Te Ara Tawhito o Hinetamatea-Copeland Track
Early last month, Kāti Māhaki, together with the Department of Conservation, community members and Tā Tipene and Lady Sandra O’Regan gathered at the Karangarua end of the Copland Track – Te Ara Tawhito o Hinetamatea, which traverses from the West Coast to The Hermitage – to bless and open the new waharoa and historical interpretation panels.
After a mihi whakatau from our kaiwhakahaere, Paul Madgwick and our tumuaki, Susan Wallace (who stood in for her father, Upoko Rūnanga Richard Wallace), did karakia before handing over to Tā Tipene to officiate the opening, cut the ribbon, unveil and bless the panels.
From the waharoa, representatives of Kāti Māhaki joined others aboard the waiting helicopters to fly high up the track to Welcome Flat for the reopening of the refurbished hut. To be fair, ‘hut’ does not adequately describe this alpine home away from home, and there aren’t many that have the added benefit of hot pools. Again, Tā Tipene did the honours, with karakia from Susan.
Kāti Māhaki and our predecessors have had a very close association with Te Ara Tawhito o Hinetamatea – from its discovery by Hinetamatea in ancient times, to when the trail was re-cut 100 years ago and the first huts built, right through to present day.
Due to limited helicopter seats, not all of our ope were able to fly up to the hut. So those who stayed behind treated themselves to an invigorating walk around Lake Matheson – Kairaumati, our next destination.
Once everyone had regrouped at Kairaumati, we had the honour of helping with the DOC opening of the very impressive $2 million upgrade of their visitor facilities, including a new carpark, huge wetland sewerage system and beautiful landscaping, all leading to that iconic mirror view of the lake and Aoraki/Horokoau (Mts Cook and Tasman). Tā Tipene and Susan teamed up again, and with the help of little helpers, opened the new facilities.
Finally, we headed over the hills to Franz Josef – Waiau for another special occasion – welcoming home 12 healthy rōwi kiwi for release back into the Ōkārito forest. Among the 12 rōwi was the 200th bird saved through the Operation Nest Egg (ONE) programme.
ONE involves taking the eggs from nests before the stoats feast on them, hatching them at the Wildlife Centre at Franz, and then rearing them on predator-free Motuara Island in the Marlborough Sounds until they are big enough to fend for themselves. Tā Tipene and Lady Sandra got to hold these special birds and to name the 200th bird.
At the end of a wonderful and full-on day there were farewells, thanks and gifts, before we headed home. Nei rā te mihi kākaunui ki a kōrua, Tā Tipene kōrua ko Lady Sandra.
He hōnore nui ki te nohotahi, ki te mahitahi mātou i tō kōrua taha. E kore kā mihi e mutu.
Tā Tipene and his little helpers Karera Wallace-Jones and Hariata Russell, cut the ribbon at Lake Matheson, watched by Tutoko and Susan Wallace.
Tā Tipene listens as Susan Wallace recites karakia over the kiwi.