already been irrevocably damaged, and neither the Lands and Survey or Public Works departments had shown any concern for its protection beforehand. It would also seem that what Lands and Survey meant by ‘protection’ was ensuring that pa sites were either in reserves, or being preserved by the land owners. There is no mention of involving Maori in the protection and preservation measures.
A recent report written for Ngati Kahu by Antoine Coffin explains why tangata whenua have concerns about the way traditional sites have been treated. It also shows the sorts of protections they would like to see sites such as Pukewhanake given:
All areas of heritage significance to Ngati Kahu and other hapu on the Wairoa River and harbour margin must be preserved. These areas are Ngati Kahu’s life history, a physical and spiritual link to the ancestors. Historic places, areas and wahi tapu exist along the banks of the Wairoa River, both on Ngati Kahu lands and lands in private ownership. Many of these sites have been modified. The excavation works on Pukewhanake is an example of degradation to historic sites that are not protected. Many more may be referred to in patere and whakapapa. The protection of these sites is required to;
• stop further degradation of the sites by sub-division, residential and commercial development and vandalism.
• preserve and maintain the ancestral landscape
• preserve the importance of the place to Ngati Kahu and other hapu in reference to events, persons and mythology
• restore the mana of Ngati Kahu over its ancestral landscape.98
Today Pukewhanake is still in private ownership. Ngati Kahu have asked the Waitangi Tribunal to recommend that Pukewhanake be returned to Maori ownership, but the Treaty of Waitangi Act prohibits the Tribunal from making recommendations regarding land in private ownership. Regardless of whether the ancestral site can be returned to Maori or not, strong arguments can be made for greater say from Maori in how such sites are managed, to ensure that further destruction, such as that which has already happened at Pukewhanake, does not occur again.
2.5 SUMMARY
• Pukewhanake is an ancient pa site on a hill on the west bank of the Wairoa River. It is an important pa because it was the site of Ngati Ranginui’s first settlement in Tauranga. There are many other pa sites on both sides of the river belonging to Ngati Kahu, Ngati Rangi and Ngati Pango, all hapu of Ngati Ranginui and tracing their ancestry to Ngamarama.
• Pukewhanake was part of the area west of the Wairoa River confiscated by the Crown from its traditional owners. The decision to extend the boundary of the 50,000 acre confiscated block over the Wairoa River was resisted by Pirirakau and other Maori. Although Crown Commissioners met with various ‘Ngaiterangi chiefs’ to obtain their consent to the confiscated boundary, those Maori most
98 Antoine Coffin, ‘Wairoa River and Coastal Environment Issues and Options Paper’, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Tauranga, 1995, p 13
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