Mana, mauri, whakapapa and tapu are all important elements of the spiritual relationship of Te Ātiawa o Te W ak a-a-Māui with Port Gore. All of these value s remain important to Te Ātiawa o Te Wak-a-Māui. One of the roles of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a- a Māui as kaitiaki is to prote ct th e mauri of P ort Gore. Whakapapa defines the genealogical relationshi p of Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui to Port Gore. Tapu d escrib es the sacred nature of the a rea to Te Āti awa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui. Port Gore is an important natural resource that Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui ide ntifies and protects as a taonga (treasure) for current and future generations. The use of natural resources is governed and regulated through cultural lore and traditions of tapu, rāhui and noa (sanction ). Port Gore represents the links between the cosmology and the gods and present generations. These histories and customs reinforce our tribal identity, solidarity and continuity through the generations, and document the events that have shaped the environment of Port Gore and Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui a s an iwi. AWA / RIVERS STATEMENT Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui traditions represent the links between the cosmological world of the Gods and present generations. These histories reinforce tribal identity and solidarity, continuity between generations, and document the events which shaped the environment of Te Tau Ihu and Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui as an iwi. Ngā awa are the ribs of the tūpuna, which plunge from the maunga down to the sea, creating wetlands and swamps on their way. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui believes that wai is a taonga provided by ngā tūpuna, as it carries the lifeblood of Papatūānuku and the tears of Ranginui. Wai symbolises the spiritual link between the past and present. This tradition illustrates the central principle of whakapapa - the connectedness and interdependence of all living things in the natural world. The mauri of ngā awa represents the essence that binds the physical and spiritual elements of all things together, generating and upholding all life. All elements of the natural environment possess a life force and all forms of life are related. Mauri is a critical element of the spiritual relationship of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui Whänui with the river. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui maintains mana over the land within the rohe of Te Tau Ihu. This includes the treasured resources associated with the land, such as rivers. Ngä awa have prov ided iwi with essential sustena nce for generations. For tūpuna, fish and waterfowl were especially significant due to the absence of land based mammals. Customary traditions and practices cannot be separated from water. Wai is therefore a central component of iwi identity. The following species and resources are associated with all rivers with which Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui has an association: Tuna Tuna are taonga, a species which has been central to the lives of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka - a-Māui for genera tūpuna harvested eels were important tribal tions. The places where areas, and the gathering and processing of tuna was a customary practice that strengthened the kinship of iwi and whānau. Customary management practices followed the lifecycle of the tuna, and harvesting was regulated according to the seasons. Pūrākau of Te Tau Ihu o te Waka -a-Mauī tell of the origins of tuna. Mauī killed a taniwha called Tuna. Mauī enticed Tuna across nine skids and repeated a karakia as Tuna crossed each sk id. Whe n Tuna reached the ninth skid, Mauī killed him. This story is similar to other Te Waka-a- Mauī iwi who believe that the head of Tuna became th e tuna (river eel) and his body, Koiro (conger eel). Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 121 of 163