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Story: Taranaki places

Whakawhitiwhiti pā

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Whakawhitiwhiti pā

Whakawhitiwhiti (back centre), with its earthworks still well-defined, is one of the most impressive remaining in New Plymouth. It probably dates from the turbulent period in the 1700s when the boundary of the Taranaki and Te Āti Awa tribes fluctuated between the Waiwhakaiho River and Paritutū. This late-afternoon view of Whakawhitiwhiti is from Blagdon. More than 60 and kāinga have been recorded within the bounds of New Plymouth city and its outlying suburbs. Most have been destroyed or badly damaged as the town expanded, but several still remain in reserves.

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Private collection

by Ron Lambert

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How to cite this page

Ron Lambert, Taranaki places – New Plymouth, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/25877/whakawhitiwhiti-pa (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Ron Lambert, published 23 February 2010, updated 1 September 2016.