A twist in the tale of two towering trees
A mix-up over their identity in a tree of the year contest is the latest development in the tale of two pōhutukawa ‘‘taonga’’ in Kāwhia. Stephen Ward reports.
It’s a tale of two trees that stretches like a braided rope from Waikato’s distant past into the ever-changing present. This month, the two nationally important ancient ‘‘taonga’’ pō hutukawa at Kā whia on the west coast have been entangled in another twist to that tale, a case of mistaken identity.
It saw one – Tangi Te Korowhiti – named the inaugural Rā kau o te Tau/Tree of the Year Aotearoa when it was actually photos of the other – Te Papa o Karewa – that contest voters were looking at.
According to local Ngā ti Hikairo ki Kā whia iwi members, another mistake on the competition’s website was a kō rero that the Tainui waka tied up to Tangi Te Korowhiti in around 1350 on its arrival from Hawaiki, rather than Te Papa o Karewa.
Of course, differing recollections of people, things and events are relatively common and competition organisers have said they are looking at how to ensure they get such details correct in future.
But such a mix-up was perhaps not entirely surprising in this case. Ngā ti Hikairo ki Kā whia, who act as the trees’ guardians, have sometimes deliberately muddled their identities to help protect tapu caves under Tangi Te Korowhiti. ‘‘It was hidden in the open’’, says kaumā tua Jack Cunningham.
‘‘Most Kā whia people understand.’’
Now that the caves are sealed off, any subtle deception is no longer really necessary, says his cousin Lees Seymour, a management consultant.
In an interview at the site of the trees on the edge of Kā whia harbour this week, Cunningham, 84, and Seymour also spoke about other aspects of the rich history of the rā kau.
The story behind the name Tangi Te Korowhiti relates to a woman who would sit in the caves beneath that tree and signal to her lover that she was there by playing on a shell nose flute, they explain.
Te Papa o Karewa, meanwhile, where Tainui tied up to, can be roughly translated as the base to float from, a reference to the tide coming in and floating waka there.
It’s believed the Tainui, with 38 families aboard, arrived at Kā whia around 1350, says Seymour. However, the age of the two trees themselves is uncertain.
‘‘According to kawa (custom) they regenerate all the time,’’ says Cunningham. Trees could be thousands of years old. When the Tainui arrived, it’s believed the harbour mouth to the wharf was lined with pō hutukawa. Timber from them was used for boat building.
Both Tangi Te Korowhiti and Te Papa o Karewa are now registered with the Historic Places Trust as sites of significance, the pair say.
‘‘The trees are significant to both Mā ori and Pā kehā who’ve lived here for centuries,’’ says Cunningham.
They are also special to the Kingitanga, he adds.
‘‘These ancient trees were given to the Mā ori king when he was first crowned.’’
They then came under his mana or authority and that remains the same for the present king.
But for day-to-day purposes Ngā ti Hikairo ki Kā whia act as kaitiaki (guardians) of the trees. For example, one of Te
Papa o Karewa’s limbs has required a support to be put in place. They’re also keeping an eye on the potential impacts on the trees of sea-level rise.
Cunningham notes that the Kingitanga had previously handed out wood from the trees for use as ornaments and sticks, with Seymour adding that the timber retains a special status. Some, for example, is on display in Whakatū (Nelson) where Seymour now lives and where other local Mā ori have links to Tainui waka also.
So part of the guardianship was ensuring the trees weren’t plundered for ornamental wood.
‘‘People have been cutting things off them,’’ says Cunningham.
‘‘In the past they did ... not so much now,’’ adds Seymour.
The trees will continue to be an important part of Kā whia’s culture.
Says Cunningham: ‘‘A lot of people Mā ori and Pā kehā are connected to these things now.’’