archaeology and history of human occupation - Auckland Regional ...

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The Cudlip Point pa-follows the narrow saddle on the headland ridge. Part in
grass and part in bush, a formed bush track meanders around numerous pits. The
pits are kept cleared of grass and are an excellent interpretation feature.
Te Muri Point pa is the most extensive of all four sites, also part in grass, part in
bush. The outer grassed zone is defended by ditches, and the inner bush zone of
pits is defended by transverse ditches and terraces. The original walking track to
the pa remains.
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Mahurangi East
This area was surveyed by Clough (1993) and Lawlor (1991). 18 sites were
recorded. Pits, terraces and midden were located on the ridge behind Big Bay, and
on the slopes and ridges of Poplar Bay. Other sites present on Mahurangi Head
include a well preserved ,pa (Davidson 1961), which is not located on parkland.
Occasional middens occur around the coast. Sites of historic interest include old
ship-building yards and a post-war woolshed at Poplar Bay and the old
Kaukapakapa schoolhouse at Big Bay.
Scott Point
This area was surveyed by Clough (1993). 4 sites were recorded, including pits,
terraces, a ditch and a midden. Several surveys have also been undertaken in the
immediate area (Morwood 1975, Nicol 1977, Walton 1976). These surveys
showed that most of the headlands around the mouth of the Mahurangi harbour
were pa sites. A pa site is located on Casnell Island. Archaeological evidence at
Scott Point is associated with this. Scott Homestead is a site of historic interest.
A feature of the Mahurangi area as a whole is that there are few pits and sites tend
to be coastal rather than inland. This reflects the importance of the Mahurangi
harbour as a source of kaimoana (seafood). The lack of pits suggests little need
for cultivation and seasonal use of the area.
HISTORY OF HUMAN OCCUPATION
The early Maori history of the Mahurangi area is complex. The name Mahurangi
once referred to the very large area of land from Te Arai to Takapuna sold to the
Crown in 1841, but now denotes the area from Snells Beach down to the Puhoi
Estuary.
It appears that the earliest occupiers of the land were the Kawerau tribe - part of
the great Ngaohp people occupied all the lands from the Brynderwyn Hills
southwards to Bombay. Over time Ngaoho divided themselves informally into
groups in particular areas - those north of Waitemata were the "Kawerau 1 . In the
Whangateau to Orewa area, hapu of the Kawerau were Ngatikahu
Ngatipoataniwha.
The Maori regarded the land as being part of the people - with the emphasis not on
ownership but more on 'rights' of occupation or use. The coastal strip of parkland
included in Mahurangi West provided good natural resources, fishing in the
sheltered tidal waters between the islands and in the bay, shellfish gathering on the
rocky and sandy shores, eels in the streams, birds in the bush inland and kumara
cultivations on the better drained soils on slopes and alluvial beach flats. A number