Have you ever felt the earth tremble beneath your feet? Picture this: you stand on the causeway leading to Puketutu Island. This small volcanic island in the Manukau Harbour holds a history far older than the city surrounding it. Puketutu a name meaning tutu shrub hill. It’s a sacred place for the Tainui and Te Waiohua iwi and hapū.
For thousands of years before European arrival Puketutu was a significant place. It once boasted multiple volcanic cones. These were used for building and for sacred altars. Rich volcanic soil provided bountiful gardens. Kumara and other crops thrived. The island was a place of learning. Tohunga and rangatira resided here. It was a whare wānanga a place of learning traditional Māori knowledge and practices. Legends speak of guardian taniwha spirits protecting Puketutu Island. The arrival of the Tainui waka around the 14th century is deeply entwined with the island’s history. Te Motu a Hiaroa the island of Hiaroa another name for this special place.
The arrival of European settlers brought change. Doctor Henry Weekes settled here in 1846 inspired by Robinson Crusoe. His farming adventures were filled with comical mishaps. Cows drowned in mud. His horse ate his entire vegetable crop. His boat capsized with his wife on board. He eventually abandoned his island life.
Later the island faced a different kind of devastation. In the 1950s quarrying removed many of its volcanic cones. This was to provide fill for Auckland Airport. The highest point Te Taumata a Rakataura Pinnacle Hill remained. This transformation drastically changed the island’s landscape.
But Puketutu Island’s story doesn’t end with loss. There is hope for the future. A charitable trust is working to restore it. Biosolids from a nearby wastewater treatment plant are being used to reshape the island. The goal is to return Puketutu Island to its former glory. To create an open space for Aucklanders a cultural park.
Imagine walking Puketutu Island in the future. The restored volcanic cones will rise again. The lush vegetation will flourish once more. It will again be a place of learning a place of peace a place of great historical importance. Puketutu Island a sacred place transformed and renewed. This is a story of resilience. A story of connection to the land. A story still being written on the shores of the Manukau Harbour.