Ōtara waterways and lake are named after either Tara-mai-nuku, a Te Ākitai ancestor and taniwha connected to the Manukau Harbour, or Tara-Te Irirangi, a Ngāi Tai rangātira.
The following 12 iwi and hapū are recognised as having mana whenua status for the Ōtara catchment: Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki, Ngāti Tamaoho, Te Ahiwaru Waiohua, Ngāti Pāoa, Te Ākitai Waiohua, Ngāti Whanaunga, Te Kawerau ā Maki, Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Te Ata Waiohua, Ngāti Maru, Waikato-Tainui and Te Patukirikiri.
Ōtara Waterways and Lake Trust acknowledges the 12 iwi and hapū who have mana whenua status over the Ōtara catchment and support their lead as kaitiaki.
We are committed to creating space that enables mana whenua and hapori Māori to exercise their leadership and be meaningfully involved in our restoration mahi and participate in ways that reflect tikanga, mātauranga Māori and iwi and hapū aspirations.
Our Kaitakawaenga role promotes Māori engagement in actions that reflect these values. The Kaitakawaenga creates and delivers opportunities for hapori across our catchment to learn about te taio and strengthen the Trust’s relationships with organisations including Ngāti Ōtara Marae, Turehou Māori Wardens, and the Ōtara Kaumatua Kuia Roopu.
In 2024, He Kōtuku, the Trust’s Māori advisory group was re-established. He Kōtuku provides cultural guidance and supports the Trust to engage with tangata whenua, hapū, and hapori Māori.
Left: Maumahara Remembrance Planting, 2025. Right and above: Maramataka Workshop, 2025.