Since the early 1800s, Ngāti Rārua whānau have made seasonal journeys to harvest from “food baskets” across Te Tau Ihu - to collect mahinga kai, rongoā and other natural materials. Te Tai Tapu, Whanganui I nlet, Waimea Inlet an d the Wairau Lagoon are examples of food gathering areas whi ch were highly valued by tūpuna. Ngāti Rārua whānau and hapū would settle or relocate their villages to harvest from such “food baskets”. Everyone had different tasks. Some would go fishing, while others would collect shellfish, snare birds or collect plant materials from around the estuary and associated lowland forests. Whānau and extended whānau gatherings occurred frequently, depending on seasonal resources available for harvest from land and sea. These harvests were an opportunity to renew social and familial ties, but large numbers were also needed to carry out the tasks associated with the harvest. For example, many hands were needed to deal with the catches to ensure they were safely preserved for long-term consumption. There is no doubt about what attracted Ngāti Rārua to Te Tau Ihu - almost every type of kai Māori nō te moana could be found along the coast. Numerous estuaries and inlets were havens for ma rine life. The estuaries, beaches and offshore islands of Te Tau Ihu provided tūpuna with a bountiful supply of marine mammals, sea birds, shell fish and plant life. Marine mammals such as whales and seals were harvested by tūpuna. Whales are a highly valued taonga - a gift from Tangaroa. Such a precious gift could not be wasted, so traditionally every part of a beached whale was used. The oil was collected for fuel, the flesh was us ed for food, and the b ones and teeth made into weapons and carved into precious ornaments. The plentiful supply of seals provided tūpuna with meat; their skins were cleaned and sown together for a range of uses. The estuaries and inlets across Te Tau Ihu are home to a huge number mātaitai (shellfish), pāpaka (crabs) and other invertebrates. In the mud and sand, tūpuna collected tuangi (cockles), pipi, tuatua, pūpū, kūtai (mussels) and tio (rock oysters); from the rivers and streams īnanga, tuna and kokopū were harvested. In the breeding season, tāmure (snapper), kanae (mullet), herrings, pātiki (flounder) and sole, mango (sharks), kahawai, southern mackerel, koiro (conger eels), piharau (blind eels) and warehou were caught. Estuaries such as the Waimea and Whanganui Inlet provide an ideal habitat for birdlife and are therefore rich in bird species; some fly from as far as Siberia to feed from the prolific mahinga mātaitai across the rohe. Wading birds, such as the godwit, oystercatcher a nd the banded rail come to t he estuaries for food and shlter e . Traditionally, birds were harvested by tūpuna for a range of uses, including the use of their feathers for decorating garments. Saltmarsh communities fringe the shoreline and eelgrass beds dominate the tidal flats. Dunes, cliffs, islands and underwater reefs contribute to the numerous habitats and species found within coastal Te Tau Ihu. Traditionally, much of Te Tau Ihu was bordered by coastal forest including pukatea, rātā, kahikatea, beech, rimu and nikau palm. Land based resources were gathered, harvested or quarried on traditional whānau trips. Plants for weaving, such as aka (supple jack) were harvested for crayfish pots, hīnaki for eeling and for other weavings. Swamps provided thousands of hectares of tough harakeke for whāriki (mats). Ngāti Rārua tūpuna built whare at the mouth of the Waimea River in order to harvest the plentiful supply of harakeke growing there. Kiekie fruits were a delicacy, as were hinau berries and other fruit trees. Long straight stands of hinau and lance-wood provided exceptionally strong shafts for fishing spears, spars and poles. Te Tau Ihu coastal marine envi ronment has sustained Ngāti Rārua for generations. The livelihood and wellbeing of tūpuna depended on their ability to hunt and gather food and ot Te Tau Ihu is steeped in her natural resources from the coastal environment. histo ry - abundant wāhi tapu and other taonga link present day iwi physically and Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 85 of 163