About

"The Lake Te Rotokare valley, with the pa Oueroa and farm property Rotokare, combine to make the most historically important area in Hawke's Bay."
 
That phrase I have often heard mentioned since a young child, and having lived on the property for over sixty years, these comments which I had once taken for granted have become of such a reality, that I now feel able to speak them myself. During that period, items of history and of other relevant interest have caught my attention, and these have usually been followed up with stints of library research, consultation of elders and various experts, and even exploration out in the hills or paddocks.
 
The area includes lake 'Te Rotokare' and its watershed, and the farm 'Rotokare' upon which is the main Oueroa pa with its associated pre-European earthworks to the south and west and in various parts surrounding the lake. There are a number of places of archaeological importance within that area and geological data being uncovered in parts of the lake-bed have also become of interest.
 
On a geographical scale this area is minute, and falls within an oblong of 4 kilometres by 1.5 kilometres, with the lake catchment being about half of that.
 
A combination of the above, and the many people associated with the land over the past three or four centuries, make for a very interesting story. A story with evidence written into the landscape, and named blood lines from those born here hundreds of years ago, whose descendants live in the vicinity and wider afield today.
 
During the past half a century several boxes of notes, photocopies, maps, thesis and other information on the area have been accumulating; and long-term acquaintances have been made with various experts in their field that have made regular visits to the property. There is the realisation that something has to be done with all the information before it is thrown away by someone, or gets placed in a museum to stagnate, but how to pull it all together has not been apparent until now.
 
It so happens that various people seem to be stealing my lake from me! (See the image below). There are also other landowners that own a part of the lake bed, and they have similar concerns about their lake too! So we all happen to consider it 'our' lake, as do our relatives, the casual passer-by, and many others.
 
The theft is so subtle, and the offenders appearing to have no understanding of the local history and environment, show no real care for it. I think they look at me as being a bit odd because I stand in the way of (supposed) 'progress'; and I find it impossible to argue in dollars and cents the value of the environment in the form of lake, wetland and archaeological sites. And I / we (there are many who have been speaking up), have already been ignored for forty years.
 
So, the writing of this Story, for it is an active first-hand Story with many living characters, as opposed to a report by a second or third party has been given a starting point. And the Story is inspired by the desire to see the preservation of a very valuable Hawkes Bay heritage site, and the necessity to put it into writing so that people can understand.
 
The Story will encompass people and activities great and ungreat; from Maori and Pakeha (there is really no difference), to matters of Maori aristocracy and respect, the latter 'initially' appearing as the most important with regards to land, environment and people, ..but there is more yet unfolding.
 
It will begin with some background history to the lake. Enjoy your reading.
G.W. (October 2013)
 

AN EARLY EVENING VIEW FROM MY FRONT WINDOW