Piharau (lamprey), which Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui considers to be a delicacy, swarm upstream. Lamprey live on whitebait and proceed up the river until they find their passage barred by rocks, and to these rocks they cling with their sucker-like mouths and are easily caught. Waikawa te awa, the estuary and associated coastline were significant mahinga kai, with kai moana, particularly shellfish, taken at the mouth. Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a- Māui tūpuna had co nsiderable knowledge of whak apapa, traditional trails and ta uranga waka, places for gathering kai and other taonga, ways in which to use the resources of Waikawa te awa, the relationship of people with Waikawa te awa and their dependence on it, and tikanga for the proper and sustainable utilisation of resources. All of these values remain important to Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui today. WAITOHI RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES Waitohi te awa is historically, culturally, spiritually and traditionally significant to Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui believe that Waitohi te awa carries its own mauri guarded by separate spiritual kaitiaki and iwi kaitiaki, and has its own status or mana. Waitohi Stream has spiritual significance to Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui as demonstrated by the tohi rite that was performed over our warriors before and after battle. This process involved dipping the b ranch of a karamū shrub in the water. The branch was used to strike each warrior on the right shoulder and then the tohunga would call on Tūmatauenga through karakia to prote ct each warrior in the battle ahead. Traditionally toitoi bushes lined the stream representing those who had been lost in battle, and they became the kaitiaki of the awa. The last time this tohi rite was performed was for the 28th Māori Battalion troops before they departed the shores of Aotearoa to fight in the Second World War. For Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui, histories such as this reinforce tribal identity and solidarity, continuity between generations, and document the events which shaped Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui as an iwi. There are a number of Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui wāhi tapu along Waitohi te awa and the estuary. These sacred wāhi tap u sites a re places holding the memories, traditions and victorie s of Te tiawa o Te Ā Waka-a-Māui tūpuna, and are frequently protected by keeping their location secret. Waitohi te awa and the estuary was a significant mahinga kai, particularly for tuna, koura and various species of shellfish. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui tūpuna had considerable knowledge of whakapapa, traditional trails and tauranga waka, places for gathering kai and other taonga, ways in which to use the resources of Waitohi, the relationship of people with the river and their dependence on it, and tikanga for the proper and sustainable utilisation of resources. All of these values remain important to Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui today. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka-a-Māui strongly associate to the Waitohi, and it is often referred to in whaikōrero by kaumātua and other iwi member s. PATURAU RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES Paturau te awa is sacred and highly significant to Te Ātiawa o Te W aka-a-Māui. The mouth of the Paturau was a tauranga waka from which sea voyages were launched to and from a variety of locations in and around Te Tau Ihu. There was also a large settlement at the mouth of the Paturau River. Te Ātiawa o Te Waka -a-Māui had a n intimate knowledge of the awa, including navigable river routes, landing places and the locations of food and other resources on and around the Paturau. The River was an integral part of a network of trails which were used in order to ensure the safest journey ,and incorporated locations along the way that were identified for activities including camping overnight and gathering kai. Knowledge of these trails continues to be held by Te Ātiawa o Te Wa ka-a-Māui and is regarded as a Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 132 of 163