Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro has placed two significant rāhui on Tongariro Maunga following a massive fire that scorched nearly 3,000 hectares of native and alpine land. The move is a crucial step to protect the mauri of the mountain as recovery efforts begin across the central plateau.
The rāhui were confirmed following a karakia at Ōpōtaka, with the first rāhui, a week-long closure over the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, and the second rāhui as a long-term measure across the burnt lands for ecological regeneration.
According to the hapū’s Te Hau Matao Kaumātua Kaunihera spokesperson, Te Ngaehe Wanikau, the long-term restriction is restoration, not just for mourning.
“Tekau tau, ko te whakaaro o tēnā he rāhui whakaoranga, he rerekē ki te rāhui mō te mate. Ka tāea a (Ngāti) Hikairo (ki Tongariro), a DOC ki te whakaora i te whenua anō, ngā otaota, ngā pai, mai taua teitei o te whenua kia whakaora.”
Residents who were evacuated were told earlier on Monday that they were permitted to return home under monitoring. The focus for local iwi is shifting to restoring the land and supporting those affected and the crews who are still battling the blaze.
FENZ confirming the immediate danger had passed, due to favourable conditions:
“There’s been a significant improvement in the situation today, thanks to the weather and the hard work of our air and ground firefighters and pilots,” said Nigel Dravitzki of Te Whakaratonga Iwi (FENZ).
Ngā marae me te manaaki
I te kātanga mai o te ahi, i huri ai ngā marae o te pae maunga ki te tiaki i te iwi me ngā kaimahi. Ko ngā iwi o Ngāti Hikairo ki Tongariro, Ngāti Rangi, me Ngāti Uenuku tērā e manaaki nei i te tangata
Kei te tūwhera tonu ngā marae e toru o Otūkou, o Raetihi, me Papakai, ki te whakarato i te iwi rā.
E ai ki a Hinemoa Wanikau, te kaikōrero mō Otūkou Marae, “Kei te marae o Otūkou kei reira ngā whānau katoa o te kāinga, o ngā hapū o Ngāti Tūwharetoa hei tiaki, hei manaaki i ngā manuhiri.”
Hei tā Te Ngaehe anō he aho tāngaengae tō ngā iwi ki tō rātou whenua, ki tō rātou tupuna maunga anō hoki, hei tāna, “ko ngā hapū e noho hei kaitiaki mō tēnā rohe, mō tēnā rohe. Ko te hononga i waenganui i te hapū te haukāinga ki te whenua, he hononga ā-wairua, ā-ngākau, ā-tinana he rerekē.”
Hei ngā rā e heke mai nei, ka ngana Te Whakaratonga Iwi (FENZ) me Te Papa Atawhai (DOC) ki te whakapūmau i ngā raina aukati me te aha e ārahi ana te iwi i te whakatinatanatanga o te whakaoranga mō te iwi, mō te whenua, mō te maunga.
