History

The Story of Orakei Korako

Māori Settlement

From the earliest times, the Waikato river near Orakei Korako was occupied by Māori of Ngāti Tahu (a sub-tribe of Tuwharetoa) descent.

In translation:

'O' = 'the place of'

'rakei' = 'adorning'

'Korako' = 'white glitter' (describing the sinter flat)

Orakei Korako = The Glittering Place of Adorning

By the early 1800s, a moderately sized population had congregated at Orakei Korako. Māori were attracted not only by the beauty of the place but also by the warmth that the hot springs had to offer.  A diary entry for 11 March 1850 recorded that Māori lived in this spot, “to spare their women the trouble of procuring wood for fuel. The Tangata Whenua (People of the Land) seldom lit fires, everything was cooked in the boiling hot springs.”

The Ruatapu (Twice Blessed) Cave, with Waiwhakaata (Pool of Mirrors) at the bottom, was a place of importance to the Māori women (men were not allowed to enter). The women used it for ceremonies such as the birth of a child or to celebrate an upcoming marriage. They would sing 'waiata' (songs) during these ceremonies, which could be heard clearly by folk on the other side of the river, due to the shape of the cave. A tapu-raising ceremony was held in the early 1900s to allow men to enter the cave, thus opening the park and cave to the public.

The exact date that the people of Ngāti Tahu left Orakei Korako to settle elsewhere is not recorded, but it's likely they left soon after the eruption of Mount Tarawera in 1886. By the turn of the century, all but two families had moved away from the area.

The Arrival of Europeans

The earliest known route from Rotorua to Taupo for early European travellers passed right through Orakei Korako.  Tangata Whenua provided a 'waka' (dug out canoe) for the river crossings and in the early 1900s the geothermal area was established as a visitor attraction.  A traditional style waka was used to transfer visitors across the then-swift Waikato River until the 1930s, when a wire strop and pulley system was placed across the river to make the crossing easier.

In April 1937, a Rotorua company called 'Orakei Korako Ltd' obtained a 21 year lease with the right of renewal for another 21 years.  The road was improved for motor traffic and a punt was installed to transport visitors across the river.

Tourist Resort Opened

Orakei Korako was officially opened as a tourist resort 15 December 1937.  In late 1950, construction began on the Ohakuri Dam - the the Southern Hemisphere's largest earth dam of its time. Ohakuri (Cloak of the Dog) Dam was finished in 1961, and is what you ferry across to reach Orakei Korako today.  Although the cave and thermal park now cater to a large number of both domestic and international visitors, Orakei Korako still retains the beauty and serenity that it has always been known for.