In the 1830s and 1840s, the Motueka River was abundant with native bird life including, pukeko, ducks, weka, kereru and kaka. There was an extensive swamp system from which numerous species of flax could be harvested. The river itself was also of course an important mahinga kai from which tuna, inanga and koura could all be caught. The Motueka River was an important inland route which linked Tasman Bay with the West Coast; this was an important trade route for many iwi, including Ngati Toa Rangatira, because of the valuable pounamu resources on the Western Coast. There was also an awa which linked the Wairau with Motueka via Wairoa; this was particularly important for Ngati Toa Rangatira who resided in the Wairau region. STATEMENT OF COASTAL VALUES Te Tau Ihu coastal marine area The Te Tau Ihu coastline is an area which has pla yed an important role in the shaping of Ngati Toa Rangatira history and identity. While the political centre of Ngati Toa Rangatira was based in the North Island, Te Tau Ihu and the connecting link of Te Moana o Raukawa were a vital part of the iwi’s rohe. Te Moana o Raukawa was not only important as a means of transport and a rich source of various resources; it was also a political and economic asset to Ngati Toa Rangatira, as well as having great traditional and spiritual significance. The name „Te Moana o Raukawa‟ has its origins in the narrative of Kupe’s voyage to Aotearoa. Having followed the wheke a Muturangi from Hawaiiki, Kupe killed the giant octopus at the entrance to Tory channel. Nga Whatu Kaiponu, The Brothers are said to be the eyes of the wheke, therefore, in order that the wheke not be reawakened, the eyes of rowers crossing the strait were always traditionally covered. This was done with kawakawa leaves, hence the original name, ‘Te Moana o Raukawakawa’. From 1829-1832 Ngati Toa Rangatira and their allies embarked upon a series of taua into Te Tau Ihu. Following the campaign, Ngati Toa Rangatira was in possession of large areas of valuable land, which they utilised in various ways: sometimes by physical occupation and cultivation of lands, but also by use of resources, maintenance of political authority and control, and by marriage to those with ancestral ties to the land. The main areas of Ngati Toa Rangatira occupation were focused in coastal locations in Te Tau Ihu at Te Hoiere Sound, Port Underwood and the Wairau. These settlements were large and thriving. Ngati Toa Rangatira maintained ahi kaa through ongoing settlement and a degree of authority over geographical and economic resources. There were multiple smaller coastal settlements located at various locations in Golden Bay, Tasman Bay, the Marlborough Sounds and Arapaoa Island. These settlements were in some cases seasonal, or used for resource gathering, or just smaller and more isolated than the main areas of settlement. This settlement pattern illustrates the Ngati Toa Rangatira attitude towards the coastal geography. It also illustrates their confidence in their own manawhenua and their abilities as a seafaring people. Their core zones of occupation were well-placed, both in terms of sea-travel and inland access routes via rivers and valleys, and in this way the larger settlements of Te Hoiere Sound, Port Underwood and the Wairau were all interconnected. However, via coastal and inland routes Ngati Toa Rangatira maintained connections between all of their settlements in Te Tau Ihu. Ngati Toa Rangatira considered the sea itself to be part of their rohe hence the reason why their settlements were so widespread and numerous. They maintained interests in the Te Tau Ihu coastal area through a range of mechanisms which ranged from ongoing to more temporal settlement, and this demonstrates how Te Tau Ihu and its waters were considered a key part of their tribal rohe. Ngati Toa Rangatira were able to utilise the sea and the coastline to gather a vast range of resources. As their settlements were predominantly coastal, this was the site of much Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 153 of 163