Kawhia Harbour

Kawhia Harbour is one of three large natural inlets in the Tasman Sea coast of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located to the south of Raglan Harbour, Ruapuke and Aotea Harbour, 40 kilometres southwest of Hamilton.

The settlement of Kawhia is located on the northern coast of the inlet, and was an important port in early colonial New Zealand. The area of Kawhia comprised of 40 to 50 acres, is the town block that was owned by theNew Zealand Government. The government bought it off the Europeans in 1880 "not from the original Maori owners, but from the a European who claimed ownership in payment of money owed by another European" ^[1]

History

The history of the Kahwia settlement is evident through the street names of Kawhia's township and their main streets.

JERVOIS STREET is the main street of Kawhia, named for Sir William Jervois, the appointed Governer of New Zealand in 1882. This street which acts as the main vein linking the towns shops, cafe's, bait shops and pertol station, to the Wharf and Kawhia Musuem located on the waters edge. ^[1]

Off Jervois street runs TAINUI STREET, named for the Tainui Waka, named as "the ocean-going canoe" ^[1] that brought the ancestors of the Tainui people to Kawhia Harbour in the 14th Century. This waka is burried in Kahwia behind one of Kahwhia's Marae - Maketu.^[1]

Travelling up Tainui Street you will pass CHARLETON STREET, named for John Charleton, an early settler that claimed ownership of the Kawhia township.^[1]

FAIRCHILD STREET, named for John Fairchild. Not only was he the master of the vessle that used to set up the beacons around the Harbour, he also was the one that clamed the Kawhia town block from John Charleton Junior, in settlement of debt. ^[1] Another John - John Cowell provides COWELL STREET. This John paid some Kawhia Chiefs with flax, firearms, blankets, clothing tabacco, pipes and tools in trade for the ownership of the Kahwhia Town Block.^[1]

POUEWE STREET is situated north of the Kawhia Township. This was the original name of the Maori settlement in this area also named for the Pouewe stream. The name Pouewe refers to a significant landmark.^[1]

The harbour area was the birthplace of prominent Māori warrior chief Te Rauparaha, and is known in Māori lore as the final resting-place of the ancestral waka (canoe) Tainui.