This is an Action Station campaign.
Rotokakahi is a privately owned lake, belonging to the Tūhourangi and Ngāti Tūmatāwera tribes. Within the lake lies Motutawa, the sacred resting place of many tūpuna, including Hinemoa. Although once open to the public, the increasing desecration of Motutawa led to the placing of a rāhui (restriction) in 1948, and the lake was later declared private.
The land surrounding this lake encompasses various sites of significance to our iwi and hapū, including Pā Whero, a wāhi tapu (sacred site) that was buried under the ashes of the Tarawera Eruption of 1886 and urupā (cemeteries) which are integral to the our iwi’s ancestral heritage.
The Rotorua Lakes Council (RLC) has proposed a sewerage pipeline scheme to connect the residents of Tarawera to the main wastewater treatment plant in Ngāpuna.
The proposed pipeline route would run along the Tarawera Road corridor passing over Te Wairoa awa, through wāhi tapu Pā Whero, and continuing past Rotokakahi. All of these areas hold significant cultural and historical importance for mana whenua.
Members of the mana whenua have been occupying the area in protest.
Your support could help them to:
- Cover legal fees for whānau who will be going through court, for those facing charges and those who will be working through the environmental courts process
- Provide kai, resource and respite to those on the front line
- Help them to bring others into the occupation so that if there is another escalation, there is more support on the ground
Donate now: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/protect-rotokakahi-1