Topic: Whakaahurangi Trail Plaque - 1959
Topic type:
Kahouri Bridge near Kopuatama Cemetery, East Road, Stratford.
Whakaahurangi Trail Plaque
NZ Historic Places Trust plaque marking the Whakaahurangi trail which crossed here. The trail was the major route from north to south Taranaki for many hundreds of years.
The name is derived from a journey made by a woman, Ruaputahanga, as she made her way back to her people in south Taranaki from Kawhia. Near present Stratford she slept looking up at the sky and the trail received it's name - Whakaahu-rangi or "turned towards the sky."
In 1842-43 a bridle path, which followed much of the trail was cut by Maori labourers under the supervision of the Nairn brothers of New Plymouth. One of the parties began at Mataitawa in the north and the second from the south.
The trail marker was unveiled on 21 March 1959 (See Document below)
There were, apparently, some questions regarding the siting of the trail marker and whether the remains at Kahouri Bridge were that of the Whakaahurangi or of the branch track to Ohura.(See Documents below)
Plaque Inscription
[NZHPT Logo]
WHAKAAHU RANGI
ANCIENT MAORI TRAIL
FROM KAIROA PA NEAR LEPPERTON
TO KETEMARAE PA NEAR NORMANBY
