MEETING TŪTOKO

In September this year, whānau from Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio journeyed to Whakatipu Waitai (Martins Bay). It's a place that is particularly significant for Ngāi Tahu descendants of Tūtoko and Hinepare such as Sandi Hinerangi Barr, who gives her account of this magical area of Te Waipounamu.

Pictured at top the full party together before the hīkoi in to Whakatipu Waitai standing in front of Kā Mauka Whakatipu (Ailsa Mountain Range): back row, left to right: Bard Crawford, Nathaniel Scott, Caleb Robinson, Kahurangi Mahuika-Wilson, Tom Ives, Eva Scott-Keen, Tūtoko Wallace-Jones; middle row, left to right: Karen Mikaera, Kershla Mikaera, Mike Rochford, James Tawa; front row, left to right, Eruera Tarena, Stuart Barr, Sandi Hinerangi Barr, Michelle Te Koeti, Susan Wallace, Ranui Ngarimu and Sam Briggs.

Above left to right: Snow on the Milford Road, Sign at the beginning of the track, Swamp Creek along the Whakatipu Waitai track, Bard sharing his knowledge with the group, Wāwāhi Waka (Lake Alabaster).

After only three days in Whakatipu Waitai (Martins Bay), whānau from Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio start to feel strangely at home in this primal landscape. She is a moody temptress casting up spells of icy chills and gale-force winds to baking heat and soft rainfall. However, in this short time we can see why our ancestors put up with this erratic climate. It is a wondrous place rich in resources and it sits at the crossroads to the old pounamu trails.

Day One

Two van-loads, one from Christchurch and the other from Hokitika travel inland to the spectacular southern lakes and meet nine hours later beside Lake Whakatipu Waimāori (Wakatipu). After a quick fish-and-chip stop we drive on to the Te Anau Youth Hostel.

Eruera Tarena from Ngāi Tahu Tourism opens our late night briefing with a karakia and mihi. This wānaka (learning forum) is the first of its kind and he's excited by the possibilities.

"It's important that you have the opportunity to see where your ancestors lived and that you takahi i te whenua (walk the land)," he says.

Makaawhio office tumuaki Susan Wallace reminds us this journey is more than a walk.

She has been been responsible for organising the group, while Eruera secured sponsorship from Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu. The operators of the Hollyford Track, which is wholly Ngāi Tahu-owned, are providing their facilities and staff.

Our waterproof booklets are packed with cultural information and a run-down of our programme, which includes nightly history and waiata sessions. As Caleb Robinson, 24, remarks "This is pretty intense."

Guide Bard Crawford introduces himself. He's been walking into the Hollyford Valley for the last nine years, but he still likens the evening before each journey to "the night before Christmas".

Only one Makaawhio person from this group has visited Whakatipu Waitai in Fiordland National Park, so there's nervous excitement as the 17 participants introduce themselves.

The group includes eight rangatahi chosen for their leadership potential.

Finally Bard reminds us about "packing light" and wearing thermals. A cold front is expected to hit Piopiotahi (Fiordland) so rain jackets and polypropylenes are essential.

Day Two

In the morning we load gear and food into the vans for the two-hour drive to the start of the track.

We travel past the Ailsa and Humboldt Mountain Ranges originally named Kā Mauka Whakatipu. It is another marker in a series of place names that trace the old pounamu trails from Lake Whakatipu Waimāori to Martins Bay (Whakatipu Waitai).

Other significant landmarks in this area with the word whakatipu are Te Awawhakatipu (Dart River), Tarahaka Whakatipu (Harris Pass) and Whakatipu Kā Tuka (Hollyford Valley and River).

These ancient names date back to our Waitaha ancestors, who arrived in Te Waipounamu more than 800 years ago. Rākaihautū, the captain of the Uruao canoe is credited with digging up the great southern lakes including Whakatipu Waimāori and Whakatipu Waitai (Lake McKerrow).

At the beginning of our pēpeha we recite these lines:

  • Ko Uruao te waka
  • Ko Rākaihautū te takata
  •  
  • Uruao is our canoe
  • Rākaihautū is our illustrious ancestor

Reciting the old names reminds us that we are in an environment rich with history, our history.

When we arrive at the track, the air is crisp with clear blue skies above. Everyone is keen to get moving.

Ranui Ngarimu and guide Tom Ives are flying to Martins Bay Lodge via helicopter with food supplies and our sleeping bags. The rest of us trek through the lowland beech forest. Before we head in to the valley, one last karakia is said. The long forest walk is relatively easy and we amble along at a relaxed pace.

Bard identifies edible plants for us to sample including tender koru (fern fronds) and kareao (supple jack). He points out miniature native orchids, which protrude from the forest floor. These are a hit with the rangatahi, who are fascinated by the spider orchids.


"It's important that you have the opportunity to see where your ancestors lived and that you takahi i te whenua (walk the land),"

ERUERA TARENA Ngāi Tahu Tourism

Mount Tūtoko

Soon after lunch we spot the highest peak in Fiordland, Mount Tūtoko, which bears our ancestor's name and is cloaked with a coat of fresh snow.

In our pēpeha we acknowledge Mount Tūtoko but very few of us have ever seen the mountain with our own eyes.

  • Ko Aoraki te mauka ariki
  • Ko Tūtoko te mauka tipuna
  •  
  • Aoraki is our chiefly mountain
  • Tūtoko is our ancestral mountain

Bard says we're lucky to get a clear view of the summit at this time of the year. It is a poignant moment and a powerful link between us and this place.

Tūtoko, his wife, Hinepare, and children lived at Whakatipu Waitai before shifting north to Makaawhio. As a younger man, he fought alongside other Ngāi Tahu and Ngāti Māmoe chiefs for control of the West Coast and its precious pounamu. One of his daughters Kawaipatiere

married chief Te Koeti Tūranga at Makaawhio and most of us on the hīkoi are direct descendants from this union.

We hike through the lowland forest until we reach the point where the Hollyford and Pyke Rivers meet. The sky darkens and the temperature drops a few degrees. We're relieved to swap our packs for lifejackets and a seat in the jet boat.

The chilly wind makes it a brisk ride but it's thrilling to glide along Whakatipu Waitai at high speed.

We take in the majestic scenery, the mountain range carved out by glaciers millions of years ago and the ancient vegetation that lines the lakeside. A kōwhai grove laden with fat kōkō (tūī) reminds us of the old Makaawhio pā site. We get another glimpse of Mount Tūtoko before he's hidden from view.

My mind wanders to the epic swim undertaken by Tūtoko's daughters, Kawaipatiere and Te Ruaakeake, who swam the width of ice cold Whakatipu Waitai – a distance of two to three kilometres.

After a brief stop at the abandoned Jamestown site, we arrive at Martins Bay Lodge.

The lodge exceeds our expectations. The communal building, with a dining room and lounge, faces out to the glassy lakefront and the peaks beyond. There are hot showers, a drying room and twin cabins with comfortable beds. This is not tramping as we know it. In rangatahi-speak, "It's flash as!"

Our hosts impress us further by serving fresh inaka (whitebait) patties just ten minutes out of the net; and after a roast meal and hot pudding, everybody is in high spirits.

After kai, we discuss the first day and learn a waiata. Everybody is expected to recite their pēpeha at the beginning of their kōrero. It's a nightly ritual and an opportunity to practise te reo Māori.

Whānau talk about feeling deeply affected by the sight of Mount Tūtoko and at being able to walk into the southern-most part of our takiwā.

The prebriefing session at Te Anau YHA before we head off on the hīkoi, Ranui Ngarimu demonstrating the making of pāraerae, Susan Wallace collecting kiekie in the podocarp forest, Sam Briggs and Kahurangi Mahuika-Wilson, Eva Scott-Keen, Whakatipu Kā Tuka (Hollyford River), James Tawa and Tom Ives preparing kina and pāua for kai, the nanata (seal) colony at Atua Rere (Long Reef Bay).

Susan says she never imagined she would have the chance to come and "walk in the footsteps of our tīpuna". She adds that for most whānau, the cost of coming on the commercially guided tour would be too high so she's very grateful for the support of the Hollyford Track company.

Bard's extensive knowledge of the area was another highlight.

For others like Tūtoko Wallace-Jones, 16, it's as simple as people pronouncing his name correctly. "I was buzzing out on that!" he says.

The first wānaka ends with learning the words and rangi (tune) to Mana Pounamu. This waiata celebrates the many pounamu-bearing rivers on Te Tai o Poutini. There is also a verse about the precious takiwai (bowenite) resource in Piopiotahi. It's a fitting finish to a memorable day.

Day Three

Our morning task is to make pāraerae (sandals) from harakeke, just as our tīpuna would have done before walking the coastal tracks and mountain passes of Te Waipounamu. As we gather in front of the lodge beside a pā harakeke, the notorious namunamu (sandflies) start to swarm.

Tāua Ranui Ngarimu explains how harakeke has multiple uses and how its fibres are exceptionally durable.

She shows us how to cut it correctly and tells us how the gooey gel oozing out of the leaves (pia), is good for healing cuts and burns.

We're pleased to discover it also seems to repel the pesky sandflies.

Tāua Ranui lays out the leaves ready for weaving and then deftly produces a single sandal. She says our tīpuna usually made several pairs of pāraerae for long journeys and would sometimes pack them with moss to cushion the insoles.

"They used whatever resources they had around them," she says. "And because of the rugged environment, they had to work quickly."

Most of us have never tried weaving before but we're all keen. Stuart Barr, 62, remarks "This is certainly out of my comfort zone."

We spread across the lawn, working the harakeke and chatting as we go. Kershla Mikaera, 31, has completed a course in weaving and she and her aunty, Karen Mikaera, 52, look very content in their work.

Those who finish their two pāraerae are justifiably proud of their "Ngāi Tahu Nike". Others aim to complete their creations later.

After lunch, we jet boat back to the entrance of the old Jamestown site. Bard takes us to the beginning of an ancient podocarp forest and we enter one of Tāne Mahuta's finest cathedrals.

Rimu, kahikatea and tōtara tower above and the only sounds are the melodious makomako (bellbirds).

Fat rata vines wind up to the treetops and Bard informs us that up to 130 species live off these trees. "They (the vines) don't choke the trees," Bard says. "It's an entire eco-system on its own and the vines actually add to the tree's strength."

Ngāi Tahu Tourism bought the Hollyford Track in 2003 to complement its other iconic companies in the region including Shotover Jet, Dart River Jet Safaris and Franz Josef Glacier Guides.

The price for the three-day experience is $1680. The package includes coach transport from Queenstown, accommodation, meals, jet boat rides and a scenic flight to Milford Sound.

He shows us his favourite tree, a splendid female rimu with flowing tendril-like hair, estimated to be between 800-1000 years old. This stand of native forest is abundant with natural resources. Tāua Ranui marvels at the giant kiekie and we take some kareao to make a hīnaki tuna (eel trap).

The mediative mood is broken by the excited voices of the rangatahi. "You could build some mean-as tree huts in here," says Kahurangi Wilson-Mahuika, 14.

Sam Briggs, 15, busily snaps photos of orchids and ferns; and Tūtoko runs ahead on the forest track calling out, "This place is mean as!"

Later, we jet boat to the coastal end of Whakatipu Waitai, where the lake meets the sea. There's a sand bar on the spit, which is notoriously difficult to cross. Bard tells us that during the summer, dolphins bathe in the lake thanks to its high salt content.

We disembark at the northern side of Whakatipu Waitai and take the DOC track down to the pounding surf of Atua Rere (Long Reef Bay), where we encounter rare tawaki (Fiordland Crested Penguins) and hundreds of fur seals.

Caleb and Nathaniel Scott, 22, who are both keen pounamu fossickers, scan the gigantic boulders for signs of jade. There's certainly pounamu at Kā Umu o Hapopo (Big Bay), which is the next bay north but today's search yields nothing. The next day Nathaniel finds a nice piece of serpentine at Martins Bay.

On cue, the rain falls as we return to the jet boat. When we return to base, Eru persuades a few people to help start the hīnaki tuna, while everyone else finds work in the kitchen or helps prepare kaimoana outside. Tonight's menu is inaka patties, stir-fried pāua, raw kina and smoked tuna as well as the planned meal of spaghetti bolognese, garlic bread and salad.

After dinner we reflect on the day. Mick Holzmann, who manages the guiding business, says it's been "pretty special" watching the way we've connected with the place.

"It's great to get this off the ground. It's like this place has been the lost corner for you because of its difficult access," he says.

"We want you to feel like Martins Bay Lodge is your second home," says Mick.

Day Four

We travel to the site where our tīpuna lived. It's a short boat ride to the southern end of Whakatipu Waitai and then a 40-minute walk through pīngao-covered sand dunes before we enter the bush.

We walk past the remains of old umu pits, which have been kept relatively intact by the dunes. The southerly picks up and we get blasted with sand. We come to a curious pathway running from the beach to the bush, which Bard says he believes is a track to the tuatua beds and that Kawaipatiere and Te Ruakeake may have cut the track to give them easy access.

Pictured above, from left to right: Enjoying the view from the jet boat, waterfall along the side of the Whakatipu Kā Tuka (Hollyford Track), Nathaniel Scott, Eel Creek, Stuart and Sandi Hinerangi Barr.

Before going on to the site of Tūtoko's whare, we assemble at the start of the bushline. The wind whips up and it starts to rain. Mike Rochford, who has spent years researching Kāti Māhaki whakapapa and history, shares his knowledge of our tīpuna and this area.

Whakatipu Waitai was once a key juncture in the southern pounamu trails, linking the Murihiku and Ōtākou sources with the West Coast. It was the southern-most settlement claimed by our ancestors after the conquest of Te Tai o Poutini. In 1852, 17 people were recorded as living in the area including Tūtoko, his wife Hinepare and at least three of their children.

Tūtoko was the great-grandson of Kaipo (which is also the name of a bay to the south), through his father Paoa. Through his mother Te Apaupoko, he was descended from Te Rapuwai, Hawea and Waitaha. His maternal grandmother, Wānaka, lived by the lake of the same name.

By 1863, only Tūtoko, Hinepare and their two daughters remained at the settlement. Several early European explorers visited that year including Dr James Hector, who named the highest peak in the area after his guide and friend.

Our 16-year-old Tūtoko scampers ahead and finds the whare site of the ancestor he's named after. He's feels strongly drawn to the location. Tāua Ranui lets out a soft karanga as we walk through the bush and arrive at a calm, sheltered clearing. We honour our tīpuna with karanga, tears and waiata. Heavy rain falls and then eases.

Some of the group who have brought their unfinished pāraerae sit on the ground and start weaving.

From this kāika tāwhito we can hear the sea roar. The site is also near a lagoon, which provides another rich food source and plentiful resources including harakeke, mānuka, māhoe, paru, freshwater species and fat kukupa.

When it's time for us to go, Susan leaves her finished pāraerae at the site and Michelle Te Koeti leaves a piece of aotea (a type of pounamu) from the Makaawhio River.

On the last night, a storm strikes and an avalanche on the Milford Road means we may end up staying another night. We watch lightning flash across the night sky and we hear the occasional crack of thunder.

Day Five – Poroporoaki

In the morning, I lay snuggled up in my sleeping bag listening to the rain pelting down when a deep-bellied boom echoes through the valley. I swear a mountain top has come crashing down. The window frames in the main lodge shake and the glass clatters. There is no damage done. The thunder that rumbles through the valley was just a final climactic point in our journey.


"It's paradise really. I can see why our tīpuna lived here. Everything is so abundant and the beauty – you can't describe it."

CALEB ROBINSON
Whakairo apprentice

We've been away from our ordinary lives for five days and it really does feel, as Caleb says, as if we have entered a "lost world".

Our rangatahi hiking mates haven't missed their cell phones or the internet. They've been enjoying the natural environment, the food, the stories and the company. There's been lots of learning and plenty of laughs, magic tricks and bad jokes.

Fifteen-year-old Eva Scott-Keen says she'll definitely be coming back and that she'd like to bring her whānau. She loves the outdoors and is interested in becoming a DOC ranger.

"I reckon it would be a mean job. You'd learn heaps. I didn't think I was going to learn so much on this trip. I thought it was going to be boring stories but it was really interesting."

Sam's keen on taking over Bard's job when he's older. "Bard's the man. I reckon I could do what he's doing but I might have to grow some dreads!"

Kahurangi says its been "awesome to feel the wairua out here." After helping with some digs around Bruce Bay and Hunt's Beach in South Westland, he has decided he'd like to be an archaeologist.


Above left to right: Michelle Te Koeti and Eru Tarena work on the hīnaki tuna, Mike Rochford.

Caleb, who's on a whakairo apprenticeship with uncle and master carver Fayne Robinson, says he's been hugely inspired. "It's paradise really. I can see why our tīpuna lived here. Everything is so abundant and the beauty – you can't describe it."

We eventually leave that afternoon via helicopter, snatching an aerial view of Whakatipu Waitai, Mount Tūtoko and the kaika tawhito before we swoop around to the spectacular Milford Sounds. It's the last breath-taking moment in an extraordinary trip.

Ki ngā kaiwhakahaere o tēnei hīkoi, ki a Eru koutou ko Susan, ko Bard me ngā kaimahi o te whare o Whakatipu waitai, e kore e mutu te mihi uruhau ki a koutou. Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.