Taketakerau. Hukutaia Domain. Opotiki. North Island. NEW ZEALAND. - Charnel Chapels, Charnel Houses and Ossuaries on Waymarking.com

Hukutaia Domain is 4.5 hectares of native bush remnant, featuring ancient Puriri trees, mighty Tawa, and many varieties of ferns, mosses and fungi.

TAKETAKERAU BURIAL TREE: This name is given to the huge Puriri (Vitex lucens) within the Hukutaia Domain which is about 67 feet in girth, over 70 feet high and estimated to be over 2000 years old. It stands within boundaries of the local Whakatohea tribe - beyond Kutarere to Opape, more particularly the sub-tribe, the Upokorehe, who stretched from the western limits to the Waioweka River, below the Domain. They used the tree to store the bones of their distinguished dead.

The bones of the deceased were dug up some years after death, with much ritual, including on occasions the sacrifice of slaves, and then painted with oxide of iron to be deposited in a hollow tree or cave, so that they would not be found by enemies. The tree and surrounding area was highly tapu (sacred) and any desecration of this was a deadly matter and an affront to the tribal gods. The offender's death would surely follow.

During the creation of the reserve area (which included the historical "puriri tree") this burial tree was discovered by Mr Oliver Evans, manager of the Estate, when he was searching for a missing horse during a storm in 1913. During his search he found a large limb of the tree had broken off exposing countless human bones within the hollow interior. From then on local Maori, townsfolk and country-folk were concerned with the preservation of this sacred burial tree and its surrounding area.

The bones of the dead stored here were taken away and reburied many years ago, and the original 'tapu' was lifted. The Domain has walking tracks which will take you to the large tree which is signposted in the centre of the forest. A Maori carving stands nearby. Please stay on the formed tracks and show respect when visiting this historical and cultural feature.
(Some information obtained from the Opotiki.com website).

The Entrance gate on Woodland Road: S 38° 04.220 E 177° 15.655

Interesting reading: (visit link) Page 73.

Accessible: yes Admission fee: Free Web documentation: [Web Link] Active: Not Listed

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Date Logged Log   11/20/2013 Punga and Paua visited it