All hail the King Country - a region fights for its name

Thursday, 22 October 2020

Shearing champion Sir David Fagan on his Te Kuiti property, which he says is in the King Country, not Waikato.

A boundary sign with the name “Waikato” painted out and replaced with “King Country” has raised support for the latter to be reinstated as the region’s primary name.

The Waikato Regional Council sign at the Taranaki-Waikato boundary, was reworded “Welcome to the Mighty King Country, Te Rohe Potae” near the coastal town of Mokau.

No one has owned up but the graffiti has been cleaned and the sign remained on site, displaying its original wording.

The King Country covers the Ngāti Maniapoto territory, from the Puniu River in the north, down to Taumarunui in the south, across to Mokau on the west coast.

The King Country was named after Kingi Tawhiao, the second Māori king.

* 'Ngāti Benneydale': Town divided over name change

Former All Black Stan Meads, brother of the late Sir Colin Meads, wants the King Country name to retain its identity.

* Te Rohe Pōtae district inquiry: The lost lands and livelihoods of the King Country

Ngāti Maniapoto Board Chairman Keith Ikin said he understood the sign was to mark the regional council territory line.

Waikato Regional Council Waipā-King Country councillor Stu Kneebone says changing the regional boundary signs is a possibility.

“But when people come into the region, and see the Waikato signage, they don’t think about the regional council, they think of it as part of the Waikato region.

“We are very clear, this is not Waikato, this is the King Country, Te Rohe Potae, Maniapoto. Waikato is north of the Puniu River.”

Ikin agreed the name King Country had eroded over time.

Waitomo District Mayor John Robertson has asked for the original King Country boundary sign to be reinstalled at the Puniu River.

“It has and I think there is a loss of knowledge and understanding.

“King Country, Te Rohe Potae, has a rich history, it is unique, it is distinct and I think it’s important it’s not lost to future generations.”

Ikin said an accurate account of Maniapoto history was available through the Waitangi Tribunal.

“But what I believe we need is a much wider dissemination of that history, through our local school curriculum because it does need to be made more widely accessible to the community.”

The King Country was named after Kingi Tawhiao, the second Māori king, who was granted refuge by Maniapoto during the New Zealand Wars.

He placed his hat on a map and the area underneath was defined as the King Country boundary. Te Rohe Potae means, the area of the hat.

“That’s a commonly known story around the history of Te Rohe Potae because it was undertaken by Kingi Tawhiao and that’s where the King Country name comes from,” Ikin said.

“Maniapoto has a very close connection with the Kingitanga and one of the most important aspects of that history is during the Waikato Land Wars, 1863-64, during the confiscation of land, people came into the King Country and we looked after them.

“Not only from the Waikato but people from Taranaki as well.

“So for the best part of 20 years, the King Country was a huge sanctuary for those who had been dispossessed of their land.”

Ikin said he would be happy to meet with the regional council to discuss changes to any signs at the borders of the King Country.

“What we have now is not accurate. The regional council may consider signage that reflects that this is Te Rohe Potae, King Country and underneath has something that says, Waikato Regional Council.”

One of the regional councillors for Waipā-King Country, Stu Kneebone, said changing the signs could be an option.

“There is a lot of history with the King Country, Te Rohe Potae, and I think it would be good for people to know they are entering the King Country.

“I’d be open to having those discussions with the Maniapoto Trust Board and the Waitomo District Council.”

People living at the north and south of the King Country want the original boundary signs reinstated.

Long-time Mokau resident Ian Whitaker said he was “dead against” the Waikato Regional Council sign.

“This is the King Country and always will be as far as I am concerned.

“To us Waikato is nearer to Hamilton. Older friends I’ve talked to are horrified about it but I think the younger people that have bought baches here, probably don’t understand what it means to us.”

Mokau School Principal Maryann Symonds said she wasn’t aware the sign was an issue for some people.

But when she turned and held the phone up to ask a group of parents at the school, which region that aligned to, they all shouted “King Country”.

Te Kuiti’s world champion shearer David Fagan said he thought creative marketing had led to the King Country name fading.

“I have often wondered why, when I have been on the television news, it says Te Kuiti, then Waikato, when actually it is King Country.

“Not many provinces get their names wrong but Country King seems to.”

Te Kuiti law consultant Max Lamb said it annoyed him “immensely” when the King Country was referred to as Waikato.

“I have lived here for 50 years and it’s got to be King Country. People are coming here for tourism and initially think we’re part of the Waikato.”

Former All Black Stan Meads, brother of the late Sir Colin Meads, now lives on a lifestyle farm on the edge of Te Kuiti and wanted the King Country to retain its identity.

“You see a lot of smaller areas get swallowed up by the bigger ones and speaking from a rugby perspective, I would hate us to be swallowed up by Waikato.

“I played rugby for the King Country and I just want the name to remain, if they want to put up a [King Country] sign at the Puniu River, go for it, I’m all for it.”

Meads referred to Waitomo Mayor John Robertson’s request for the King Country boundary sign to be reinstated at the Puniu River, just south of Kihikihi.

“We know the Puniu marks the northern boundary of the King Country and locals have noticed the sign has been removed,” Robertson said.

“I have written to NZTA to see what can be done to get it back.”

Hamilton & Waikato Tourism Chief Executive Jason Dawson said the discussion about the King Country name was more than marketing.

“It’s about an identity, regional pride, the values of a place and what the people of the region want to be known as.

“We will be guided by the community, iwi and the local councils of the area (Ōtorohanga, Waitomo, Ruapehu and Taupō district councils) around their regional identity.”

He said from a tourism perspective, visitors were drawn to specific locations and attractions and are not bound by regional borders.

“For example, the name Waitomo is synonymous with underground caves and glowworms, and has always been known for these experiences.

“So from a tourism marketing perspective, it’s about the experiences, products and events you are known for which drives visitation.”