Rangitatau Historic Reserve

Rangitatau Historic Reserve is situated above Tarakena Bay on the southern coast of the Wellington region. This wāhi tapu area includes the Rangitatau pā situated on the western headland and Poito Pā that sat further down the valley. Across from the reserve is Tarakena Bay which was once a traditional place of harvest (mahinga kai) and anchorage site (taunga waka) (Wellington City Council Archives, 00001-60/5061 Part 3).

Rangitatau pā was established by Ngai Tara, who were led by rangatira Tara to Weliington and for whom Te Whanganui a Tara is named after. Tutere Moana, a prominent chief of Ngai Tara, is also said to have lived there (Adkin, 1959).

Rangitatau was an ideal location for a pā with its clear view of Raukawa Moana (the Cook Strait), an accessible bay for landing waka and sheltered valleys for growing kumara. Between 1819-20 both pā were destroyed by raiders from the north, with large numbers of people being killed. The large amount bloodshed led in part to the area being declared tapu (Heritage New Zealand).

Rangitatau means “Heaven’s door” which follows the celestial theme of names along Te Motu Kairangi peninsula. Poito means float of a net which references the rituals around net fishing.

In 1994 the wāhi tapu area surrounding the Rangitatau pa became Rangitatau Historic Reserve. It is still considered one of the best preserved pā sites in the area. Although scrubs covers most of the site, it is still possible to make out the some of the terraces and ditches. The following records document the process of creating a reserve to acknowledge the importance of this whenua.