THE SPRING AND PA SITE OF MARUKAA
Te Puna Wai me te Pā o Marukaa 

Marukaa was known as a great chief of Ngāti Tūwharetoa who lived in Te Tini o Kawerau. Anei te whakapapa o Marukaa. This is the genealogy of Marukaa. 

Tuwharetoa = Uira (First Wife) 

Rakeiuekaha (M) (Third Child) 

Moepuia (F) = Marukaa 

Marukaa and Moepuia settled in the area near the Pumphouse Spring by the River Road Dump Reserve (next to the Pat Baker Reserve). His village spanned from the Spring all the way back to where the landfill starts. 

Marukaa was a great kai | food gatherer and was skilled in hunting, fishing, diving, and gardening. He taught his children how to maara kai | garden so that they would always have kai to feed their hapu | people as well as their manuhiri | those visiting or passing through. 

Marukaa was also great at climbing trees. It was how his people would communicate with each. They would climb the tallest trees to send messages to each other.  

A Tohu Whakamaharatanga | Memorial Plaque was established in 1975 by the Ngāti Tūwharetoa people, in memory of the Spring and Pā Site of Marukaa.  

The Tohu | Plaque was originally located at 294 River Road but following the sale of the property, the plaque was relocated next to the Pumphouse Spring. 

In 2025 Council is in the process of renaming this Reserve “Marukaa”, in memory of the great Chief Marukaa.