Te Mata, Waikato District

Story

Te Mata is a small settlement 47km from Hamilton and 15km from Raglan.DemographicsTe Mata's meshblock (0861900, which extends from Te Mata to Pakoka Landing) had these census results -GeologyThe village lies in the Te Mata Stream valley, which is the main tributary of the Opotoru River. Nearly all the rocks in the area are volcanic, the exception being chert (see History), though it is not marked on the geological map. The village is on Okete Volcanics, on a flat area on formed by volcanic damming, with Karioi Volcanics on the higher land immediately to the west. Some basaltic scoria includes iron oxide bands with up to 51.74% iron content.HistoryTe Mata was part of the rohe of Ngāti Māhanga. Until the early twentieth century the area was largely covered in kahikatea bush. The archaeology map shows only one site near the present village, the great bulk of sites being near the coast. However, that one site, just north of the village, was of importance for its chert and the origin of the name, Te Mata, which translates as chert, flint or obsidian. Chert tools from the area have been identified at 18 sites from Manukau South Head to Awakino.