Separation Point was part of the gift or tuku to Ngāti Kōata following the battle of Whakapaei ti where the chief Tutepourangi was taken captive by Ngāti Kōata. To ensure the safety of his people and himself he offered most of what is now Tasman and Golden Bay‘s as a peace settlement. According to Ng āti Kōata tradition, the tuku of land started from Anatoto at the mouth of t he Pelorus S ounds an d included Kurupongi, Ngā Kiore, Takapourewa and on to Te Hiku o te Matau (Farewell Spit). After the tuku Ngāti Kōata became the first of the northern allies to take occupation in Te Tau Ihu. Ngāti Kōata first proceeded through the district to takahia te whenua, cementing the boundaries of the tuku and making peace with the individual chiefs. While making peace at Waimea, Ngāti Kōata were advised the waka Te Awatea was at Motueka. Ngāti Kōata received this special waka as part of the tuku and used it to travel around to Anaw akaau and Te Matau, and then back into Whakatū. When Ngāti Kōata visited Te Matau, they found no one living there. Ngāti Kōata considers that Separation Point was erroneously named Te Matau by a (non-Māori) translator in the Native Land Court in 1892. For Ngāti Kōata, Te Matau is the point whe re Farewell Spit begins to cur ve out to sea. Ngāti Kōata used the Separation Point region for resources such as kaimoana and flax gathering from the time of the tuku until present day. Following the invasion by allies of Ngāti Kōata into this region, Ngāti Kōata gifted land west of Moutere Bluffs to an allied iwi and w ithdrew from this wāhi. This had th e effect of lessening our strong cultural associations with Separation Point and Farewell Spit, even though Ngāti Kōata continued to maintain them as mahinga ka i. Ngāti Kōata associations with Separation Point are central to our history, identity, kaitiakitanga and mauri. This wāhi incorporates our cultural values; Ngāti Kōata has mana, whaka papa associations a nd history at Separation Point. Ngāti Kōata have tikanga and kawa, including tapu and noa at Separation Point. The traditional kaitiaki relationship is emphasised through the spiritual relationship between Ng āti Kōata and the natural environment. The mauri is a critical elementof the spiritual life force of t his area, and is there fore an important relationship for Ngāti Kōata. Ngāti Kōata are identified as tangata whenua at Separation Poi nt. Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 67 of 163