The impending construction of the Waikato expressway at Rangiriri has archaeologists digging into the Waikato's buried past – and what's been discovered is being hailed as "mind-blowing".
The New Zealand Transport Agency is collaborating with Waikato Tainui in a bid to uncover and "acknowledge" the historic pa and site of the 1863 battle of Rangiriri, which straddles State Highway 1.
A small test excavation two years ago showed the site could be significant and confirmed it was in good condition.
For the last six weeks an archaeological team has been working under the watch of NZTA and Tainui and the results have excited those involved.
"It's mind-blowing," said Waikato Tainui expressway project manager Moko Tauariki. "It's also a relief in the the sense that we've always known it was here and always wanted to look at how we preserve these wahi tapu (places of cultural/spiritual significance)."
Waikato Expressway communications and stakeholder liaison manager Brian Aspin said settlement sites such as the one at Rangiriri were quite common.
But archaeological investigation director Warren Gumbley said the dig had "a tremendous amount of historical significance".
Work has been sporadic over the past few weeks because of wet weather but Mr Gumbley said they had already uncovered 100 individual remains, ranging from trenches to beer bottles.
It started out as a pa before being taken over by British troops during the land wars and used as a tactical redoubt.
Depending on the weather, the dig would probably continue for another week, Mr Gumbley said.
Mr Tauariki was glad iwi were consulted, unlike the case when the original state highway was constructed back in the 1960s.
"The current road was not wanted by the tribe – skeletal remains were uncovered but they just bowled through the battle site. Today we've been able to prevent that sort of thing happening because we've been involved earlier in the process," he said.
"For the local elders it's a chapter of their book that can close."
Mr Tauariki said the next step was to decide how to acknowledge the importance of the site after the road was built and mooted the idea of a pou whenua (carved post symbolising a tribe's relationship with the land).
The Rangiriri section of the Waikato Expressway is expected to be completed by 2013, in time for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Rangiriri.
Author: Rob Kidd | Source: Waikato Times [May 21, 2011]
 |
| Archaeological investigation director Warren Gumbley gets his hands dirty at the old pa/redoubt site at Rangiriri [Credit: Peter Drury/Waikato Times] |
A small test excavation two years ago showed the site could be significant and confirmed it was in good condition.
For the last six weeks an archaeological team has been working under the watch of NZTA and Tainui and the results have excited those involved.
"It's mind-blowing," said Waikato Tainui expressway project manager Moko Tauariki. "It's also a relief in the the sense that we've always known it was here and always wanted to look at how we preserve these wahi tapu (places of cultural/spiritual significance)."
Waikato Expressway communications and stakeholder liaison manager Brian Aspin said settlement sites such as the one at Rangiriri were quite common.
But archaeological investigation director Warren Gumbley said the dig had "a tremendous amount of historical significance".
Work has been sporadic over the past few weeks because of wet weather but Mr Gumbley said they had already uncovered 100 individual remains, ranging from trenches to beer bottles.
It started out as a pa before being taken over by British troops during the land wars and used as a tactical redoubt.
Depending on the weather, the dig would probably continue for another week, Mr Gumbley said.
Mr Tauariki was glad iwi were consulted, unlike the case when the original state highway was constructed back in the 1960s.
"The current road was not wanted by the tribe – skeletal remains were uncovered but they just bowled through the battle site. Today we've been able to prevent that sort of thing happening because we've been involved earlier in the process," he said.
"For the local elders it's a chapter of their book that can close."
Mr Tauariki said the next step was to decide how to acknowledge the importance of the site after the road was built and mooted the idea of a pou whenua (carved post symbolising a tribe's relationship with the land).
The Rangiriri section of the Waikato Expressway is expected to be completed by 2013, in time for the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Rangiriri.
Author: Rob Kidd | Source: Waikato Times [May 21, 2011]