Aorere te awa is immersed in Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a-Māui history. There are numerous wāhi tapu associated with this abundant food basket linking present day Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui physically and emotionally with our tūpuna. The cultural identity of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui is intertwined with this awa and with the maintenance of associated customs and traditions paramount to Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui wellbeing. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui has mana, whakapapa and history here. We have tikanga and kawa which involve tapu and noa in this catchment. We have responsibilities and obligations to this place and its cultural, spiritual, historical and traditional values as tangata whenua of the area. TE HOIERE / PELORUS RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES Te Hoiere (The Pelorus) is an important and significant awa for Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui. At the head of the Pelorus River a number of escapees were caught and killed at Titi-rakawa (Pelorus Bridge) by Te Koihua of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui and others. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui has mana and history here. Since the Raupatu, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui tūpuna have harvested resources from the Pelorus R iver catchment. Traditionally, the Pelorus was well stocked with tuna which formed a part of the customary diet of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui tūpuna. Tuna are a taong a – a species which has been central to the lives of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui for generations. The places where ūpuna harvested eels wer e importa nt tribal areas – t ga thering and processing tuna wa s a customary practice th strengthened the kinship at of iwi and whānau. Customary management practices followed the lifecycle of the tuna, and harvesting was regulated according to the seasons. Mahinga harakeke associated with the Pelorus provided raw products including rongoā and weaving materials. The harekeke wetland areas and forests provided an important habitat for ne sting birds and fish species. A large number of freshwater fish species were harvested, including kōkopu, paraki (smelt), īnanga, korokoro (lamprey), tuna and kōaro. Although freshwater fish and tuna have been severely depleted, they are still an important resource for Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui today. For generations, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a-Māui have talked about the significance of this area as a battle site and a mahinga kai. The wāhi tapu and mahinga kai associated with Te Hoiere links present day Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui physically and emotionally with our tūpuna. The maintenance of the customs and traditions associated with this awa is therefore paramount to the wellbeing of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a-Māui has maintained customary practices associated with Te Hoiere for many generations. The taonga, wāhi tapu and customary practices associated with this awa were integral to the spiritual and cultural well being of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a-Māui iwi. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a- Māui have responsibilities to this place and its cult ural, spiritual, historical and traditional values. RIUWAKA RIVER, AND RESURGENCE, AND ITS TRIBUTARIES The Riuwaka River is a taonga to Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a-Māui. The name Riuwaka refers to “Riu” meaning basin, and is a reference to the puna or pool where the river emerges from the ground. There are a series of pools below the resurgence and each pool had a speci fic cultural purpose for the iwi. Te Puna o Riuwaka had special mana or status, because from here springs “wai ora”, or the waters of life. For gener ations, Te Ātiawa o Te Waka- a- Māui whānau have come to the pools for cleansing and healing, following the footsteps of our tūpuna. The whole area associated with this awa is one of the most sacred sites in Te Tai o Aorere. The Riuwaka River has sustained Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui spiritually and has always been regarded with awe. After heavy rains, water would fall through the marble/karst landscape of Tākaka Hill and po ur out from the Riuwaka Resurgence. The roaring sound made by the water wa s attri buted to the roaring of the taniwha associated with the Tākaka Hill and caves Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 129 of 163