Tongariro's World heritage status explained

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 8, Issue 372, 5 February 1991, Page 6

Tongariro's World heritage status explained

Tongariro National Park is now one of two areas in New Zealand granted World Heritage Park Status, putting them in the same category as areas like the Grand Canyon and the Ancient Pyramids of Egypt.

Many national parks in the world are included in the list for either natural or cultural heritage, and Tongariro National Park was accepted on both counts. What makes Tongariro's case unusual in the cultural aspect is that it has little present day human habitation and little or no evidence of human habitation. Its cultural values were , deemed to be its spiritual significance to the | Maori, with the peaks of the park, Tongariro and Ruapehu sacred to them. Justification for the inclusion of the park in the World Heritage List was, under the heading "Cultural Property": "Tongariro National Park is of outstanding cultural heritage as a spiritual home to the Maori People, as a gift of sacred land providing the basis of the National Parks Centennial and as the initial focus for the development of philosophies which guided the evolution of New Zealand's National Parks." The justification said "Tongariro National Park protects areas sacred to the Tuwharetoa people and has associations going back to the migration of the Maoris to New Zealand from Polynesia." In a brief cultural history the nomination told of the story of the arrival of the Te Arawa Canoe to the Bay of Plenty and the high priest Ngatoro-i-rangi, who explored inland to Rangipo and claimed the area for his people. Legend has it, stated the nomination document, that on meeting a challenger for the land he called on his gods who sent dense black

clouds and snow down to the desert. "His rival perished from the cold and the desert has been known and Rangipo, or (Darkened Skies), and Te Onetapu (the sacred sands) ever since." Ngatoro-i-rangi decided to climb one of the peaks to claim the land and was almost ffozen at the summit but called to his sisters in Hawaiki to send him fire. 'Ka riro au; te tonga! Haria mai he ahi moku' (I am born away in the cold south wind. Send fireto warmme!) His sisters asked the fire demons to send fire by way of underground passages to the mountain and he was saved. . A slave Auruhoe, was thrown into the blazing crater to appease the volcano god. Hence its name Auruhoe, or more recently Ngauruhoe. And Tongariro came from 'Tonga' (south wind) and riro (carried away). The nomination document also described the gifting of the peaks to the people of New Zealand to protect the sacred lands in 1887 which formed the nucleus of the park. Volcanology As well as its cultural significance the park w^s nominated for its natural features, most importantly its volcanological features. "Tongariro National Park contains two outstanding, intensely studied and monitored active composite volcanoes, Tongariro/Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu," stated the nomination. Frequency of eruption was one feature that was deemed unique on a world scale. "These volcanoes (Ruapehu, Tongariro and

White Island) are the most frequently active volcanoes in the world, rivaled only by a few Indonesian and Japanese stratovolcan-oes (composite)." The Tongariro volcanoes allow observation of the volcanic process in action. Other wellknown volcanoes, such as Fujiyama and Mt Kilimanjaro have not erupted this century, while Ruapehu erupts at intervals of less than one year. Ruapehu's Crater Lake was another feature mentioned, with its high eruption frequency coupled with its glacial setting. Also cited was the Taupo volcano and its eruption 1800 years ago, which was recorded in Chinese literature. The eruption, which was the most powerful volcanic eruption ever documented, not only shaped the Taupo area but altered the Tongariro National Park area considerably. Many of the best exposures of its volcanic products lie within the Tongariro National Park and its protection. Criteria Regional Conservator Paul Green spoke to the Bulletin about some of the aspects of the park becoming a World Heritage Park. He said among the criteria for inclusion is the need for the area — concerned to be protected and managed to ensure protection. The ski fields in the park' were thought to be a potential problem here, said Mr Green, but proved not to be with the provision of the wilderness areas in the park, such as above the ski fields. He said a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) governed inter-govern-ment committee staffed by people of proven protection management skills makes the decisions on nominations to WHP status. A Canadian, Jim Torsell, was the i^vestigating officer sent by the committee to look into the park's nomination. Asked what was the likely effect of the new status granted, Mr Green said he thought there would be an increase in nature loving travellers visiting the Tongariro National Park. He said there was a growing number of people, espe-