Far North hapū Ngāti Rēhia to get historic pā site back

Ngāti Rēhia chairman Kipa Munro is delighted the Crown is to return the significant and historic Kororipo Pā in Kerikeri to the hapū.

Far North hapū Ngāti Rēhia is rejoicing after its decades-long fight to have a significant and historic pā site returned was finally won.

The Crown has started the process to transfer the culturally significant Kororipo Pā in Kerikeri to Ngāti Rēhia.

Ngāti Rēhia chairman Kipa Munro has welcomed the move, saying the pā site has significance to the whole of Ngāpuhi, and particularly Ngāti Rēhia, and the hapū was looking forward to getting the site back.

However, Munro said, the news was tempered by the fact that many of the kaumātua and kuia who started the battle to return the pā were no longer around to see it returned.

Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka announced the plan at Waitangi last week, saying it shows the Crown’s commitment to settling with Ngāpuhi.

“This initialling [of the deed] is an important step in beginning to provide reparations to Ngāpuhi and will be the first redress the Crown provides,” Goldsmith said.

“Ngāti Rēhia has long sought the return of Kororipo Pā and since 2022, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust has formally engaged with the Crown on its proposed early vesting. The trust intends to hold the site as kaitiaki [guardians] on behalf of Ngāpuhi. I need to emphasise that public access to the reserve will not be affected.”

Goldsmith said initialling the deed is a significant milestone, but before the deed can be signed, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust will seek support for the proposed vesting from its hapū members.

“This initialling demonstrates our commitment to reaching a comprehensive Ngāpuhi Treaty settlement, which remains a high priority. I would like to commence negotiations with Ngāpuhi as soon as possible. Kororipo Pā will transfer to Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Rēhia Trust as a historic reserve and on account of a future comprehensive Ngāpuhi settlement.”

The culturally significant Kororipo Pā overlooks the Kerikeri Basin and historic Stone Store.

Munro said while the trust had been formally engaging with the Crown since 2022 over the return, the hapū’s fight began many decades ago, so it was rewarding to finally get the site back.

“We have been wanting the return of our significant pā site for many, many years, since a lot of our kaumātua and kuia began to push for its return,” he said.

“We look forward to being kaitiaki of Kororipo Pā on behalf of all Ngāpuhi, not just Ngāti Rēhia. It has huge significance to Ngāpuhi and we will ensure it is maintained, restored and enhanced.”

Ngāti Rēhia chairman Kipa Munro points out the sights from the newly revealed Kororipo Pā to Alan McKenzie of the Ministry for Culture and Heritage in 2016, after it was exposed for the first time since the 1800s.

The site had undergone extensive restoration over the past few years under the Department of Conservation’s stewardship, after it had become overgrown over many decades. In 2016, the site was exposed for the first time since the 1800s after a massive clean-up effort.

Public land at the basin has been renamed Kororipo Heritage Park and new information panels have been installed in a continuing transformation that started with the removal of the Stone Store road bridge in 2008.

“There’s been a marked improvement in the site’s upkeep and that has gone hand-in-hand with the return – and we will continue that work.”

Munro said the hapū had plans for further development of the historic site and that would start once the formal process of having the deal approved by Parliament was done.

A formal celebration of the return would be carried out when the site is handed over. It was hoped that would coincide with the launching of the waka Hine Papara, which is under construction at the Kerikeri Basin, overlooked by the pā site.

The new waka is expected to be one of the top attractions at Te Ahurea, a “living cultural centre” at the former Rewa’s Village site.

Kororipo Pā

The name by which we know the pā – Kororipo – was in use from the earliest years of the Mission. It means “swirling waters”.

According to oral tradition, Kororipo Pā was occupied by Ngāti Awa and the Wahineiti and Ngāti Miru people, until they were displaced in the 1770s by the new alliances of Ngāpuhi (northern tribes) and, in particular, Ngāti Rēhia.

The pā was located strategically to command the junction of the Wairoa River and the Kerikeri River. Kororipo Pā controlled the major route to the sea from inland Waimate, a heartland of Ngāpuhi in the Bay of Islands and was the meeting place where weighty matters were discussed and reached.

During the years of Hongi Hika’s residence at Kerikeri (1819-1826) it was associated with the launching of great taua – war parties – and acted as a fortress protecting the area from attack.