| The
story of Rotorua Rotorua’s
story begins in the mid 1300s, when the Arawa canoe
arrived at Maketu on the Bay of Plenty coastline.
A young Te Arawa man, Ihenga, is said to have discovered
Rotorua. He was hunting for delicacies for his pregnant
wife when one of his dogs disappeared chasing a
kiwi. The dog returned some time later with his
coat wet and regurgitated a meal of half digested
fish. Ihenga realised he was near water, so he searched
until he discovered Lake Rotoiti and later, Lake
Rotorua.
Local Maori
have hosted visitors as far back as the 1800s, when
people from all over the world came to see the Pink
and White Terraces at Lake Rotomahana. Known as
the eight wonder of the world because of the elaborate
beauty of these natural sinter formations, the Pink
and White Terraces were destroyed in 1886 when Mount
Tarawera erupted.
The loss
of 150 lives and devastation of the surrounding
area, meant the people of the nearby villages moved
away to rebuild their lives. The people of Whakarewarewa
invited them to settle in the geothermal valley
where they continued to host and guide visitors.
Both their descendants and the people of Rotorua
continue this proud tradition today by fulfilling
the promise of Manaakitanga. |
