Tamaterā was the second son of the eponymous ancestor Marutūāhu and his descendants formed the tribe known as Ngāti Tamaterā.
According to Ngāti Tamaterā traditions, after Tamaterā took on his father’s status, there was antagonism with his sibling that caused Tamaterā to depart his place of birth at Whakatīwai, after which he lived in several districts including Ōhinemuri, Katikati and Whakatāne. Ngāti Tamaterā went on to establish their mana throughout the rohe maintaining strongholds at Moehau, Waikawau and Ōhinemuri regions. Their leaders have been prominent in Hauraki tribal affairs for many generations.
The Te Mātā and Waipatukahu (commonly know as Tapu) shellfisheries has been the subject of a temporary closure before as part of a wider Thames coast closure. In 1998, the Hauraki Māori Trust Board requested and were granted a Section 186A Temporary Closure for the coastline extending from Ngarimu Bay to Wilsons Bay on the Thames coast, which encompassed Te Mātā and Waipatukahu. The purpose for the closure was to improve the availability and size of cockles and pipi and to recognise a customary fishing practice (rāhui) in that area. This rāhui was laid down for 6 years before reopening.
Ngāti Tamaterā has again placed a tikanga based rāhui at Te Mātā and Waipatukahu on Saturday 21 December 2019. The rāhui was placed because of their concerns that the shellfish may not recover from another peak season when harvesting intensifies. The 186A is in place and is closed to the take of tuangi (cockles), kūtai (mussels), oysters, and pipi. The temporary closure includes all that area of NZ fisheries waters from Ōtaki Creek to Onepoto Stream, and offshore one nautical mile.
Te Mātā and Tapu/Waipatukahu (Thames Coast)
Tio (rock oyster), kūtai (mussels), pipi (Paphies australis), tuangi (cockles)
Kūtai
Antony Royal
Dr Korohere Ngāpō, Dr Apanui Skipper
Mita O’Brien
Hoera O’Brien, Kauri O’Brien, Te Āmai Paul-Burke, Marutūahu Skipper, Maia Whittaker
