“Te Pūtiki o Kahumatamomoe,” a name echoing through centuries. It speaks of ancient voyagers and strategic strongholds. We stand on hallowed ground, overlooking Rangihoua towards the Putiki inlet. This maunga holds stories etched in the very earth beneath our feet.
Let’s journey back over 800 years. Imagine the great ocean-going waka, Te Arawa, arriving in the Hauraki Gulf. They’d endured an arduous voyage. The crew sought a safe haven for repairs. This inlet offered respite.
The surrounding area became known as Te Rangihoua. It means the day of renewal. The name reflects the relashing of their waka. It signifies a time of restoration and preparation for the journey ahead.
The maunga they landed on gained a significant name. It became Te Pūtiki o Kahumatamomoe. This translates to “the top knot of Kahumatamomoe.” Kahumatamomoe was the son of Te Arawa chief Tamatekapua.
Once the repairs were complete, the Te Arawa waka continued. It sailed around Cape Colville to the Bay of Plenty. Finally, it made landfall at Maketu.
However, Kahumatamomoe and Princess Kura later returned. They were determined to take possession of this island. They assigned their own names to geographical features. This act established ownership and mana. Kahumatamomoe named Waiheke, Motu nui no Kahu.
More significantly, he established the first pā. It was a fortified village, right here on this maunga. Te Pūtiki o Kahumatamomoe became his hill fort.
This pā’s location proved crucial in Māori history. It was close to populous parts of the island. It sat along the most likely invasion route, the Tāmaki Strait. Consequently, Te Pūtiki o Kahumatamomoe featured repeatedly in significant events.
The island itself served as shelter. It protected waka traffic passing through the Tamaki Strait. They sought refuge from bad weather coming from the north. Perhaps that’s why the island became known as Te Motu-arai-roa. This means “the long sheltering island.”
Waka travelled between the Bay of Islands and the Bay of Plenty. They often met near here. Sometimes, they fought displacing one another. These conditions made for turbulent times for the islanders. Homes could never be entirely secure.
To defend themselves, they strengthened headlands and summits. These became pā. They served as safe havens in times of danger. From the first traces of settlement in the 1400s, various iwi invaded and occupied the island.
Later, the Ngāti Paoa claimed the island. They considered themselves tangata whenua, people of the soil. This occurred around 1700. They were a branch of Tainui. They migrated north out of Waikato in the 1600s. They colonised the western shores of the Hauraki Gulf.
In the late 1700s, Ngapuhi pushed south from Northland. They challenged the Waitemata holdings. A series of battles ended in a stalemate. Ngāti Paoa held the eastern side of Tamaki. They also occupied gulf islands, including Waiheke.
The Putiki-o-Kahu pā strategically sited on Waiheke. It and a fleet of famous war canoes gave the locals the upper hand.
In 1821, though, the seemingly unassailable bastion of Waiheke faced a new threat. Another one-sided battle took place. Hongi Hika sacked the fortress.
Today, standing here at Te Pūtiki o Kahumatamomoe, we remember. We remember the voyagers, the battles, and the generations who sought shelter and renewal on these slopes. The echoes of the past resonate. They remind us of the enduring connection between people and place.