An area of cultural and historical significance to Māori.
Rawhiti-based iwi Ngāti Kuta and Te Patu Keha are the ancestral hapu of Te Akau (Elliot Bay). It falls within the Ipipiri (Eastern Bay of Islands) boundaries established by their ancestors.
Taupiri to the south, Motukokako (Piercy Island) to the East, Tapeka to the West, and Tikitiki to the north.
Te Akau was at the center of Māori occupation in the mid to late nineteenth century. Two pā (fortified villages), Matawhero and Pahi, were founded on the northern end of Te Akau. The flats behind the bay were extensively cultivated with their field system still visible today. The Māori population slowly drifted to Rawhiti as it became a prominent port for American whalers stopping for provisions. By the 1880s, there was no longer a Māori presence at Te Akau.
Collaboration with Local Iwi
Local iwi are strong supporters of Ipipiri Nature Conservancy Trust and our vision. We are proud to work alongside them to protect, preserve, and restore the ecology, environment, cultural heritage, and history of the area for future generations of New Zealand.
