On the trail into O po¯tiki’s past
Abike ride along po¯tiki’s coastal dunes trail is a spiritual and cultural journey into Ma¯ori history. The 10-kilometre (one way), trail traverses wa¯hi tapu (sacred places) and urupa¯ (burial sites) rich in the history of po¯tiki iwi Whakato¯hea.
The pou (carved figures) and information boards along the track make it stand out among the Great Rides of Nga¯ Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail.
To top it off, is spectacular scenery with views to Whale Island (Moutohora¯), Whakaari (White Island), and kilometres of near deserted golden sand beach that stretches from Whakata¯ne to the East Coast ranges.
I frequently walk parts of this hometown trail with my dogs, but it is a few years since I rode my trusty, rusty mountainbike.
I dig out bike shorts and pump up the tyres to meet Motu Trails’ executive officer, Jim Robinson, at the gateway to the dunes trail.
The dunes trail is a tiny taster of the magnificent Motu Trails, which links three tracks in a 90-kilometre loop through bush and backcountry roads.
Riders can also link the Motu Road Trail and the Rere Falls Trail (NZ Cycle Trail Heartland Ride), for a 180km coast-to-coast ride that ends at Gisborne and includes spectacular bush, waterfalls and, on the Gisborne side, vineyards and orchards.
On both routes, riders can stay in huts and homestays.
Everyone has to start somewhere and the dune’s trail is my introduction to the possibility of greater rides. I opt for a return trip of 12 kilometres, which takes me from the Pako¯whai ki Otutaopuku suspension bridge in po¯tiki to the coastal settlement of Tirohanga and back.
It’s a windy, grey day, with a heavy sea, and it feels wild and magnificent to pedal along pathways once trod by ancestors who fished, fought O¯ and lived along this coast.
At Hukuwai, the information board reveals that here, lots of splashes at sea signal the arrival of large schools of fish and, for Whakato¯hea, the sea and bush remain their food cupboard.
As we turn again to the trail, we pass through vast areas of native bushes and flax, part of an ongoing community planting project, driven by the Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
Thanks to local volunteers, the transformation from weeds to mostly endemic flora is spectacular, since the Motu Trails opened in 2012.
We cycle on, to an area where the trail passes through a significant wa¯hi tapu, just before Tirohanga.
These dunes were ancient burial grounds beneath Tirohanga and Wairakaia pa¯. Whakato¯hea ask that all track users stay on the track, which was marked out by kauma¯tua, to avoid trampling sensitive areas.
We cross the Tirohanga stream, home to the taniwha, Tamaariki. It represents a chief from the Nga¯ti Rua and Nga¯ti Ngahere subtribes who is now a kaitiaki of the waterways.
Two pou whenua (carved guardian posts) represent Tamaariki and the chief Ngatorohaka.
The fact the trail passes through this significant site is a testament to the goodwill of Whakato¯hea
and their desire to build knowledge and understanding for all.
The track here is at sea level, and a ‘‘floating’’ boardwalk moves with the sand. It sometimes floods, leaving driftwood for cyclists to clear.
One final section of the dunes trail passes through Waiwhero, where the water ran with blood.
It marks the final battle between Whakato¯hea and their neighbours, Nga¯i Tai.
I walk this final section later in the day and, as the sun sets, peace prevails in this golden place.