During the 1800’s and 1900’s, Queen Charlotte Sound was a hive of activity with many Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui residing in the various bays and coming into Waitohi and later on into Waikawa to tend cultivations, as well as for polit economic social and ical, reasons. Often staying days or weeks, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui whānau would then begin their journey back to their papakāinga taking supplies and calling into other bays to visit whānau. Since our arrival into Te Waka-a- Maui, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui have travelled throughout Quee n Charlotte Sound via waka, often rowing from Waikawa to Arapaoa. Often whānau would walk to a bay and wait for the next waka to take them on the next stage of their journey. More recently many whānau have adopted the use of motorised boats. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a-Māui iwi were dependant of the many and various resources that Tōtaranui had to offer, and the sustainable use of these resources was and continues to be central to Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui prospering. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui o Te Waka-a- Māui are by geographical choice and necessity coa stal dwellers that have placed high cultural and historical values upon the foreshore, seabed, coastal and maritime waterways within Tōtaranui. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui hapū relationships with te takutai moana (the coastal marine area) are captured in memories, ingrained in hearts, and passed on in practice, stories and waiata to children an d grandchildren who will one day be the next kaitiaki of the coastal domain. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a-Māui consider the resources of the sea as gifts from the sea god, Tangaroa, and hav e developed complex mana gement systems (tikanga) to prevent over-exploitation. For Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui, land and water are an indivisible whole. The land is connected to the water resources which flow in, on, or under it, as is the water related to the land that surrounds it, including the foreshore and seabed. Both the lands and waters are in turn connected to the people. As tan gata whenua, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a- Māui have kaitiaki responsibilities to protect these spiritually important dimensions. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui are kaitiaki of the sea, lands, waters and associated resources within our rohe and are charged to look after them for future generations. STATEMENT OF ASSOCIATION WITH THE TUTURIWHATU (BANDED DOTTEREL) The Tuturiwhatu (b anded dotterel) is a handsome little bird, held in high esteem by Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui who have responsibilities as kaitiaki in the Motueka, Whakatū and Mōhua rohe where this treasured taonga nests. The vast Tasman coastline supports many sands pit nesting sites for the Tuturiwhatu, particularly Farewell Spit, Whanganui Harbour, Motupipi, Tākaka, Riuwaka, Motueka and Waimea Estuary. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a-Māui Motueka whānau have had a kaitiaki relationship with the Tuturiwhatu since Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui arrived in Te Waka-a-Maui. The Motueka River delta consistin g of the rive r mouth, the Motueka sandspit and the Kumara estuary, including Raumanuka, are very importan t areas for the Tuturiwhatu. The whole area is ecologica lly important - it has extensive areas of rush land and salt marsh where whit ebait spa and a major feeding areafor the Tuturiwhatu who wn. It is rich in shellfish roo sts on the sandspit over summer. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a-Māui kaitiaki role includes an obligation to ensure that the ecological environment is maintained for the survival of thi s important taonga. Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 102 of 163