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 Pukerua Bay History 
 
Pukerua Bay is the northernmost township of the Porirua City area situated about 35 Kilometres north of Wellington on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand.
 
Pukerua Bay is linked with the legendary figure Hau, who passed close by during the pursuit of his erring wife, Wairaka.  Haunui-a-nania, to give his full name, left Mahia Peninsula in northern Hawkes Bay, on his epic journey after Wairaka ran away with Kiwi and Weka, although some versions of the legend give the lover as Weku.  Many present-day place names such as Otaki, Ohau and Waikanae, record incidents in the chase which ended just south of Pukerua.  In his rage Hau turned Wairaka into the great rock standing in the sea which carries her name today.
 
The Ngati Ira are the earliest people known to have lived at Pukerua, but their claim to live here was disputed by the Ngati Rangi, living near Paraparaumu.  When the Ngati Ira built a pa at Pukerua, the Ngati Rangi planned to attack, but their plans were overhead by a slave named Nohokoko who came down the beach with a warning.  The would-be attackers advanced inland to approach from the rear but the Ngati-Ira and their allies successfully ambushed them near Pauatahanui.
 
Later the Muaupoko lived from Lake Horowhenua to Pukerua.  In 1822 when Te Rauparaha came south to the Kapiti coast he was determined to exterminate the Muaupoko because of their earlier treachery towards him when they feared their lands would be invaded.  One of their last strongholds was the Waimapihi Pa at the seaward end of Rawhiti Road, overlooking the Waimapihi Stream, which was attacked by the Ngati Toa under Tuwhare and Te Rauparaha.  Although the defenders had only traditional weapons they repulsed the initial attack so effectively that Te Rauparaha had to use deception.  According to S. Percy Smith in "History and Traditions of the Maoris of the West Coast", Te Rauparaha sent the message "He maunga-rono ta maua ki tenei pa" - "We want to make peace with the pa".  When the Ngati Toa were allowed to enter Waimapihi they suddenly attacked and killed many of the defenders.  The survivors were pursued up the stream as they fled towards the forest range and more were killed.  Beforehand, the defenders are reputed to have hidden their greenstone somewhere up the Waimapihi Stream but it is not known if the greenstone was ever recovered.
 
Pukerua was on the main route for Maori travellers going north or south.  From Paekakariki the track came south along the beach, ascended the cliffs near the Pukerua Pa east of the Waimapihi Stream and passed through the gardens on the plateau before going on to the present Plimmerton.  The section from Pukerua to Plimmerton was known as "Taua Tapu".  During the fighting in 1846 Te Rangihaeata declared the track to be his "backbone" and that it was not to be used by anyone supplying pigs to the settlers in Wellington.  A notice to that effect was placed by the track near Taupo Pa at Plimmerton.  It is quite likely that the track was used to take supplies to Rangihaeata before the skirmishes at Pauatahanui and Horokiwi.  James Cowan in "The New Zealand Wars" tells of powder being carried "through the forests and ranges of Pukerua" to the pa at Pauatahanui.  Lead musket balls have been found in the hills to the west of Pukerua Bay.  The track continued to be used into Pakeha times, mail being carried along it on foot until the coach road from Pauatahanui to Paekakariki was opened.  Parts of the track are still shown today as rights of way on land tenure maps.
 
Very little evidence now remains of the former Maori inhabitants.  Traces of the Waimapihi fortifications were faintly visible until houses were built there.  Adzes and fragments of clay pipes have been found.  On Peach Hill paddock of Kerehoma Farm, east of Puketiro subdivision, there is a furrow said to have been made by tree trunks dragged from the forest to form part of Pukerua Pa.  (Source unknown)