Te Whaiti


Te Whaiti or Te Whāiti, formerly called Ahikereru, is a forested area in the Whakatāne District and Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island. It is at the northern end of the Ahikereru valley – Minginui is at the southern end. The Whirinaki River flows through the valley.
The area's full Māori name, Te Whāiti-nui-a-Toi, translates as "the great canyon of Toi", referring to an ancestor of this area, Toi-kai-rākau / Toi-te-huatahi.
Albert Percy Godber took photographs of Māori art and architecture in the area.

Marae

Te Whaiti is in the rohe of both Tūhoe and Ngāti Whare.
It has three marae:
In October 2020, the Government committed $793,189 from the Provincial [Growth Fund] to upgrade the Waikotikoti and Murumurunga Marae, creating 20 jobs.

Education

A school opened in Te Whaiti in 1896 and merged with Minginui Forest School in 2004. The school is now Te Kura Toitu o Te Whaiti-nui-a-Toi, a co-educational state, Restricted Composite Special Character School.