June 08, 2023
River renaming restores mana
The Clive River has officially been renamed Te Awa o Mokotūāraro.
The awa flows for about seven kilometres from Pakowhai Road Bridge northeast of Hastings to join the mouth of the Ngaruroro River before it flows into Hawke Bay.
NZ Geographic Board chair Anselm Haanen says there was wide community support for the name change, which is a shortened form of the original name for the full length of the river, Ngaruroro Moko-tū-ā-raro ki Rangatira.
It was named after one of the sons of Ruawharo, a high priest on the Takitimu waka.
Mr Haanen says Land Information New Zealand hopes restoring the name that reflects the cultural, historical and spiritual beliefs of tangata whenua will help restore the mauri and mana of the river.