Ōhinemutu Village

This post is about the Ngāti Whakaue village of Ōhinemutu, which is located in Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, New Zealand.

Ōhinemutu was named by the Arawa adventurer, Ihenga. Sadly, he discovered his daughter had been killed on the north-western shores of Rotorua. In her memory, he erected a large rock in the vicinity of St Faith’s Church, and named it Ōhinemutu, which means ‘The girl whose life was cut short’. Although the rock was destroyed during roadmaking of the 1880s, the name remains.

Ohinemutu (c. 1882), watercolour painting by Gertrude Flora Cooke Yarborough. Original Held by Alexander Turnbull Library (reference number E-881-f-048-2). 

In December 1864 a small expedition from Auckland led by a Lieutenant Meade, arrived at Ōhinemutu and left this description: 

The whole village is built on a thin crust of rock and soil, roofing over one cast boiler. Hot springs hiss and seethe in every direction; some spouting upwards and boiling with the greatest fury, others merely at an agreeable warmth. From every crack and crevice spurt forth jets of steam or hot air, and the open bay of the lake itself is studded far and near with boiling springs and bubbling steam-jets. So thin is the crust on which these men have built their little town and lived for generations, what in most places after merely thrusting a walking-stick into the ground beneath our feet, steam instantly followed its withdrawal.

- The Rotorua Legend, Vol 1 Number 1, pp.41-43.

Ōhinemutu became a popular tourist spot and by the 1870s shops, four hotels, a blacksmith, a police station, and court house. European residents and traders occupied land at the discretion of Ngāti Whakaue. At that time, very little land had been alienated and the village was the most populated in the Rotorua district.

The map below, which dates from the early 1880s, illustrates how the Utuhina ‘Creek’ bounds Ōhinemutu to the north. The blocks had been surveyed in preparation for the founding of a future township. Some of the block names are gardens such as Whakatōringaringa (planted by hand) and Harakekeroa (long flax). The now defunct pool Kahukura, from whence the Rugby club took its name is clearly visible. As are a number of the chiefs of the time who were claiming blocks in the Native Land Court. 

Cadastral plan ML 5181: Plan of Native Claims at Ōhinemutu (1885). Original held by Land Information New Zealand.

 

Ōhinemutu sat at the feet of Pukeroa Hill, which was a fortified pā but there formerly stood a fortified pā adjacent to the lake, called Muruika. Don Stafford related the story of Te Aratukutuku, a woman of mystical powers affiliated to Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Tūhourangi. She visited Ōhinemutu and unwittingly entered a restricted pool to bathe, she was roundly abused. In retribution, she demonstrated her supernatural powers by causing Muruika to slump into the lake.

The following map shows both block names and claimants to those blocks, all Ngāti Whakaue chiefs, and an area set aside for a church.

Cadastral plan ML 5330: Plan of Native Claims at Ōhinemutu (c. 1885).

Original held by Land Information New Zealand. 

Muruika has subsequently become a soldiers urupā (cemetery). Due to the instability of Muruika, the graves are raised tombs. The great majority of the soldiers interned here fought in World War II, as part of the 28th Māori battalion. However, at least one of the soldiers fought locally in what was called the Gilbert Mair’s Te Arawa Flying Squad of the 1870s, that was formed to capture Te Kooti Arikirangi, the prophet-guerilla fighter.

Palisade posts on the west side of Muruika Pa, Ōhinemutu (c. 1890), black and white photograph by Edward William Payton. Original held by Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa (OP-1581)

In 1882, Rev. Ihāia Te Ahu of Ngāpuhi, arrived in Ōhinemutu from Maketū after having a long association with Rev. Thomas Chapman. He spent three years re-building the parish and a church.

In April 1914, the new St Faith’s Church was opened. It was the fruition of nearly a decade’s worth of fundraising by Rev. Frederick Bennett, his parishioners and cultural performers. It was sited perpendicular to the old Church, Te Hāhi o Te Whakapono – The Church of the Faith, that had been built in 1885. The old church continued to serve as the venue for Sunday School until blown over by a storm in 1936.

The exterior of St Faith’s is Tudor-style, like many major buildings of Rotorua but Bennett designed the interior along the lines of a whare whakairo, with room for carvings, tūrapa (tukutuku) panels, tāniko and kōwhaiwhai.  

Church of St. Faith's, Rotorua, New Zealand (2012), digital photograph by Reinhard Dietrich. 

Te Papa-i-ōuru complex is one of three marae in Ōhinemutu – the others being Paratehoata and Te Kuirau. It is considered the premier marae of Te Arawa. The meeting-house, Tamatekapua, is named to honour the captain of the Arawa Canoe and is the third to have carried the name. The present meeting-house was a centennial Project for 1940 (100 years after the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840). The build was slightly delayed and Tamateakpua opened in March 1943, along with Tawakeheimoa at Awahou.

The street names of Ōhinemutu represent important ancestors. For example, the northern entry to Ōhinemutu is via Ariariterangi Street, a grandson of Tūtānekai, and major progenitor of Ngāti Whakaue. At the end of this main thoroughfare, Ariariterangi connects to a street named after his son, Tūnohopū. This street runs past Paratehoata marae, whose meeting-house is also named in honour of Tūnohopū. Finally, Tūnohopu Streets runs into a street named after one of his brothers, Hurunga Street , which ends at the entrance to Te Papaiōuru Marae.

Kuirau Reserve / Kuirau Park

 Kuirau Reserve : a brief history

Kuirau Reserve is also known as Kuirau Park to locals and tourists alike as a popular place to soak one’s tired feet, relax with a picnic and entertain their children in the playground.  I have researched some background history to create for the reader a picture of this well known locale.

Kuirau Reserve was gifted to the Crown as a recreation reserve by Ngati Whakaue, at the same time as:

Sanatorium Reserve, Pukeroa Reserve, Whakarewarewa Thermal Springs Reserve c1881 (Ohinemuri Gazette, 1908).

Stafford (1986) mentions in his narrative that:

In 1893 a syndicate with £5000 planned to establish a bathing pavilion, and in 1896 C.A.C Clarke proposed to aerate the waters from the Kuirau Spring & other springs as a heath drink, and by this time paths had been cut through the scrub and Ohinemutu residents had cleared an area of scrub and built baths.

Stafford says that by the early 1900s, tourists flocked to the reserve to swim in the Lobster Pool, so called due to the colour of their skin after spending some time bathing there.  Sadly some people stayed too long and it is suspected were overcome by the heat and drowned.  Other visitors to the reserve were also scalded when not watching where they put their feet, strayed into either a pool or one of the streams flowing away from the pool (Stafford, 1986).

Eruptions were known to occur in the reserve, the first recorded in 1902, then 1906, 1930s, 1960s- 1980s and the one I remember most vividly was in 2001!

The park was given its first architect’s design by Mr F Tschopp in c1931 who presented it to the then Borough Council. His design included sports grounds (Auckland Star, 1931).

In 1938 an article appeared in the Bay of Plenty Times which talks about the council workers finding stumps and logs which at some stage long ago, had been buried beneath the surface. These stacks of wood were kept and the reporters (unnamed) suggest that it will make good firewood: 

The species of timber were “rimu, white pine and tanekaha” (Bay of Plenty Times, 1938).

A newspaper article stated that:

The sports grounds were not officially started until c1944 when a cricket pitch composed of a hard claylike substance known as Tarawera Ash, but the cricket grounds were still to be completed in 1945, and a working bee was called for asking the Athletic Club and cricket teams to participate (Daily Post, 1994).

Little more is reported regarding the grounds or park until 1959 when the Jaycees put in 300 man hours clearing scrub and blackberry.

‘The piece that borders Ranolf Street stretching from the northern extent of the park proper to the old Lobster swimming pool (Daily Post, 1959).

In this aerial photograph from 1959 you can see the sports grounds set in a triangle to the south of the Kuirau Spring.

Rotorua, Bay of Plenty Region. Whites Aviation Ltd: Photographs. Ref: WA-50072. Alexander Turnbull Library

In 1961 John Smale opened his Toot – n – Whistle model railway in the north western area of the park.  John built the locomotive and track himself and created the landscaping from existing features of the park grounds.  To read his story click this link to Kete Rotorua.

John Smale “engineer, owner, driver” 

Smale J. (1961) Toot-n-Whistle.  Kete Rotorua. http://rotorua.kete.net.nz

A newspaper article in a local Rotorua newspaper reported that:

In 1963 the Rotorua Lions Club gifted a Traction Engine for the children’s playground, this magnificent relic of days gone by was enjoyed by thousands of Rotorua children and visitors to the park. It was removed from the park in June 1988, and moved to MOTAT in Auckland. (Daily Post, 1988)

Also at the park at this time was the tank as shown below and an aeroplane, which I remember playing on as a child.

AAQT 6539 W3537 59 / A77131 archway.archives.govt.nz/

In 1967 an artificial geyser was engineered by the Asst. Hospital Engineer, Louis Vause. He diverted waste heat from the hospital’s heat exchange bore. The new ‘geyser’ was officially opened by the Mayor, Murray Linton. (Rotorua Photo News, 1967) 

 Rotorua Photo News, 15 Dec 1967, page 83

Rotorua Library, Rotorua Heritage Collection.

In 1970 some thermal activity in the park gave two Auckland boys a fright, when a mud pool erupted nearly 60ft in the air.

Tons of mud lay around the pool and hung from a 30ft wattle tree nearby. It is reported to be about 50 yards from a “giant thermal eruption four years ago” (Daily Post, 1970)

Eruption of 1966 in Rotorua Photo News, 24 Sept 1966, pg's 4-5

Rotorua Library, Rotorua Heritage Collection.

Post written by Alison Leigh, with thanks to Alexander Turnbull Library, Archives NZ, Papers Past 

References (available from the Heritage Collections, Rotorua Library)

Stafford, D. M. (1986). The founding years in Rotorua: a history of events to 1900. Ray Richards.

Stafford, D.M. (1988). The new century in Rotorua: a history of events from 1900. Ray Richards.

Rotorua Photo News. (1967) Round Rotorua. Rotorua Photo News.

Daily Post. (1959, April 8). Jaycees cleared park: Council lets it revert to scrub. Daily Post.

Daily Post. (1970, August 26). Kuirau Park eruption. Daily Post.

Daily Post. (1988, June 10). Old timer needs TLC. Daily Post.

Smale J. (2012). Biography. Toot-n-Whistle. Kete Rotorua. http://rotorua.kete.net.nz/site/topics/show/177-toot-n-whistle

Papers Past:

Auckland Star. (1931, Nov 28). Beautifying Rotorua. Auckland Star. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19311128.2.67?end_date=31-12-1931&items_per_page=10&query=+kuirau+reserve&snippet=true&start_date=01-01-1931

Bay of Plenty Times. (1938, February 6). Items of interest: Buried forest unearthed. Bay of Plenty Times. https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/BOPT19380203.2.10?items_per_page=10&query=buried+forest+items+interest+&snippet=true&title=BOPT

The Rotorua Township Agreement 1880-2020

1980 was a busy year for the City of Rotorua.

It was the year that the city chose to celebrate its founding on 25 November 1880. The year-long centennial celebration kicked off in style in November 1979 when the Morrison Quartet briefly reunited for a special concert at the Rotorua Civic Theatre. Rotorua District Council, local businesses and community groups sponsored and organised conferences, rallies, sporting events and cultural events. A logo was designed and used throughout the year on shirts, books, banners and rubbish bags. Special medallions were minted and a stamp launched.  Celebrations reached its climax in November 1980, with three major events which included a massive float parade that showcased the evolution of Rotorua; its environment, its people and various industries. Following this, three great waka landed in Ōhinemutu and were greeted by a 200 strong haka as well as hundreds of onlookers in the crowd. The year of celebration culminated with a re-enactment of the signing of the Rotorua Township Agreement, often called the Fenton Agreement. (Stafford, 1988, p. 390-391).

Chief Judge Francis Dart Fenton (or Penetana as he was known by Māori) of the Native Land Court is usually credited with establishing Rotorua township, however this was of course accomplished hand in hand with iwi. Fenton originally discussed the proposal with local iwi in 1877 and by direction of the Government he returned for detailed negotiations in 1880. From the Crown’s point of view, there were two main objectives behind the establishment of a township at Rotorua: preserve access to the natural thermal wonders of the district and to halt problems and arguments regarding land.

Francis Dart Fenton. Ref: PAColl-7489-01. Alexander Turnbull Library,
Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22424556

The proposed township would also have the added benefit of opening up the area to further settlement and improving accommodation, supplies and transport to the burgeoning tourist trade. Up until this time this was reliant upon a haphazard collection of European style hotels and shops that had developed in and around the old Ngāti Whakaue settlement of Ōhinemutu.

In late November 1880, negotiations were held over a number of days with Ngāti Whakaue, Ngāti Rangiwewehi and Ngāti Uenukukopako, ultimately culminating in the signing of the agreement document at Ōhinemutu on 25 November 1880 between 47 persons of the three iwi and Chief Judge Fenton on behalf of the Crown. Not all iwi were happy with this development being led by the three iwi, including Tūhourangi who claimed interests in the area proposed for the township.

Group of men, possibly at a Land Court meeting, inside Tamatekapua meeting house at Ohinemutu.
Ref: 1/2-043266-F. Alexander Turnbull Library, Wellington, New Zealand. /records/22557733

For the Māori owners, the proposed township would see an increase in visitors into the area, and a major source of income, without the need to permanently sell land.  As iwi at the time refused to sell land in the Lakes District to anyone, including the Crown, it was instead agreed that the Crown would lease lots in the township out to the public for 99 years on behalf of the owners. The agreement was split into 16 clauses which set out the area for the township, how ownership would be determined, reserves that were gifted by the owners to the Crown for both races, survey costs, rates and composition of the town board.

Up until the Agreement, iwi had refused to allow the Native Land Court sit in the district knowing that to do so would likely result in the eventual loss of land through sale. However Fenton convinced iwi that for the township scheme to be successful the Court would need to decide the ownership of the township land. Following a protracted Court hearing, the Native Land Court awarded the majority of the town block, taking in the area between the Utuhina and Puarenga Streams from the lake front to Tihiotonga and called Pukeroa-Oruawhata, to Ngāti Whakaue with a section of the block called Tarewa being awarded to Ngāti Tuara and Ngāti Kearoa. This award had a number of consequences. It excluded Ngāti Rangiwewehi and Ngāti Uenukukopako from participating further in the township scheme and it saw iwi resistance to the Native Land Court in the Lakes District erode as a cascade of land claims to other land blocks were received by the Court.

While the township scheme was widely publicised, and initially successful in attracting leasees, the delay in the establishment of the promised railway, a national economic downturn, the Tarawera eruption in 1886 and a string of defaulting leasees all contributed to an enormous loss in expected revenue. 

Starting in 1889, the Crown sought to purchase shares from owners in the block. The Crown and the Ngāti Whakaue were co-owners in the Pukeroa-Oruawhata Block at the time. The alienation of the block from the last few owners, and vesting of the township block (Pukeroa-Oruawhata Block) in the Crown, was completed through the compulsorily acquirement of shares via the Thermal Springs Act of 1910. The Crown later sold these interests between 1930 and 1950, opening up the township lands to private ownership. Over the next few decades, Over the next few decades, Ngāti Whakaue sought answers from the Crown over the failure of the township scheme and care of the gifted reserves (Rose, 2004).

Meanwhile the Agreement had established the first governing body of the Rotorua Township, being the Rotorua Town Board, which was originally made up of the local Doctor, resident magistrate and a Ngāti Whakaue representative, all appointed by Central Government.

The Rotorua Town Board first meet in April 1883 however besides the administration of certain government services and hotel license fees, the Board was restricted on what it could do and achieve. Hamuera Pango, who died in 1893, was the last Ngāti Whakaue representative on the board.

Source: The Founding Years in Rotorua by D.M.Stafford

The Rotorua Town Council Act was passed in 1900 which altered the constitution of the Rotorua Town Board so that it became a Council with a membership of seven; three locally elected representatives with the other four being appointed by Central Government.

The Town Board was disestablished in 1907 at which point the Tourist Department took over the administration of the township. The Rotorua Borough Council was established by the Rotorua Town Lands Act 1920, and the first election was undertaken in 1923 although Central Government would still appoint two of the seven positions. In fact, it would not be until 1950 that a mayor and Council would take office without Central Government appointees.

The Rotorua Borough Council became the Rotorua City Council upon Rotorua achieving City status in 1962. The Rotorua City Council and the Rotorua County Council amalgamated in 1979 to form the Rotorua District Council.

In late November 1980, Ngāti Whakaue hosted all of Rotorua and Te Arawa at Te Papaiouru Marae for the re-enactment of the Fenton Agreement signing. 400 members of Te Arawa gathered on the steps of Tamatekapua Meeting House, they sung and chanted as Judge Fenton (Played by Mervyn Julian) and his interpreter (played by Sam Gardiner), emerged from St Faiths Church dressed in period costume. They crossed over to a table set up in front of Tamatekapua where the descendants of the original land owners again placed their signatures. As was befitting such an occasion, amongst the many official guests in attendance was Tennant Fenton, grandson of Chief Judge Fenton.

Rotorua Centennial Celebrations. 1980. Photograph by Jack Lang (1915 – 1986).
Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa (CP-2868)

It is interesting to remember that our city’s foundation was built upon a unique relationship between the Crown and local tāngata whenua. The Rotorua Township Agreement should be remembered as being an integral part of our shared, communal history as a city, an example of great generosity by iwi and a forward thinking willingness to work together. Rotorua’s 130 year anniversary passed quietly and largely unnoticed, with Rotorua perhaps still mourning the loss of local historian Don Stafford.

Let us hope then that Rotorua 2020 is a little different, that we will choose to remember, discuss, debate, commiserate, celebrate and reflect on our Cities past 140 years; the good, the bad, and everything in-between.

B T Manley 

Pūkenga Rangahau, Rotorua Lakes Council

Ben.Manley@rotorualc.nz

References

Rose, K. (2004). The Fenton Agreement and Land Alienation in the Rotorua District in the Nineteenth Century. Wellington: Crown Forestry Rental Trust.

Stafford, Donald Murray. (1988). The New Century in Rotorua. Rotorua: Rotorua District Council.

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