Ngāti Te Whiti is the tangata whenua of Ngāmotu, New Plymouth.

Our rohe extends from the Herekawe to the Waiwhakaiho River, inland to its headwaters on
Taranaki and back to the Herekawe.

Ngāti Te Whiti traces descent from our eponymous ancestor – Te Whiti Tuatahi, who lived in the late 1700s. Our right of occupation is based on whakapapa (genealogy) and continuous occupation by generations of connected ancestors from the earliest kinship groups such as Moturoa, Ngāmotu, Ngāti Tuparikino, and Ngāti Tawhirikura.

We have a recorded history of defending this land by exercising our right as tangata whenua as we have maintained our position as ahi kaa or ahi kaa roa – long term occupation. We regard Ngāmotu, New Plymouth, as our tūrangawaewae – our paepae, our footstool, the land on which we alone stand.

Te Atiawa are our Iwi. Our connection with our Iwi is very strong, as we share some of the same history.

Ōtaka Pā is a very significant site to Ngāti Te Whiti and has a rich history as a home and haven for people in the area.
It was one of several Ngāti Te Whiti and Te Atiawa kainga and pā, utilised for settlement and as a refuge during times
of conflict.

One significant battle was when Ōtaka Pā was used by Ngāti Te Whiti and Te Atiawa in a successful defence against an attack from the Waikato in the 1830’s.

The defence of Ōtaka Pā was supported by the first Europeans to settle in New Plymouth, being the whalers,
who established themselves at Ngāmotu Beach in 1828.

One interpretation of the name Ōtaka Pā is said to be associated with ‘trampling', perhaps in a circuit or circular motion. The name may be derived from the verb, ‘to heap up’, the noun ‘a heap’ or ‘a group of people’. This may be associated with the construction of the Pā and it being a refuge for the people.

After the battle at Ōtaka Pā in the 1830’s Ngāti Te Whiti whānau that remained, settled what is known today as Moturoa. This area extended from Ngā Motu (Sugar Loaf Islands) to the Kāwaroa Reef (Kāwaroa Park in New Plymouth). This area provided Ngāti Te Whiti with resources that ensured a prosperous existence.

Ōtaka Pā and Ngā Motu are places of cultural significance that continue to provide us with a physical and spiritual connection to the land, to our history and to our tūpuna.