An enormous sperm whale discovered off Te Oneroa-a-Tōhē (Ninety Mile Beach) has been respectfully harvested and buried according to tikanga by Te Aupouri and supporting iwi from Te Tai Tokerau.
The whale, found lifeless just south of Maunganui Bluff on August 3, 2023, was named ‘Waimahuru’ by kaumātua after the location of its discovery.
Guided by the wisdom of Ngāti Wai, Te Aupōuri embarked on the recovery of the young male parāoa (sperm whale).
“Ko te mea nui ki ahau ki roto i tēnei mahi ki te kite i a tātou Ngāi Māori, i a tātou ngā tāngata whenua e whakamahi ana i tō mātou tino rangatiratanga (What’s most important to me is to see us, Māori, people of the land, carrying out our customary rights and self determination).” Ngāti Wai descendant Te Kaurinui Parata told One News.
As well as the bones, spermaceti oil, a waxy liquid found in the head cavity of the whale, which held huge historical significance as a lubricant and illuminant for lamps, was also recovered.
The sperm whale’s ivory teeth, historically carved into taonga, and later products such as chess pieces, piano keys, or the handles of walking sticks, were recovered, alongside the sinew and meat.
“In our grandparents’ time, they used to deal with the whale, but we don’t have that mātauranga now because there’s legislation over marine mammals and stuff like that.” Te Aupōuri descendant Niki Conrad said.
“With the help of Ngāti Wai and sharing their mātauranga with us, I guess we’re going to know much more about the values and taonga,” Conrad said.
Resources from the tohorā
- Jawbone: The densest and most durable bone, employed in crafting tools, holding particular significance for carvers creating taonga and weaponry.
- Teeth: Ivory teeth from sperm whales were historically intricately carved into items like walking stick handles, and chess pieces or piano keys.
- Spermaceti: The finest whale oil, exclusive to sperm whales, historically for lighting lanterns and in Te Ao Pākehā for lubricant during the industrial revolution.
- Blubber oil: Abundant oil derived from the whale’s blubber, employed for illumination and soaps, cosmetics, and taonga preservation.
- Skin: Whale hide, often repurposed for protective aprons or clothing.
- Bones: Seen as a pre-industrial era plastic.
- Sinew: used for bindings like ropes, fishing lines and nets.
- Meat: A source of kai, when fresh.
- Ambergris: A waxy substance formed in the sperm whale’s stomach typically expelled at sea. Primarily traded for use in perfumes, fragrances, and cosmetics by specific countries such as France and Switzerland.
-Additional reporting Te Karere