Waimeha heritage trail
Waimeha is part of the place-name landscape of Waikanae. In traditions associated with Haunui-a-Nanaia, names along the western coast commemorate stages of a journey and the features encountered along the way.
Waimeha and the naming landscape
The story links Waimeha and Waikanae to a much wider geography, from rivers north of Kāpiti to Paekākāriki and Pukerua Bay. These are traditional accounts carried by iwi and hapū, rather than a modern survey of the coastline.
Source: Puketapu and regional traditional place-name accounts retained in the WhaleLIBRARY research collection.
The trail as a way into the history
The Waimeha heritage trail can connect readers to the wider Waikanae place-name landscape and the traditions associated with Haunui-a-Nanaia. Modern trail stops and signs help visitors find places, but their positions need not be identical to the locations described in earlier oral accounts.