3.5 NGĀTI RĀRUA The statements of association of Ngāti Rārua are set out below. These are statements of the particular cultural, spiritual, historical and traditional association of Ngāti Rārua with identified areas. WAIRAU LAGOONS AND TE POKOHIWI / BOULDER BANK HISTORIC RESERVE For Ngāti Rārua, the Wairau Lagoon is of great historical cultural, spiritual significance. The first Ngāti Rārua settlement in the Wairau was established at the Wair au Bar, which adjoins the la goon. Tūpuna c ultivations were on the shores of Mataora, th e traditional name for the largest water area in the Wairau Lagoon. Located 7.5 kilometres south east of Blenheim, the Wairau Lagoon is situated at the mouth of the Wairau River. The lagoon covers about 200 hectares of saline marsh and mud flats between the Wairau River mouth and the Vernon Estate to the South. The lagoon was formed over the last 6,500 years behind an eight kilometre long boulder bank (Te Poko Hiwi). Along the boulder bank, which separates the lagoon from Cloudy Bay (Te Koko-a-Kupe) are a series of Māori archaeological sites that are of great national significance. These particular sites include middens, campsites and burial grounds. The exploits of the famous explorer Kupe are entrenched within this region. These traditions describe the story of Te Kāinga-a-Haumia (the house of Haumia). The Kahui Tipua whose c hief was Haumia were occupying the Wairau at te hd ate o if Kupe’s vsit, and tried to obstruct him by building a reef of rocks at Vernon Bluff and at Cape Campbell. Kupe sailed around the first obstruction and at the second caused an island called Titipu or Titipua to sink beneath the waves. As a punishment to these people he let in the sea on their plantations, this being the origin of the lagoons. The period of the Moa Hunter, which was long before the arrival of Ngāti Rārua to the area, saw the large birds herded from the Wairau Plains and surrounding hills along this bank from which there was no possible escape. The lagoon was an ancestral mahinga kai for Ngāti Rārua, where it was utilised as a hunting ground for birds and for fishing, especially flounder, kahawai and whitebait. Channels dug in the lagoon prior to the arrival of Ngāti Rārua to help trap moulting birds or eels were extensively used by Ngāti Rārua. These waterways were of great economic importance to Ngāti Rāru a. The channels ran for twenty kilometres. Many were up to twelve feet wide and up to eight feet deep. Te Aropipi (the place of the pipi) was one of the most prominent of the channels, running alongside the seaward boulder bank. Another important channel was named Orua and connected the Opawa River to the upper lagoon (Ohine-anau mate). At regular distances the banks had walls left projecting slightly into the channel and narrowing the waterway passage. These were used for eel traps and other fish nets, when the fishing season was underway. Close to these trapping spots were sand pits where the traps and nets would be emptied. The traditional method of killing tuna was to sprinkle fine dry earth grit or sand on the eel, whereby it would quickly die and at the same time the bruising caused by knocking the fish on the head was avoided. This was important because in the large fish drives where food was taken and prepared to last throughout the winter, the bruised part of the fish would quickly putrefy and become useless for the winter stock. Immense quantities of eels were caught each season along the winding lengths of the various canals. Another principal use of the channels was the capture of the wild fowl that bred and visited the lagoons. During the moulting season the birds were unable to fly (a state known as maumi or flappers) and were easily taken by hand in the narrow water lanes. The Pūtangitangi and Parera had their own respective moulting seasons and would be herded up the water catchments. A selection process would take place whereby only the Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 68 of 163