Pūkākī

History of Pūkākī

In the 1830s, Pūkākī stood as a gateway, five or six metres high, at Pukeroa Pā on the hill above Ōhinemutu. He guarded the southern entrance of the pā against attack by Te Waharoa and Ngāti Haua warriors.

In 1877, Pūkākī was presented by Ngāti Whakaue to Judge Francis Dart Fenton during a hui at Te Papaiōuru Marae as recognition to proceed with the development of the Rotorua township. Thus, the presentation of Pūkākī to the Crown, through Fenton, was the physical and spiritual seal of trust between Ngāti Whakaue and the Crown.

Fenton's great plans to create a native-leased township (1880 Fenton Agreement and 1881 Thermal Springs Act) soon collapsed in the wake of the 1886 Tarawera eruption. Tourism plummeted, and in the early 1890s, tribal leasehold-township lands were compulsorily purchased by the Crown leaving Ngāti Whakaue disadvantaged for the next 100 years. The tribe remained unaware that Pūkākī had become a gift to a high-powered officer of the Auckland Museum. Moreover, the circumstances behind the gift of Pūkākī to the Crown were deliberately ignored.

The return of Pūkākī to Ngāti Whakaue

In 1995 at a hui at Te Papaiōuru, Ōhinemutu, the actualities surrounding the acquisition of Pūkākī by the Auckland Museum in 1877 were revealed through the research of Paul Paora Tapsell, which later became a M.A thesis titled Pūkākī: Te Taonga o Ngāti Whakaue ki Rotorua. In 1996, the thesis was given to the Auckland Museum to alert it to the historical facts. On 4 April 1997, a delegation of Te Arawa elders met with the Auckland Museum, and the Museum not only acknowledged the historical research presented but also agreed that Ngāti Whakaue were still the owners of Pūkākī.

Memorandum of Understanding

On 2 October 1997, an invitation from Ngāti Whakaue was extended to the Auckland Museum, and an official presentation was to take place on the 120th anniversary of the presentation of Pūkākī to the Crown. Upon the return to Ngāti Whakaue of their taonga, the Pūkākī Trust was established.

A memorandum of understanding was signed by:

• Wihapi Te Amohau Winiata, on behalf of the people of Ngāti Whakaue
• The Honourable Doug Graham, on behalf of the Crown
• Mr. Peter Menzies, on behalf of the Auckland Museum Trust Board
• His Worship The Mayor Mr. Grahame Hall, on behalf of the Rotorua Lakes Council.

The trust deed specifies the trustees of the Pūkākī Trust shall be:

• Hon Todd McClay (Chair on behalf of the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage)
• Dr Paora Tapsell (Ngāti Whakaue representative)
• Tania Tapsell (Mayor of Rotorua)
• Mr David Reeves (Auckland War Memorial Museum representative).

The Trust's main function is to ensure the safe-keeping, conservation and maintenance of Pūkākī.