Te Waotu is the traditional home of Ngāti Huri. Their marae is Pikitu, and it is located approximately two kilometers from the 2 dairy units. Pikitu Marae affiliates with Raukawa, and resides on a Māori Reservation that was established in 1909. The Marae has the distinction of being one of the three marae that forms the spiritual ancestral house of Raukawa.

​

There are a number of sites of significance on, or near, the Te Raparahi land blocks. In particular, a rocky shelf that once projected out of the side of a cliff face similar to a mushroom shape, now forms the name of the northern dairy unit Te Harore a Kapu - The Mushroom belonging to Kapu. The harore is a native mushroom, and it is said that person who had only short bursts of energy was labeled 'he harore rangitahi' (a one-day mushroom) as the harore often only lasted a day.

​

Furthermore, 500 meters north of this rock formation is another unique rocky outcrop called “Te Rape a Huia". Ngāti Huia is a Raukawa hapū now located just north of Levin, however, the hapū originated in Wharepuhunga and moved to the Te Waotu district during the land wars. The hapū were given ‘occupation’ rights before moving south, although, a number of whānau members can still whakapapa into the land. Many of them are shareholders in Te Raparahi Lands Trust.

​

Tokopuhi Dairy Unit is named after the Tokopuhi Pā site located to the south of the farm in the area that was originally known as Matanuku. It was once the fortified Pā site of Ngāti Kahupungapunga, the original inhabitants of the Te Waotu - Wharepuhunga districts. The history of Raukawa is as a result of the major skirmishes & eventual extermination of Ngāti Kahupungapunga. However, the Trust has endeavored to pay tribute to this significant history by retaining a number of names originating from these original inhabitants such as Matanuku & Matawhana.

​

Further historical information & sites of significance will be located on www.pikitu.co.nz in the very near future.