Figure 78: The Te Aroha district, 1880

An older name for Te Aroha mountain is ‘Puke-kakariki-kaitahi’ which Turoa suggests is ‘probably of early Ngati Hako origin. Although ‘Te Aroha’ is used for the whole mountain, strictly the name refers to ‘two very prominent spurs to the east and west of the lower crater rim’, Te Aroha-ki-tai and Te Aroha-a-uta. Another name for the inland portion of the mountain, Te Aroha-a-uta, was Keteriki, a source of‘the spring-fed waters of the mountain’.³

In their evidence to us, Ngati Rahiri Tumutumu claimants emphasised the significance to them of their maunga tapu, Te Aroha mountain, and the hot springs at its base. Mapuna Turner described the mountain:

Ngati Rahiri Tumutumu and the rest of Hauraki consider Mount Te Aroha to be wahi tapu. We have defined Mt Te Aroha to mean from the summit to the river [Waihou]. This includes Te Aroha Town. Te Aroha is the kei [stern] of the waka. The bow is at Moehau ...

3. Turoa, p 138