Te Motu a Ihenga

Motuihe Island — Te Motu a Ihenga — has deep significance to tangata whenua. Long before European arrival, the island was part of the network of settlements, cultivations, and travel routes through Tīkapa Moana (the Hauraki Gulf).

Iwi with historical and ongoing connections to Motuihe include Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki and Ngāti Pāoa. Hariata Gordon of Ngāti Pāoa was one of the original trustees when the Motuihe Trust was formed in 2000.

Content in development

This page is being developed in partnership with local iwi. The story of Te Motu a Ihenga — its name, its whakapapa, and its significance to Māori — is their story to tell.

Topics to be covered include:

• The meaning and origin of the name Te Motu a Ihenga
• Pre-European settlement, cultivation, and fishing
• Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki and Ngāti Pāoa — iwi connections past and present
• The 1839 land transactions
• Wāhi tapu and cultural sites on the island
• Contemporary iwi partnership with the Motuihe Trust