Did You Know?

Ka tere Rauaa, ka tere Pipiwhakao is a well-known East Coast whakataukī that reflects a rich history of connection, movement, and collective practice. It refers to the traditional harvesting of kiekie fruit–locally known as keakea or kākāwaka–from the forests of Te Rauaanear Wairoa and Pipiwhakao near Tūranganui-a-Kiwa.

While the saying translates to “Rauaa and Pipiwhakao are on the move,” it is not the forests themselves that were shifting. Instead, it describes the time when the fruit ripened and large groups of people gathered to harvest together. The movement and presence of so many people made the ngahere appear alive.

These harvests followed tikanga. No one began gathering until an appointed time, ensuring the process was collective, respectful, and sustainable.

The whakataukī also reminds us of the impact of land loss. During the 1860s, large areas of land between Wairoa and Tūranganui-a-Kiwa were acquired by the Crown, often under pressure. In Wairoa, around 83,000 acres were taken between 1864 and 1868, affecting many who had remained neutral or supported the Crown.

As land such as Te Rauaa was alienated, access to these important food sources was lost. Forests were gradually converted into farmland and later pine plantations, bringing an end to practices like these large communal harvests.

Today, this whakataukī stands as both a celebration of our cultural traditions and a reminder of the changes that disrupted them.