Te Rongopai and Puna Roimata

Ranginui / Sky

Te Rongopai

Ka tuu teetehi niu, Te Rongopai, kia maumahara i ngaa paa maha o teenei riu.

Naa te iwi o Taranaki te Pai maarire me te niu i taakoha ki a Taawhiao. He tohu haapai, he tohu whakapono ngaa niu ki te rohe o Waikato, puta noa i te motu ki teenei whakapono o te Pai maarire. Kei Kuranui (ki te taha o ngaa paemaunga o Kaimai) te niu o Ngaati Hauaa, ko Te Pou o Motai toona ingoa. Ka toro atu ngaa ringa o te niu i ngaa karakia ki ngaa iwi katoa o te ao.

"This niu (ceremonial pole), Te Rongopai (the message of peace), is erected here in acknowledgement of the many paa that were located along the gully. The Taranaki people gifted the Pai maarire faith and niu to Taawhiao. The many niu across the Waikato and other tribal regions symbolises the continued acceptance and practice of Pai maarire. The Ngaati Hauaa people have a niu at Kuranui (Kaimai ranges) called Te Pou o Motai. The outstretched arms on the niu reach out to share karakia (prayers) to the people of the four winds."

Puna Roimata

Kaaore i ohorere te kitea mai o teetehi urupaa naa te nui o ngaa paa i teenei takiwaa. Kaatahi ka kitea ko Puna Roimata. He tohu aroha, he ingoa whakamaumahara ki a raatou i mate i roto i teenei takiwaa. Noo reira i te kitenga o ngaa kooiwi i te waa i te hanganga o teenei huarahi, i whakahokia ngaa kooiwi ki Puna Roimata.

"Due to the large number of paa sites in this area, it was no surprise that we found this urupaa (cemetery). Puna Roimata means the 'spring of tears'. This name was gifted by mana whenua (guardians of local knowledge) in respect and remembrance to those who passed away in this area. It is fitting that the kooiwi (human bones) discovered during the construction of this expressway were reburied here at Puna Roimata."

(Official Ngāti Korokī Storyboard Description, Horotiu Paa, 2015)