Kuiarau and Taokahu

Ngāti Whakaue

The area that we know now as Kuirau Park has a long history of geothermal activity and of being lived in by Ngāti Whakaue tūpuna (ancestors). The lake that is located close to the Ranolf Street and Lake Road intersection was originally known as Taokahu, and is said to have been much cooler.

The great tupuna, Tūnohopū, was known to have had a temporary shelter here while he used the pool. It became known as a perfect place for bathing and was therefore guarded by successive chiefs for use by themselves and their families.

One such chief was Tamahika, son of Tutea (who was a grandson of Tūmahaurangi). Tamahika had a beautiful young wife, Kuiarau. One day, while Kuiarau was bathing in Taokahu, she was seized by a taniwha and taken down into the depths of the lake. Angered by this event, the atua (gods) caused the lake to boil in order to destroy the taniwha. From this time on, this area was known as Kuirau.

This story comes from the original Great Te Arawa Stories website created by Ngā Pūmanawa e Waru (NPeW) Education Trust in 2018. To ensure consistency, minimal updates were made to the text before it was transferred to this new site.