The power of fire and water
Intense geothermal power pulses below the surface of the earth across this whole region, rising as steam from the banks of the awa and colouring the pools of Waiotapu like jewels.
Like the awa itself, this geothermal activity cares for the wellbeing of Ngati Tahu-Ngati Whaoa in many ways.
During your AWA journey, you may see steam rising from the banks of the river. These are the places where the incredible heat from deep in the ground warms the water and then carries it into the sky as steam.
This warmed wai is just one of the many ways the awa has cared for us, and it is one of the many things that show us that the land, water, and sky are connected. Our people used this geothermal taonga every day for generations – there were ngāwhā to cook food, others to wash clothes, and others to bathe.
Like the massive hydroelectric dam you will also see on your journey, this geothermal power is being harnessed to create electricity. On the Manukura experience you’ll visit Orakei Korako, the ūkaipō (birthplace) of our iwi. Our original home sits in a highly active part the Taupō Volcanic Zone on the Waikato river at Lake Ohakuri, which is part of the hydroelectric power scheme. Two-thirds of our ngāwhā (hot springs) and geysers were flooded when the lake was formed by the dam, but Orakei Korako is still the largest geyser field in Aotearoa.
