A drive down Rātāpihipihi Rd in upper Westown leads to the delightful Rātāpihipihi Reserve.
The name Rātāpihipihi is said to refer to a hunting method used by local Māori. According to folklore, Māori would conceal themselves among the branches of rata trees with tame kaka. They would then blow through a leaf to make a "pihipihi" sound to attract kaka. Once they had flown in and settled alongside the tame bird, they were hit with a club or stick.
Māori had lived in the area long before European settlement and their village became strategically important during the Taranaki Wars. Its proximity to New Plymouth made it a significant threat to the settlement, so it was destroyed in the early 1860s.
After the wars the area was heavily milled until the Taranaki Scenery Preservation Society stepped in to protect the area for future generations. In 1906 the Rātāpihipihi Reserve was established, allowing the native bush to regenerate, including thousands of nikau palms.
The Department of Conservation now looks after the reserve, which includes a picnic area and a walking track through the bush. The track is a figure of eight which takes between 30 and 40 minutes. Although a relatively easy walk, do be prepared for a bit of an uphill slog back to the car park.
As you walk, keep your eyes peeled for the markers scattered throughout the native bush. They are a gift from the children of Willem and Jeanne van Gorkom. The couple were passionate about the Taranaki bush and, in particular, Rātāpihipihi Reserve. After the couple died, their children approached the Department of Conservation with a plan to erect the signs as a tribute to their parents.
The signs and plant labels were the work of Sorrel Hoskin from the Department of Conservation. This new feature has further enhanced the enjoyment of Rātāpihipihi, giving this natural gem even more lustre.
This story was originally published in the Taranaki Daily News
Related documents:
Take a Walk (Taranaki Herald 18 December 1975)
Ratapihipihi Scenic Reserve (Walking New Zealand No 259 August 2019)
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