Introduction
Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Mutunga treat all wāhi tapu as ancestral,
culturally significant, and spiritually important places that must be actively
protected for present and future generations. Their approach combines
kaitiakitanga, tikanga-based protection, landscape‑level
awareness, and formal legal mechanisms. We view our entire rohe as an ancestral
landscape, with wāhi tapu embedded among pā sites, urupā, rivers, coastal
cliffs, and historic occupation areas. These sites are protected because they
connect current generations to their tūpuna and reinforce identity and
continuity.
The Rūnanga exercises kaitiakitanga (guardianship) over
their wāhi tapu as an inherited responsibility. This includes:
- Safeguarding historic resources and taonga
- Using traditional protective mechanisms such as
rāhui - Exercising stewardship across both land and
coastal environments
