187 - The Burial Tree

'Taketakerau is sacred to the Ūpokorehe hapū of the Whakatōhea iwi (tribe). It grows almost in the centre of Hikutaia Domain, near Ōpōtiki, and is estimated to be more than 2000 years old. The tree is hollow and the bones of distinguished Māori dead were deposited inside after being prepared with ritual, including on occasion the sacrifice of slaves. The tree was used as a mausoleum at the time of Te Kooti, the Māori war leader of the 1860's. Human bones were found in the tree as late as 1919. The enormous base of the tree divides into five trunks about 3m. from ground level, the trunks being in a roughly north-south line and ranging from 75cm. to about 150cm. in diameter'.

TAKETAKERAU BURIAL TREE: This name is given to the huge Puriri (Vitex lucens) within the Hukutaia Domain which is about 67 feet in girth, over 70 feet high and estimated to be over 2000 years old. It stands within boundaries of the local Whakatohea tribe - beyond Kutarere to Opape, more particularly the sub-tribe, the Upokorehe, who stretched from the western limits to the Waioweka River, below the Domain. They used the tree to store the bones of their distinguished dead.

The bones of the deceased were dug up some years after death, with much ritual, including on occasions the sacrifice of slaves (!), and then painted with oxide of iron to be deposited in a hollow tree or cave, so that they would not be found by enemies. The tree and surrounding area was highly tapu (sacred) and any desecration of this was a deadly matter and an affront to the tribal gods. The offender's death would surely follow.

During the creation of the reserve area (which included the historical "puriri tree") this burial tree was discovered by Mr Oliver Evans, manager of the Estate, when he was searching for a missing horse during a storm in 1913. During his search he found a large limb of the tree had broken off exposing countless human bones within the hollow interior. From then on local Maori, townsfolk and country-folk were concerned with the preservation of this sacred burial tree and its surrounding area.

AS with many caves and tree burials, the bones of the dead stored here in this tree were taken away and reburied many years ago, and the original 'tapu' was lifted. The Domain has walking tracks which will take you to the large tree which is signposted in the centre of the forest. A Maori carving stands nearby.