In the 1950s, the Department of Māori Affairs approached Te Whiu and requested for the land to be sold to them, and in exchange, the land would be developed into farm land for Māori farmers. Te Whiu agreed based on this condition. The land was indeed developed into farm land by the government, but most of the farmers employed on the farms were Pākeha, and none of the Māori were from Te Whiu. Much of the land has since been subdivided and sold by the Crown.
After several decades of legal battles and advocacy by ngā uri o Turou, a 452-hectare Crown-owned farm on Puketōtara whenua has been leased to Te Whiu Hapū Incorporated on a 10 year-term for a symbolic $1 a year. This page outlines the histories, kōrero and battles fought and won in the long journey to have our whenua returned to the protective arms of the people. Advocacy over the remaining unreturned Puketōtara land continues to this day.
History of puketōtara
History of puketōtara
Puketōtara, which was also known as Te Mata, was once a large area of native forest flanked on the North by the Otamatea River and the Whakaki branch of the Otamatea River, and bounded on the south by the Owawharo River and the Wairoa River. It became occupied by Te Whiu hapū during the 1700s following the departure of Ngāti Awa from the Waimate Plains. Puketōtara can be found between Te Puna Inlet and Lake Omapere, near what is now modern-day Kerikeri. It is strategically located near Mokau, which provides a panoramic view of the landscape from Hokianga to Whangaroa.
Puketōtara was an importance source of kauri timber and gum in the early days of colonial settlement. Kauri timber harvested from Puketōtara was much admired by settlers for its beauty and superior strength.
Landscape of puketōtara
Landscape of puketōtara
This map, which depicts the lands claimed by Kemp, can be found in the documents available at the end of this page. Here, you can see where the whenua is located in relation to Kerikeri, and how it has been partitioned over time into different blocks of land.
The Western portion of Puketōtara, which has recently been returned to Te Whiu, was developed by the Crown into a livestock farm that grazed mostly dry stock in recent years. There is no sign of the once lush kauri forests that gave this whenua its desireability in the early days of the land troubles. The whenua block is now mostly hilly pastures, but the higher paddocks of the farm have a wonderful, breezy view of the valley below. There are several modest ponds on this land block, most of which are man-made and flanked by pā harakeke (crops of flax bushes). The farm, which is still a functional farm, is now leased by Te Whiu and will continue to serve the people.
We are considering restoring some kauri to the whenua, at least on a small portion of the land in the first instance, and perhaps more in the future. Anyone with some skills or mātauranga and a desire to awhi this kaupapa is encouraged to email us at tewhiu.secretary@gmail.com. Mauri ora.
Puketotara Correspondence File.pdfPuketotara Correspondence Applications Part 1.pdfPuketotara Correspondence Applications Part 2.pdfThese documents are from Native Land court hui, including the Māori land court 1925 hui that took place in Whangārei and the Te Ture Whenua Māori 1931 hui. They detail correspondence pertaining to historical interests in Puketōtara and include maps and figures of the boundaries of the Puketōtara section, among other things.
Puketotara (Otamatea SD) Puketotara 44 (Whangarei SD).pdfThis document is a summary of the Native Land Court ruling of 1908.
Puketotara (Kaeo SD) Block Order File.pdfPuketotara (Kaeo SD) Block Order File Part 2 of 2.pdfThese documents pertain to the Native Land Court hearing of 1931 held at Whangaruru, regarding succession of interests in Puketōtara.
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