Motutaiko

In my class Identity, Indigeneity and Place we were tasked with creating a visual aesthetic based off of a case study.

Motu means island, and taiko is the muttonbird which would breed there. Together, this creates Motutaiko, the only island on Lake Taupō and a sacred burial ground for the people of the Ngāti Tūwharetoa iwi, and my chosen case study. Rangituamātotoru was an important chief, whose leadership is still acknowledged today, as someone who strived for peace. He, along with other Tīpuna or ancestors of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, is placed in the caves on Motutaiko. The motu was also formerly a stronghold and used as a refuge when Motutere, an area on the mainland, was under attack. The motu therefore is wahi tapu. Unfortunately, there is a history of disturbance on the island, both by other iwi and more recently by Pākehā and colonial capital interests. Boats took tourists out to the island to look at the bodies, poke at them with sticks and even steal remains and artefacts, such as the University of Otago who allegedly took the head of Rangituamātotoru. These were extremely upsetting and disrespectful acts.

The motu has its own unique ecosystem, with endangered species on it, such as the Wainuia snail, small scale skink, and various varieties of mistletoe. Until 2018, the motu was pest free, when Norway rats were discovered and eradicated with the help of the Department of Conservation. The motu is far enough off shore that it is believed rats couldn’t have swum there, and must’ve been carried there by humans.

In 2003, a decision was made to disallow people to land on the island, with some of the caves closed off and bars put on the fronts of them. This decision was important in the protection of the Tīpuna still there, and conservationally for the species at risk of pests and human interference.

Indigenous knowledge of Aotearoa is significant to this case study. Kaitiakitanga, or the protection and guardianship relates to the spiritual, historical and environmental protection of Motutaiko. Whakapapa is important of course as the Tīpuna of Ngāti Tūwharetoa iwi are placed there, there is a strong connection to the land for them and some feel it is their responsibility to protect their whakapapa, and let them rest. I believe Te Tiriti o Waitangi also has a part to play as it involves the protection of Māori land, and collaboration with the Department of Conservation to protect the ecosystem. Lastly Te ao Māori, the interconnectedness of everything, is reflected in Motutaiko. The motu is not living, it is an island made of rocks, yet its isolation and position provides a resting place for the Tīpuna of Ngāti Tūwharetoa, history of it being a refuge as well as home for many unique species. If the island is not protected, the animals and Tīpuna are not safe.

I grew up going to my bach in Motuopa, which my grandparents bought way before I was born. I used to feel sad my family never went anywhere new without realising the privilege of having a holiday home and on top of that having a place that I feel strongly connected to. I’ve been swimming in Lake Taupō every summer since I can remember, it is a place I feel safe and have a great sense of connection. Every time I swam, I would see Motutaiko. My dad would tell me and my siblings about the mysterious place that he knew to be a burial site for the iwi in the area. I've seen the island up close from a boat a few times and the most recent time in 2021 I had a very spiritual experience. The island seems almost small and insignificant from far away, but up close it is huge, and its presence is breathtaking. For me, it felt like I was standing in front of something very important and sacred, I could almost feel the history and the presence of the people buried there without knowing them. At first, it made me sad to think the caves were closed off, and their descendents were unable to visit them. However, after watching the island, a documentary about Motutaiko, and listening to people's reaction to the decision, they actually seemed relieved, their Tīpuna able to be at rest and no longer disturbed.

I chose Motutaiko for my case study as I feel connected to the island and Lake Taupō. I also have an interest in conservation and protecting the environment as both a designer and a person.

My visual representation of Motutaiko shows of course the island. On the motu, there are heaps of Pohutakawa whose massive roots grow out of the rocks and the trees just stick out and hang off the edges, and it is a pretty incredible site to see, so I wanted to portray that in my piece. Along the roots of the tree, are some of the unique species I mentioned earlier, the Wainuia snail and the small scale skink. There isn’t much of a background as I wanted to emphasise the isolation of the island, as this is an important factor in protecting it. The mist is to represent a story told in the documentary. They told of caves which hold ancestors in a hill on the mainland called Ohaumahunga, caves which look across to Motutaiko. It was said that when the mist settled, the spirits were conversing amongst themselves. The hands that hold up the island from the water represent the Ngāti Tūwharetoa iwi protecting the island and their Tīpuna. The roots of the Pohutakawa wrap around the hands to represent connection to place and the connection to their whakapapa who remain on the motu. I wanted everything to be connected to show Te ao Māori. This dialectic, both the isolation and connectedness of the island, was hard to portray in one image, but something I found meaningful both to my own experience with the island and the history of the island as a part of Ngāti Tūwharetoa.

I highly recommend watching the documentary, the island, which can be found on NZONSCREEN. It was an insightful look into the perspectives of the Ngāti Tūwharetoa iwi now, and how they see Motutaiko. I believe it’s important that their stories are shared, both for their intrinsic value and to help with the decolonisation of our ideas around this island. Ngā mihi nui.