To Māori, wai (water) in all its forms is descended from Papatūānuku and Ranginui. Tāngata whenua value water for the life giving force it is and for food resources it provides, including watercress, eels (tuna), and whitebait.
Awa (rivers) represent the tupuna (ancestors) of the tāngata whenua. Water and river therefore have their own mana (integrity). Water also has its own life force (mauri) and spirit which are linked to mana. Spiritual qualities (mauri and wairua) can be adversely affected by the taking, use or diversion of water and discharges of contaminants to water.
As a water source, roto (lakes) are of great significance to Maori. They have mauri which can be impacted on by the take, diversion and use of, and discharges to them. Like rivers, lakes were utilised as a food source and recreational area. As with other natural resources the protection and sustainable management of lakes ensured their health and the health of those resources within them were maintained for future generations.
One of the most significant lakes in Northland is Lake Ōmāpere. Not only is it the largest lake in Northland, it is the only lake; (the lake bed, water and resources in the water), owned by Māori. The remnant settlements which lie on the shores of the lake show the historical landscape and how much interaction there was between Māori and the lake. It provided not only a freshwater source, but also an abundance of freshwater mussels, fish and tuna (eel) to sustain the many hapu who lived near or travelled regularly to the lake.
The tranquil waters of Lake Ōmāpere are the ancestral home of indigenous tuna or eel.