Description

Let’s retrace some local history and follow the story of the Te Arawa canoe. There is quite a story about this waka, originally called Ngā rākau rua a Atuamatua – (the two trunks of Atuamatua). The waka suffered a very eventful voyage to New Zealand – and was renamed enroute to Te Arawa after a shark sighting. It first landed in Whangaparoa. Tamatekapua, chief of the canoe was a deceitful man and caused problems everywhere he went. The waka eventually landed in Maketu. The Te Arawa people slowly moved inland. Some of the group, including the great explorer Ihenga, travelled south and settled around the Rotorua lakes, where they were able to use the geothermally heated water and steam, as well as the lakes’ fresh water. Ihenga travelled up the Kaituna river from Maketu against the current – so today we thought we would revisit some of this story and end with a short walk to the Okere Falls and then lunch.

Includes: Door to door transport, morning tea + lunch