We are thankful to Ngāti Whakaue academic, author and researcher Dr Paora Tapsell (DPhil Oxf) for ensuring that the information in this story is true to Pūkaki’s narrative.
Pūkaki's story
Pūkaki’s birth resulted from a peace-making marriage between Ngāti Whakaue of Rotorua and Ngāti Pikiao of Rotoiti around 1700. Pūkaki grew up during a time of armed conflict, both within Te Arawa and against wider Bay of Plenty–Waikato tribes. During these conflicts he was born and lived on Mokoia Island in the centre of Lake Rotorua. In peaceful times he lived with his grandmother’s people at Parawai pā, which is now surrounded by the township of Ngongotahā.
In Pūkaki’s later years, he became a major leader of the Arawa people. His two sons, Wharengaro and Rangitākuku later led Ngāti Whakaue in his name, defeating their Tūhourangi relations and forcing them back to Tarawera. This war released the lands of Pukeroa-Oruawhata into Ngāti Whakaue’s exclusive control, where Rotorua is sited today.
Thereafter, most of Ngāti Whakaue moved from Parawai to the village of Ōhinemutu, which remains the heart of Rotorua to this day.
Around this time, Pūkaki died a revered elder and was buried in the Mamaku foothills, where the descendants of his elder son, Ngahina, still watch over him today.
The carving
The Pūkaki image, as depicted on the 20 cent coin, was part of a five-metre-high carved kuwaha or door-like gateway. He was expertly crafted by Te Taupua of Ngāti Whakaue from a large totara log fetched from the Ngongotāhā river by descendants of Pūkaki’s eldest son, Ngāhina. The carving honours Ngāti Whakaue's conquest of Tūhourangi and capture of Pukeroa-Oruawhata district.
Pūkaki was one of three gateways into the then heavily fortified village of Ōhinemutu. He was specifically carved to repel musket fire about thirty years after Pūkaki the person had passed away. In 1836 he fulfilled his primary purpose when Te Waharoa and his Waikato forces attacked Ōhinemutu by being slammed shut and successfully repelling the invading force.
The carving shows Pūkaki holding his two warrior sons, Wharengaro and Rangitakuku. Between his legs can be seen part of his wife Ngapuia who was of Tūhourangi descent.
In the 1850s, Pūkaki lost his lower gateway carvings, and became a statue-like tiki, standing guard outside the chiefly home named Te Angaanga. Later he was moved to Ōhinemutu's main meeting house, Tama te Kapua, after being carved by Te Taupua in 1872.
On 02 October 1877, Ngāti Whakaue gifted Pūkaki to the Crown representative, Judge Fenton as a symbol of trust. In return the Crown's promised to develop the Rotorua township on behalf of Ngāti Whakaue who would remain the owners. Fenton immediately had Pūkaki shipped to the Auckland Museum where he was received as the gift of Judge Fenton and Justice Gillies. But no mention of the solemn promise Pūkaki represented between the Crown and Ngāti Whakaue.
Nevertheless, on 25 November 1880 Fenton returned to Rotorua and ratified the gifting of Pūkaki by signing the Rotorua Township (Fenton) Agreement. The agreement was shortlived. In 1893 the Crown compulsorily acquired the township, geothermal resources and surrounding lands, leaving Ngāti Whakaue destitute.
Pūkaki returns home
On 2 October 1997, 120 years after Pūkaki had left his Ngāti Whakaue home of Ōhinemutu, local Auckland tribe Ngāti Whātua ō Ōrākei helped the Auckland Museum return him to Ōhinemutu so the original intent of his gifting – a symbol of trust between Ngāti Whakaue and the Crown – could now be completed.
On properly receiving their revered elder home Ngāti Whakaue/Te Arawa completed the gift by presenting Pūkaki into the care of the Governor General, representing all the people of New Zealand. Thereafter a new agreement was signed, ultimately leading to the 2002 establishment of today’s Pūkaki Trust, comprising a representative each from the Crown, Auckland Museum, Rotorua City and Ngāti Whakaue. All agreed the Rotorua District Council building was the best place for Pūkaki to rest, gifted to the nation for all to enjoy.
The Pūkaki Trust now looks after the conservation and safe keeping of Pūkaki. He is currently in storage at the Rotorua Museum, awaiting his time to come back out into the light and guide his people and his nation once again.
How Pūkaki came to be on the 20 cent coin
The image on the 20 cent coin is a reproduction of a carving of an 18th century Māori rangatira, Pūkaki. He was a rangatira of Ngāti Whakaue of Te Arawa in the Rotorua district.
Pūkaki came to our nation’s attention during the international 1984 to 1987 Te Māori exhibition and his image came to be used on the government’s Māori Language Commission poster.
At the time, we were looking for a new image for the 20 cent coin, as we were moving the kiwi image to the new $1 coin. The first Pūkaki 20 cent coins were issued in 1990.
We had approached the Auckland Museum (that held the Pūkaki carving at the time) and the Arawa Trust Board, both of whom gave consent for Pūkaki to be placed on New Zealand’s new 20 cent coin.
However, no one thought to ask Pūkaki’s own people, Ngāti Whakaue who had gifted Pūkaki to the Crown, but were now confused, having been told by the Auckland Museum that they had sold him. Meanwhile, we unsuspectingly went ahead and minted several million new Pūkaki 20 cent coins.
Not long after the 1990 coin release, communications between then leader of Ngāti Whakaue, Hamuera Taipōrutu Mitchell and the Prime Minister of the day, Rt Hon Jim Bolger, resulted in any further issuance of the Pūkaki coin being held back.
In 2004, some seven years after Pūkaki had returned home, a new set of negotiations proceeded between Ngāti Whakaue and Te Pūtea Matua. These negotiations culminated in Governor Dr Alan Bollard, Rev Wihapi Winiata, Governor General Dame Sylvia Cartwright and Dr Paora Tapsell establishing the RBNZ/Ngāti Whakaue Pūkaki Education Award. This Award acknowledges the permission given by Ngāti Whakaue to Te Pūtea Matua to use Pūkaki’s image on the 20c coin.
A ceremony was held in front of Pūkaki, the carving where we officially launched the Pūkaki Education Award, and at the same time, Ngāti Whakaue, led by Rev Wihapi Winiata, ceremonially blessed Pūkaki’s image to be carried on NZ currency. This award is an expression of deep gratitude to Ngāti Whakaue for enabling us to be able to use the image of Pūkaki on our 20 cent coin.
Two special gold coins were minted into which the tapu of Pūkaki was placed and they are each contained in special waka huia (treasure boxes) carved by Lyonel Grant of Ngāti Pikiao. One coin, representing the people of NZ was gifted by the Governor General to Te Pūtea Matua; while the other she gifted to Ngāti Whakaue, representing their side of Te Tiriti partnership embedded in the Pūkaki coin. Our coin is displayed in the Te Pūtea Matua Museum.
Relationship with Ngāti Whakaue
In 2004, the Pūkaki Educational Award was established to recognise and celebrate the relationship between the RBNZ and Ngāti Whakaue. This relationship is a held as a taonga by the Bank and each visit is eagerly anticipated. Each year, we host six Year 11 students from schools around Rotorua, who are descendants of Whakaue.
The learning experience explores legacy, leadership, horizon broadening and the special relationship between us and Ngāti Whakaue. We also discuss the role and impact of RBNZ in Aotearoa New Zealand. Furthermore we send representatives to Rotorua to talk at each of the six high schools. We discuss our relationship with Ngāti Whakaue, Pūkaki, our role in NZ and the wide career roles that are available at the Bank.
On 24 August 2017, Governor Graeme Wheeler visited Tūnohopū marae in Rotorua. He was welcomed with a pōwhiri and invited to speak during the hui, which focussed on the aspirations of the many Ngāti Whakaue rangatahi who had visited us over the years.
Graeme Wheeler received a patu from local kaumatua as a taonga that commemorated his work with Ngāti Whakaue during his term as Governor. Both RBNZ and Ngāti Whakaue have worked attentively to further this growing relationship.
Graeme Wheeler gifted the patu to our Museum to serve as a permanent reminder of the special relationship between the Reserve Bank and Ngāti Whakaue.
Read more
More information about Pūkaki is available in a book by one of his descendants, Dr Paul Tapsell, titled Pūkaki: a comet returns. Also available in Te Reo Pūkaki: Te Hokinga mai o te Auahitūroa.