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The opening of Te Waihora
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TitleThe opening of Te Waihora
DescriptionAs Jolly (2013) has written, Ngāi Tahu historically opened Te Waihora using kō (digging sticks) and tākoko (scoops) to open the lake and manage its' levels. The lake was opened whenever it threatened to flood the Ngāti Moki pā at Taumutu and the occupation sites around its shores, or when fisheries values required it. People in settlements as far south as Awarua in Southland knew that the lake had been opened by the appearance of distinctive pātiki mohoao (black flounder) in their rivers.
The difference between these historical openings and openings in the last century is that Ngāi Tahu worked with the lake rather than against it. With European settlement, following the signing of Kemp's Deed in 1848, larger scale drainage and flood management replaced water quality and fish migration as the drivers for lake openings.
Walter Mantell, the official tasked with carving out reserves for Māori following the Deed signing, wrote to Sir William Rolleston on 12 April 1866, about his blunt conversations with Ngāti Ruahikihiki about the opening of the lake:
"At Lake Ellesmere (then called Waihora) I showed Maopo, Pohau, and others of the Kaiteruahikihiki interested at Taumutu that although years might elapse ere their old style of breaking the dam might be interfered with, the stoppage of the outlet must so seriously affect the drainage of so large an extent of country that the Government must be quite free to do as it pleased with regard to it."
As early as 1856, Ngāi Tahu consistently asked to have the issue of drainage of Te Waihora addressed. Meanwhile Pākeha sought to find new methods for regulating the lake, such as the ill-fated culvert built in 1904 which was abandoned in 1908 as it became completely full of gravel. Another was built in 1909, but was abandoned after 16 years for similar reasons.
The levels of the lake are contested. Historically, farmers preferred the lake levels lower, to maximise the amount of agricultural land, while those with a vested interest in fisheries preferred the levels higher, while those concerned with bird life required levels to fluctuate. Today Ngāi Tahu continue to pursue a lake opening regime that provides for improved recognition, protection and enhancement of mahinga kai values.
“We accept that the lake will always be lower than it was historically, but in saying that we must manage for values not levels”.
(Te Waihora Management Board, 2003, as quoted in: Jolly, D., with Te Taumutu Rūnanga and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, 2003. Cultural Impact Assessment Report for activities associated with the opening of Te Waihora).
SourceD. Jolly, Mahaanui Iwi Management Plan (2013)
DescriptionAs Jolly (2013) has written, Ngāi Tahu historically opened Te Waihora using kō (digging sticks) and tākoko (scoops) to open the lake and manage its' levels. The lake was opened whenever it threatened to flood the Ngāti Moki pā at Taumutu and the occupation sites around its shores, or when fisheries values required it. People in settlements as far south as Awarua in Southland knew that the lake had been opened by the appearance of distinctive pātiki mohoao (black flounder) in their rivers.The difference between these historical openings and openings in the last century is that Ngāi Tahu worked with the lake rather than against it. With European settlement, following the signing of Kemp's Deed in 1848, larger scale drainage and flood management replaced water quality and fish migration as the drivers for lake openings.
Walter Mantell, the official tasked with carving out reserves for Māori following the Deed signing, wrote to Sir William Rolleston on 12 April 1866, about his blunt conversations with Ngāti Ruahikihiki about the opening of the lake:
"At Lake Ellesmere (then called Waihora) I showed Maopo, Pohau, and others of the Kaiteruahikihiki interested at Taumutu that although years might elapse ere their old style of breaking the dam might be interfered with, the stoppage of the outlet must so seriously affect the drainage of so large an extent of country that the Government must be quite free to do as it pleased with regard to it."
As early as 1856, Ngāi Tahu consistently asked to have the issue of drainage of Te Waihora addressed. Meanwhile Pākeha sought to find new methods for regulating the lake, such as the ill-fated culvert built in 1904 which was abandoned in 1908 as it became completely full of gravel. Another was built in 1909, but was abandoned after 16 years for similar reasons.
The levels of the lake are contested. Historically, farmers preferred the lake levels lower, to maximise the amount of agricultural land, while those with a vested interest in fisheries preferred the levels higher, while those concerned with bird life required levels to fluctuate. Today Ngāi Tahu continue to pursue a lake opening regime that provides for improved recognition, protection and enhancement of mahinga kai values.
“We accept that the lake will always be lower than it was historically, but in saying that we must manage for values not levels”.
(Te Waihora Management Board, 2003, as quoted in: Jolly, D., with Te Taumutu Rūnanga and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, 2003. Cultural Impact Assessment Report for activities associated with the opening of Te Waihora).
SourceD. Jolly, Mahaanui Iwi Management Plan (2013)Connections
PlaceTe Waihora Lake EllesmereImageThe culvert and outlet at Lake EllesmereThe new culvert at lake Ellesmere, built by Mr PannetThe culvert and outlet at Lake EllesmereTe Waihora protest letter, 1870.Disagreement about the opening of Te Waihora More InformationRead the 2013 Mahaanui Iwi Management Plan for Te Waihora
ImageThe culvert and outlet at Lake EllesmereThe new culvert at lake Ellesmere, built by Mr PannetThe culvert and outlet at Lake EllesmereTe Waihora protest letter, 1870.Disagreement about the opening of Te Waihora More InformationRead the 2013 Mahaanui Iwi Management Plan for Te WaihoraAttribution
Researched ByD. Jolly
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The opening of Te Waihora. Selwyn Stories, accessed 02/05/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/6688
