from the mud, sand and tidal rocks; īnanga, tuna and kōkopu were harvested from the rivers and streams. Around thirty fish species use the Inlet at some stage in their lifecycle. In the breeding seasons, the wa ters can be seen literally “boiling” with shoaling fish, including snapper/bream, mullet, herrings, flounder, sole, sharks, kahawai, southern mackerel, conger eels, piharau and warehou. The estuary also provides food and shelter for an array of wading birds, including the godwit, oystercatcher and the banded rail. Saltmarsh communities fringe the shoreline and eelgrass beds dominate the tidal flats. Dunes, cliffs, islands and underwater reefs contribute to the huge range of habitats and species found within Whanganui Inlet. Much of the Inlet is still bordered by coastal forest including pukatea, rata, kahikatea, beech, rimu and nikau palm. Land based resources were also gathered, harvested or quarried on traditional whānau trips. Plants for weaving, such as aka (supplejack) were harvested for crayfish pots, hīnaki for eeling, and kiekie and pingao for other weaving. The swamps provided thousands of h ectares of tough harakeke fo r whāriki (mats), especially at Rakopi and near Mangarakau. Kiekie fruits were a delicacy as were hinau berries and other fruit trees. Long straight stands of hinau and lance-wood provided exceptionally strong shafts for fishing spears, spars and poles. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui has responsibilities and obligations to protect the cultural, spiritual, historical and traditional values of Te Tai Tapu and Whanganui Inlet, and to pass these onto the next generations; these are the tools of iwi. PARAPARA PEAK Parapara is a prominent and majestic peak, clearly visible from a number of vantage points in Mōhua and Onetahua. It is a wāhi tapu - a sacred maunga of special significance to Te Ātiawa o Te W aka-a-Māui whānau through our ancestral and spiritual links to the natural world. As with all principal maunga, Parapara Peak is imbued with the spiritual elements of Rangi and Papa, in tradition and practice it is regarded as an important link to the primeval parents. Originally, Huriawa, the taniwha of Te Waikoropupū, was buried on Parapara until she was called forth to guard the waterways and caves of Te Waikoropup ū. Parapara Peak was important in the lives of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui tūpuna and remains central to the lives of whānau in the present. Parapara extends its influence onto papakāinga at Pariwhakaoho, Parapara Inlet, Onekaka and Tukurua. Beneath Parapara g aze, generations of whānau have lived, cultivated land, collected resources and harvested food. Parapara Inlet was a renowned special resource area and rich in mahinga kai. The legend of Kaiwhakauaki, the taniwha of Parapara Inlet, served as a warning to outsiders who might be tempted to exploit the valuable resources there. Te Pariwhakaoho, the awa that carries the sacred waters from Parapara to the sea, is a taonga. These cleansing waters carry the kōkōwai stone in all tones of red. This red glow can be seen in the sands at the edges of the awa. The kōkōwai deposits at Parapara are considered to be the blood of Papatūānuku. Therefore, the river runs red with blood from the separation of Papatūānuku and Ranginui. The kōkōwai deposits are a sacred link with ngā tupun a - a wāhi tapu to Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui. Since their occupation of the land below Parapara Peak, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui whānau have lo oked to the Peak for indications of changing weather and seasonal patterns. Parapara was also a geographical marker, linking the people to the land. Its significance is recognised in the pepehā of Mōhua peopl e - “Ko Parapara te maunga …” Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui arikitanga of Parapara Peak gives our iwi responsibilities and gives meaning and effect to the customs of kaitiaki and manaakitanga. This includes acknowledging the history of the maunga, what is buried and arises from the maunga, the ma ny various taong a and the tāngata and wāhi Māori of Parapara Peak. There are a number of tomo (sacred caves) within this maunga. Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 115 of 163