CubaDupa is proud to work with Te Aro Pā Trust to share the historical background of Te Aro Park (Te Aro Pā) where our Ngā Toi O Te Aro Stage sits. Read about the history of this historic site, one of Wellington regions largest pā site.
Te Aro Pā
Te Aro Pā, alongside Pipitea and Kumutoto, was one of the three pā within the inner harbour area. It covered about 2 acres at the time of colonisation and at its height it supported a population of nearly 200 people, with many others living there on a temporary basis.
The pā was built on the original shoreline of the harbour alongside the Waimapihi Stream with the Waitangi Stream to the east and the Waikoukou Stream to the west.
The harbour was a food basket and the pā had extensive cultivations that covered an area of 25 to 30 hectares immediately to the south to Pukeahu (Mt Cook), with further cultivation areas at Omāroro (Vogeltown) and Paekawakawa (Island Bay).
The vital connection to the shoreline and cultivations was quickly severed by the rapid colonisation of the city. There was little concern for iwi who found themselves surrounded by an alien culture which had little tolerance of their communal society.
Within 50 years of the 1839 arrival of the NZ Company the pā and traditional Māori settlement in Wellington had disappeared.
IMAGE Detail of ‘Te Aro Flat from near Captain Sharpe’s residence’. Brees, Samuel Charles.
Alexander Turnbull Library. Looking east across Te Aro at towards Matairangi/Mt Victoria ca. 1845. Te Aro Pā is visible on the shoreline past the last colonial buildings.
Te Aro Pā is a historic site in Wellington, New Zealand that was once a large Māori village. The site is located at 39-43 Taranaki Street in the CBD.
What’s there to see:
- The remains of two whare ponga (huts) built from fern trunks, Archaeological features, Interpretive signage, and an exhibition about the history of Te Aro Pā.
History
- Te Aro Pā was one of the largest pā in the Wellington region
- It was built by Ngāti Mutunga, a tribe that migrated to the area with Te Āti Awa
- The pā was eventually abandoned after an earthquake in 1855
- The remains were uncovered in 2005 during construction of an apartment building
Visiting
- The site is open daily from 9 AM–5 PM
- It’s free to enter
- It’s a block away from Te Papa
Significance
- Te Aro Pā is the first 1840s Māori site found in Wellington
- It’s an interesting insight into the history of Wellington and traditional Māori life