The Maerewhenua Historic Area is one of the most well known sites with extant Maori rock art in Aotearoa New Zealand, and one of only two such sites in the South Island open to the public. The historic area includes both pre and post-European occupation sites, and painted rock art within a limestone shelter, some of which is believed to pre-date European contact. The region that this historic area is located within has many early traditional stories associated with it, and the area is of highest cultural and spiritual significance to the Ngai Tahu Whanui. This area is of outstanding archaeological, cultural, historical, and traditional significance due to its association with the early Maori inhabitants of the South Island, the Maori cultural values associated with it, especially in relation to the Ngai Tahu Whanui. The archaeological rarity of the site, the unique and outstanding nature of the art work that remains in-situ is of significant importance to Maori, and to all New Zealanders.
Location
List Entry Information
Overview
Detailed List Entry
Status
Listed
List Entry Status
Historic Area
Access
Private/No Public Access
List Number
7770
Date Entered
6th June 2008
Date of Effect
6th June 2008
City/District Council
Waitaki District
Region
Canterbury Region
Extent of List Entry
Extent includes the land described as Pt Sec 68 Blk III Maerewhenua Survey District (RT OT 221620) Otago Land District, Sec 72 Blk III Maerewhenua Survey District (RT OT19C/231) Otago Land District & Secs 73-74 Blk III Maerewhenua Survey District (RT OT 7B/1471) Otago Land District, and includes the registered historic places, all named 'Rock Shelter', Record numbers 5654-5662.. The historic places on the land included in this registration are inter-related as they are places which provide evidence of the Maori occupation, and movement through the Waitaki region. It can not be ascertained if any of the places are contemporaneous with each other, but physical remains and technical similarities provide evidence of inter-relatedness. These places are also regarded by the associated Runanga as constituent parts of what makes this site of high Maori heritage value. The historic area is physically and visually defined by extensive landscaping, fencing, and interpretive signage that has been installed by the Ngai Tahu Maori Rock Art Trust, on behalf of the wider Ngai Tahu Whanui. These developments provide information for visitors to assist in developing a greater understanding of the values associated with the site. The landscaping developments correlate to the sites within this historic area that are accessible to the public for visiting, and as some of these sites are not intended for public viewing, these places are not marked out, and generally require liaison with the Ngai Tahu Maori Rock Art Trust in order to visit.
Legal description
Pt Sec 68 Blk III Maerewhenua SD (RT OT 221620), Sec 72 Blk III Maerewhenua SD (RT OT19C/231) & Secs 73-74 Blk III Maerewhenua SD (RT OT7B/1471), Otago Land District.