NORTHLAND

NORTHLAND Land owners help preserve 300-year-old pā

When new property owners Kees and Lizette Oud discovered a substantial pā on their Doubtless Bay property, they wanted to help preserve it.

WRITER & IMAGES: John O’Hare

The Oud's vision for heritage has resulted in the pā on their property being mapped and its features recorded in detail, marking a significant contribution to the preservation of this piece of Northland’s archaeological heritage. “One of our neighbours encouraged us to make contact with Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and talk to them about how we should manage it,” says Kees. “We told them we wanted to fence off the pā to protect it, as well as covenant an area of mature native trees with the QEII National Trust. They gave us some really good advice on how to preserve the pā – and then came out to look at the pā itself.” The call provided a timely opportunity to study the Parapara site, according to our Northland Manager, Bill Edwards, who is currently working on a project that will consolidate archaeological records and other research that has been carried out at neighbouring Oruru Valley over the years. This will inform council about these places, and assist in their scheduling and protection. “A site visit enabled us to ‘read the landscape’ around the pā,” explains Bill, and it became obvious very quickly that the pā site on the Oud’s land – which is literally the next valley up from Oruru – was really an extension of the complex of pā that existed in Oruru. The numerous marae around Parapara, all of which link by whakapapā back to other marae in the Oruru valley, just reinforced the physical connections of these pā sites with each other.” In addition, other pā close by highlighted the strategic nature of its location. “Essentially these pā worked together to defend the considerable food resource that was being grown in the valley,” he says. The Oruru area was well known for being a large-scale producer of food through its extensive gardens. The fertility of the soils was able to sustain a large population, and in Oruru Valley alone there were known to be at least 80 pā. The area even features on Tuki’s map – described as New Zealand’s first literary document. “Young rangatira Tuki Tahua had been kidnapped and taken to Norfolk Island in 1793, where Governor King – embarrassed by the episode – struck up a friendship with him,” says Bill. The young rangatira drew a map for the Governor showing

The pā on the Oud’s land sits within a wider archaeological landscape, which includes many pā close to Taipā in Northland’s Doubtless Bay.

places that were significant in his world – this included Oruru Valley, written on the map as Ho-do-do. The map also recorded the fact that the area had “2000 fighting men”. In years to come, introduced diseases took an appalling toll on people living in the area, reducing the population to about 300 people. “Besides the terrible impact disease had on Māori in the area, culturally it also resulted in the loss of much of the oral history and traditions that were held by local people as so much of this information didn’t get passed on,” he says. “The result has been significant knowledge gaps. Part of the project in Oruru Valley is to pull together as much information about these places as possible to assist in their protection, but also to be a resource for tangata whenua to draw on and add to.”

An assessment of the pā, with support from the Piri Raiti whanau who are mana whenua, and kaitiaki TinaLee Yates and Carol Hudson, has already provided useful insights into its place in the area and in history. “Going by the age of the mature trees close to the pā, we estimate it is 300 years old or more,” says Bill. “The trees that would have been harvested to build the palisades and other parts of the pā were replaced by new growth. This new growth makes up the mature trees we see today, and these are estimated to be about 300 years old.” The layout of the pā also provides clues. “The pā definitely predates European contact,” says Bill. “It has straight defensive ditches with no zig-zag features, showing that it was built for hand-to-hand fighting before European contact.”

The desire to learn more about the pā and the surrounding area is shared by Kees, Lizette and Jan Dabb, Lizzete’s mother who also lives with them. They are looking forward to sharing this information with others. “The history of this place intrigues me. I found some shells up in the bush some time ago and it started me wondering about the people who lived here – what they were talking about when they were eating the shellfish for example,” says Kees. “Although I’m not descended from these people I want to preserve this place, and help find out more about those who once lived on this land.”

The Oud’s commitment to preserving the pā and learning more about its story is a tremendous gesture according to Bill. “It’s a wonderful initiative, and we’re delighted to be able to support them,” he says. n

Our archaeologist, Dr James Robinson, with Kees Oud on-site at the pā.