Almost every type of kai Māori no te moan a could be found within this mahinga kai. Whanganui Inlet is home to a huge number shellfish, crabs and other invertebrates. In the mud and san d, tūpuna collected cockles, pipi, tuatua, “booboo”, mussels and rock oysters; from the rivers and stre ams īnanga, tuna and kōkopu were harvested. Around thrity fish species use the Inlet at some stage in their lives. In the breeding seasons the waters can be se en literally “boiling” with sh oaling fish, including snapper/bream, mullet, herrings, flounder and sole, sharks, kahawai, southern mackerel, conger eels, blind eels and warehou. The estuary also provides food and shelter for an array of wading birds including the godwit, oystercatcher and the banded rail. Saltmarsh communities fringe the shoreline and eelgrass beds dominate the tidal flats. Dunes, cliffs, islands and underwater reefs contribute to the huge range of habitats and species found within Whanganui Inlet. Much of the inlet is still bordered by coastal forest including pukatea, rata, kahikatea, beech, rimu and nikau palm. Land based resources were also gathered harvested or quarried on traditional whānau trips. Plants for weaving, such as aka (supplejack) were harvested for crayfish pots, hinaki for eeling and for other weavings. The swamps provided thousands of hectares of tough harakeke for whariki (mats), especially at Rakopi and near Mangarakau. 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. The cultural identity of Ngāti Tama ki Te Tau Ihu is intertwined with Whanganui Inlet. Numerous wāhi tapu are ass ociated with the area, and the maintenance of associated customs and traditions is paramount to iwi wellbeing. LAKE ROTOITI AND LAKE ROTOROA, NELSON LAKES NATIONAL PARK The origins of Lake Rotoiti and Rotoroa are linked to the tradition of Rakaihautu of the Uruao canoe, which arrived in the South Island from Hawaiki around AD 850. After his arrival at Nelson Haven, Rakaihautu set out overland to explore the South Island. Inland from Whakatū he used his magic ko Tū Whakaroria to dig three trenches and fill them with water. These became Lakes Rotoiti, Rotoroa and Rangatahi (now known as Lake Tennyson). The inland routes via Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa were historically important trails to and from Te Tai Poutini. The routes into the hinterlands formed the basis for both economic and social relationships of iwi living in Te Tau Ihu. Waka were used to negotiate the waterways and cross the lakes. Traditional tauranga waka (landing sites) on the associated rivers and around Lake Rotoiti and Rotoroa are therefore plentiful. Lake Rotoiti provided a plentiful supply of food and other resources needed to replenish supplies. Freshwater mussels were a highly valued mahinga kai collected from both Rotoiti and Rotoroa. Tuna, whio, and other birds such as kōkako, weka and bush wren were also abundant. From Rotoiti, the route followed the Kawatiri (Buller) River for some distance across flat country, before following the Porika upstream, over a low range of hills to Lake Rotoroa. Cultivation of “fern gardens” on the weste rn slopes of Rotoroa indicates that the lake was of considerable importance. It was used as a campsite for parties crossing the hinterland to and from resource gathering areas and mahinga kai throughout the northern and western South Island. Lakes Rotoiti and Rotoroa were an integral part of the seasonal traditions of the manawhenua iwi. They were used as food baskets to replenish supplies on journeys, but also as seasonal or semi-permanent camps, as observed by Heaphy at the Porika in 1846. The mobil e lifestyle of the tūpuna led to their exploration of these inland areas. Knowledge of river routes, landing places and walking trails was essential to gain access to the lakes. Te Tau Ihu Statutory Acknowledgements Page 88 of 163