- MD
Sidestep: Bones for Fertilizer
Lots of stories have surfaced over the years about bones being sent to the fertilizer works in Auckland. Some, such as Scott Hamilton and others have refuted the idea. That is quite expected really for there is no documented proof of it and they are simply reacting in a normal way to certain claims made. But - as we know, every story has some truth to it. And with their being no official government or archaeological reports to back it up...those stories are all rubbish right? Well, the Auckland Council do not think so.
In the above document is a report that we will set out here:
Indentified Heritage Places: Lave Caves (page 130)
The Three Kings volcanic complex contained, and still does contain, various lava caves, eg those at 84 Landscape Rd. These were used as ossuaries, and included the remains of people of elevated status, and are hence imbued with a further level of tapu. The bones were suddenly emptied out in the colonial era for use as bone dust fertilizer. 324 The nearby Epsom Windmill ( on what is now St Andrews Rd) was used to grind up Maori remains found in the surrounding caves for this purpose. 325
324 “Legends of the Three Kings”, Auckland Star, 10/1/9158, cited in Dowding-Smith & Maihi
325 V.Ayers, 2003, “The Epsom Windmill”, in prospect: The journal of the Epsom and Eden District Historical Society, Inc. vol2, cited in Dowding- Smith & Maihi
The article goes on to tell the story of more recent discoveries and bones being found by residents in their gardens. Our purpose is not to suppose whose bones these were, Maori, Turehu or anyone else but the fact that a report of bones being used for fertilizer is in fact true.
This is a picture of the abandoned Epsom windmill Eden Mill in the Auckland suburb of Onehunga. It was first built by William Mason in 1843 for grinding grain and then owned by Mr. Robert Robertson in the 1860's. Under his ownership, it was used to grind up the skeletal remains from Three Kings and other cave burial sites. Personally I question why Maori did nothing. Usually, if out in the country you approached a Wahi Tapu area you took your life you’re your hands. Yet here they did nothing. Is it true that these bones were as others maintain – the bones of the "Tangata Whenua". Keep in mind that back in 1860 tangata Maori was what Maori referred to themselves as - not tangata Whenua. The tangata Whenua, as recorded in many books and journals up until 1975 when the government changed them or pulled them from general circulation, especially Libraries and schools...were different to Maori. These books stated the tangata Whenua were those here before Maori and that Maori called themselves tangata Maori (as noted on the Treaty of Waitangi documents. Many of these old books are still available in certain recycled book sellers, private collections and in certain places on the internet via University Libraries. So all the correct history is not all hidden - not yet!
There is no doubt then that old skeletons were crushed and spread out over land around Auckland. Considering the date, it is unlikely Maori would allow wholesale destruction of their koiwi tangata but if stories are true, they were not interested in those here before them, not once the political element suggested that revealing them would affect their rights with the Crown. It's just a provocative suggestion anyway.
