Karamū Tākina Springs — The return of the culturally significant Karamū Tākina Springs to mana whenua is a landmark moment in Rotorua’s journey toward genuine partnership and respect for Indigenous Rights.
The Karamū Tākina Springs supply around 60 per cent of Rotorua’s drinking water. The deal formally returns ownership of the springs and surrounding land to Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tuara, who have longstanding ancestral ties to the area.
“There was a sign up talking about the sight, all about the city councillors who had opened the sight, being here and done this and done that, there was no mention of the iwi, and those are things we want to change, we actually want to have our mana whenua acknowledged, not only on paper but on sight. ” Says Robyn Bargh
In 1954, the springs were offered for public use, with iwi never agreeing to the sale of the surrounding 14 acres, which were later taken under the Public Works Act.
In addition to this, the land was also wrongly rated for decades, costing the iwi over $125,000.
“ ”Titiro whakamuri, kōkiri whakamua, you do have to know your history, got to look behind, if we are ever to go forward, then we need to know what happened in the past." Says Bargh
The new agreement includes the return of this land, as well as nearby reserves, and sets up a co-management system between the iwi and Rotorua Lakes Council.
It also allows the council to continue accessing the water supply under the current consent, which expires in 2026.
“ And you see the clear water here running by, you really begin to understand how important this place was for Ngāti Tuara Ngāti Kea over the past hundreds of years and what became such a sacred place, a tapu place.“ Says Bill Young
The arrangement recognises the iwi as guardians of the springs and aims to balance cultural, environmental, and community needs moving forward.
“We’re quite happy to share the water with Rotorua, because it’s getting bigger and growing, we feel like we’re kind of following the footsteps of our Tūpuna, what they wanted, and finally getting the arrangement that they intended,” says Bill Young.
Key Outcomes of the Agreement
- Land Returned: Council will return land at the Karamū Tākina Springs, Pururu North Reserve (tennis courts), and Tihi-o-Tonga to Ngāti Kearoa-Ngāti Tūara.
- Co-Management of Springs: A formal co-management framework will guide the care and protection of the springs.
- Water Consent Support: The iwi will support the Council’s application to renew its water take consent, which expires in 2026.
- Joint Investment: Both parties will collaborate on initiatives to restore and enhance the mauri (life force) of the springs and the surrounding environment.
The formal agreement between Rotorua Lakes Council and Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tuara returns ancestral land and places the culturally significant Karamū Tākina Springs under joint management. It upholds Te Tiriti o Waitangi, addresses historic injustices, and empowers mana whenua to lead the protection of the springs and local water supply.
“This is about more than returning land it’s about restoring dignity, trust, and shared responsibility,” said a spokesperson from Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Kearoa Ngāti Tuara. “
