Sunrise from Oueroa Pa looking east. (image: Simon Harvey Williams)Oueroa Pa is situated 12k inland from Napier, New Zealand, and lies about 5k. to the South West of Taradale, above the southern end of the small inland ephemeral wetland / lake, named Te Rotokare. It is positioned along the top of an open ridge, easily visible half way along the Korokipo Road on Highway 50 (against the skyline on the image below).
Although Oueroa is not the oldest pa in the area, (Heipipi, Otatara, Tuhirangi and Mataotao preceding it), it is of importance because it is the first main pa site in the district where little or no bloodshed was involved. This allowed for a stable line of descendants from chiefly origins to spread from the pa, to throughout Hawkes Bay.
Te Rangitaumaha, a son of the Ngati Kahungunu leader Taraia I (who occupied Hawkes Bay about 1525), made Oueroa his headquarters. His grandson Hikawera II also occupied the pa.
Oueroa was quite a peaceful pa in comparison with others in the district, and surrounding it are found many (now buried) areas of activity associated with daily living. Gardens and tool making (stone work) areas are evident and radiate along the ridges from the pa and around the lake edge. There is a numerous amount of middens and groups of oven-stones. Indications are that the pa itself was only occupied for 3 to 4 generations.
Patrick Parsons, a authorative renowned historian and geneaologist, writes:
Napier
22nd September 2013
'...I regard Oueroa pa as one of the cradles of civilisation of the Ahuriri/Heretaunga region. In the sequence of significant pa sites it ranks No 5.
1. Heipipi - the principal pa site of Ngati Whatumamoa on the hill above Bay View
2. Otatara - the principal pa site of Ngati Awa above the EIT at Taradale
3. Tuhirangi - the pa site above Moteo where Turauwha retreated after abandoning Otatara.
4. Mataotao - where Rangituehu married Turauwha's daughter and birth place of Hineiao, Tuaka and Kehu.
5. Oueroa. - where Hineiao married Taraia I's son Rangitaumaha and the children of the new aristocracy were born. At least three of these children could be described as children of destiny.
Te Huhuti, the first-born married Whatuiapiti and was the mother of Hikawera II who returned to take up his mother's inheritance and is the ancestor of the people of Waiohiki.
Taraia II is the ancestor of the people of Omahu marae. Ngati Hinemanu, Ngati Honomokai, Ngai Te Upokoiri and Ngati Mahuika all descend from him.
Hikateko is the ancestor of the people of Moteo marae and Wharerangi marae. The hapu names Ngati Hinepare, Ngati Mahu and Ngai Tawhao stem from Hikateko. All these peoples originated at Oueroa.
I hope this communicates something of the significance of Oueroa and an aristocracy which survives to this day.
Best wishes,
Pat Parsons.
J.D.H. Buchanan, author of 'The Maori History & Place Names of Hawke's Bay, 1973', confirms the above.
Page updated 3rd Oct 2026.