NGĀ MOTUTAPU TITI (TITI ISLAND NATURE RESERVE AND CHETWODE ISLAND NATURE RESERVE) Ngāti Kuia associations with the islands are central to our history, identity, kaitiakitanga and mauri. Ngā Motutapu Titi is iconic to Ngāti Kuia. Tītī Island (Mo tu Ngara ra-Titi) and the Chetwode Islands, Nukuwaiata, Te Kakaho, Te Koire, Motura ka (“The Entangling Islet”, now known as Duffers Reef) and Te Papanui-a-puta (Sentinel Rock) are a highly valued and si gnifican t source of mahinga kai, particularly tītī (mutton birds), fish, kour a, other bird species and karaka berries. These Motutapu incorporate our cultural values of take tupuna. They are places which our tupuna explored and named. Whakapapa Tatai hikohiko Ngāti Kuia korero tuku iho (tradition) states Kupe explored and used N gā Motutapu Titi, replenishing his Kupe food stocks here. A broad leaf plant is named Hine Matahourua after his visit here. While he was staying at Matuahautere Nukuwaiata several of his crew decided to desert and Matuakuh a kidnapped his daughter. Tukaua e Kui a Whakapapa Tatai hikohiko Ngāti Kuia korero tuku iho (tradition) states Kaikai-a-wa ro Matuahautere followed the korero of his tupuna Kupe. Matuahau tere In his waka "Te Hoiere" Matuahautere was guided by Matuak uha his tupuna kaitiaki Kaikai-a-waro and exp lored Ngā Tuka uae Motutapu Titi. While at a bay he named Tītī-i-te-rangi Kui a (now shortened to Tītīrangi) because of the tītī they |----------------- -| saw flyin g in the bay, he noticed the birds nested on Wainui-a-ono Mihinoa Tītī Isl and. He harvested the t ītī and noticed that Koangaumu tuatara also lived on the island. Thus, he called it Motu Pouwhakarewarew a Ngarara-Titi. His descendants built a pā on the headland opposite the island which they named Motu - Ngarara in remembrance of their tupuna. This was occupied by many generations of Ngāti Kuia including rangatira such as Te Pouwhakarewarew a. Whakapapa Tumatakokiri = Moeawhiti Nukuwaiata is named after our tupuna who is Rangikarere = Puhikereru buried there. The island pā and urupā were used Nukuwaia ta by generations of Ngāti Kui a. The Ngāti Kuia rangatira Koangaumu was once captured at Nukuwaiata by a party from another iwi. He escaped to one of his pā at Hikurangi. He then returned to Nukuwaiata with a party and attacked the other iwi, pursueing them back to Rangitoto. Peace was made and further marriages and alliances were established between the two iwi. Te Papanui-a-Puta ("The Great Rock of Puta") derives its name from a Ngāti Kuia traditional s tory about Puta and Whiro. Ngāti Kuia traditions state our tupuna Hinepoupou stopped at Te Papnui-a-puta (Sentinel Rock) and discovered a tauranga ika (fishing ground) on her epic swim from Kapiti Island to Rangitoto. Ngāti Kuia tupuna had considerable knowledge of places for gathering kai and other taonga, ways in which to use the resources of the motu and moana and tikanga for the proper and sustainable utilisation of resources. All these values remain important to Ngāti Kuia toda y. We are identified as tangata whenua of Nukuwaiata pre and post 1820. Ngā Motutapu Titi was identified by Ngāti Kuia tupuna in 1883 for claims to Te Hoiere, Taon ui-a-Kupe, Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 25 of 163