Oral traditions passed down through generations emphasise the importance of coastal Te Tau Ihu t o Ngāti Rārua. The name Te Tau Ihu o Te Waka a Māui relates to the legend of Māui-Tikitiki-a-Taranga (Māui), famous for having fished up or discover ed islands across the Polynesian Pacific. In this legend, Māui was travell ing with his broth ers in the southern ocean. With his fish hook fashioned from his grandmother’s jaw bone, incantations, k arakia and supernatural powers, Māui and his brothers we re able to haul a massive fish to the surface – Te Ika a Māui. The battle Māui ha d with this giant fish created the giant sand dunes near the southern end of Onetāh ua. 15 Another tradition refers to Ngahue, the atua of pounamu and his taniwha Poutini. The places where Poutini made landfall along the coast of Te Tau Ihu became important geological resources areas for tūpun a. Traditionally, sea travel was an integral part of life. Significant places on waka journeys were often th e subject of Ngāti Rārua supers tition, waiata and pūrākau. Ngā Whatu Kai Pono (The Brothers) for example, are regarded as tapu because of the atua residing there. Karakia were recited to ensure that waka could safely pass these rocky islets. It was also customary for new-comers crossing the Sea of Raukawa for the first time, to veil their eyes when approaching Ngā Whatu Kai Pono in order not to affront the atua living t here. In addition, the mana of Ngā Whatu Kai Pono is illustrated in an old Māori waiata and “Pao”. Th e song, composed by a young woman named Tuhupu, refers to the sacred crags of Ngā Whatu Kai Pono and to the Ngāti Rārua rangatira, Hetaraka Patutahi. Ngāti Rārua tūpuna had considerable knowledge associated with coastal Te Tau Ihu. Whānau were dependant on the coast for t heir physical and spir itual wellbeing. Accordingly, the tikan ga and mātauranga wch guided the way in which resources were hi harvested was a central part of daily life. Mauri is the basis of the relationship Ngāti Rārua has maintained with coastal marine resources for generations. It is mauri that binds the physical and spiritual elements together, generating and upholding all life. Therefore, upholding the mauri of the coastal environment is paramount for Ngāti Rāru a. Coastal trails, kāinga sites and associated kaimoana resources were an integral part of life. Fishing camps, such as Rāk opi (Whanganui Inlet) and Mānuka Island (Wakatū) were associated with tauranga waka – sea trails linked to land trails. The coast was a major highway and trade route, especially in areas where it was easier to travel by sea than by land, such as Te Tai Tapu and Te Matau. Therefore, many tauranga waka exist along coastal areas of Te Tau Ihu. Traditional life was mobile and therefore travelling in search of resources was fundamental to iwi survival. Knowledge of the coastal environment and associated seasonal resources and weather patterns supported travel and the collection of food and materials; this knowledge has been passed down from tūpuna to current generations. Another indicator of the significance of coastal Te Tau Ihu to Ngāti Rārua are the numerous urupā found across the rohe. Urupā are sacred – they are a link between the past and present. Resting places of the ancestors, urupā are wāhi tapu and the focus of whān au traditions. Urupā hold the history and stories of traditional life, making them cen tral to the lives of Ngāti Rārua whāna u. The importance of Te Tau Ihu coastline and associated marine life to Ngāti Rārua cannot be overstated - this relationship is reflected in the numerous “named” sites/areas of significance across the rohe. For example, prominent coastal features include: Kahurangi Pt, Onetāhua, Separation Point (Te Matau), and Kaparatehau. Places which became key settlements and valuable harvest areas include: Kaiteriteri, Motueka, Waimea an d the Wairau Bar. In addition, wāhi tapu such as battle sites and urupā were also given names. 15H & J Mitchell, Te Tau Ihu O Te Waka, A History of Maori of Nelson and Marlborough: Volume I ; (2004:20 &21). Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 84 of 163