A gift of a reproduced historic letter from Archives New Zealand’s holdings was presented to the trustees of Pariroa Pā in southern Taranaki during the 115th anniversary celebrations of the pā on 7 October.

The Prime Minister, Hon John Key, presented the reproduction, including English and Māori transcripts, of a letter written in 1895 by Tutange Waionui to the government of the day.

Tutange Waionui was a famous ancestor of the southern Taranaki region and was instrumental in establishing Pariroa pā. A plaque acknowledging Tutange was unveiled during the recent celebrations. He is also the Māori warrior model on the New Zealand shilling.

The letter was located by the Archives New Zealand staff and Te Reo o Taranaki Trust iwi researcher Neavin Broughton during research for the Taranaki Reo Revitalisation project.

Archives New Zealand began working in partnership with Te Reo o Taranaki Trust on the project in January 2009. The project contributes to the Taranaki Reo Strategy. It provides access to important records, written in te reo o Taranaki primarily before 1900, relating to ngā iwi me ngā rohe o Taranaki and held by Archives New Zealand’s Wellington office.

The letter, one of approximately 50 written by Tutange which have been identified as relevant to the project, is written in te reo Māori and is dated 15 October 1895. It makes reference to receipt of the plan and gazette containing the Governor’s notice granting the land, known as Te Pukeatua, on which Pariroa Pā is now built, to the original hapü of Ngāti Tüpito and Ngāti Ringi.