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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 5 (September 1, 1932)

An Artificial Islet

An Artificial Islet.

There is another island in the lake, much smaller but not less beautiful. It lies near the western side of the Trembling Waters. Its soil is almost level with the waters of the lake. It is but a dot of an isle, and so thickly grown with karaka trees, ti or cabbage-tree, tall flax and ferns, that it seems a tree-grove resting on the shimmering surface of the lake. We can take a boat up through the fringing flax bushes and explore the silent sanctuary. This islet is called Papawharangi.

Like some of the islands in Lake Horowhenua, it is of artificial origin. It was built by the Muaupoko people in the ancient days as a place of refuge. First of all, poles were driven into the shallow lake bottom to define the extent and shape of the proposed island pa. Then masses of niggerhead bulrushes, with the earth attaching to their roots, were brought from the shore and thrown inside the pole line, and this was continued until a mound was formed level with the water. Next great quantities of kakahi shellfish were brought in canoes and deposited there, and after this many canoe-loads of soil, dry fern, and other material, until dry land was formed. Then at last huts were built and a stockade was made all round the islet. Originally, the Maoris say, Papa-wharangi was much larger than it is to-day.