Pihanga is a 1,326 metres (4,350 ft)[2] andesitic volcanic peak in the North Island Volcanic Plateau, located to the north of Mount Tongariro, between Tongariro and Lake Taupō.The nearest town to Pihanga is Turangi. Lake Rotoaira lies to the south-west of Pihanga, and the smaller Lake Rotopounamu is situated on the south-western flank of the volcano, near Te Ponanga Saddle. Across the saddle to the west is the volcanic peak of Tihia. Pihanga and Lake Rotopounamu are part of the 5,129ha Pihanga Scenic Reserve, which in 1975 was added to the Tongariro National Park. Pihanga appears to have a large crater, but this is in fact the result of erosion, and the "crater" quickly narrows into a steep gorge.

Pihanga
Highest point
Elevation1,326 m (4,350 ft)
Coordinates39°02′29″S 175°46′07″E / 39.04139°S 175.76861°E / -39.04139; 175.76861
Geography
Geology
Mountain typeStratovolcano
Last eruptionat least 20,000 years ago[1]

Geology edit

Eruptions from Pihanga last occurred more than 20,000 years ago.[1] An age of 123 ± 10 ka has been challenged and potentially redating suggests first formation greater than 180,000 years ago.[3]: 13, 284  The more recent eruptions are consistent with the north-north-east to south-south-west alignment of the present southern Taupō Volcanic Zone rifting. Just to the east is the Poutu Fault Zone.

Biology edit

Its slopes are covered in native bush and currently part of a major nature conservation project.[4]

Māori mythology edit

In Māori mythology, Pīhanga was the female mountain whom Taranaki and Tongariro fought over, at a time when Taranaki was also located among the central North Island mountains. Tongariro's victory resulted in Taranaki's banishment to the west coast, with his movement creating features such as the Whanganui and Pātea Rivers, and the Ngaere swamp.

The Keepers of the Wai edit

In Māori custom, the Pihanga Maunga became the responsibility of the Matapuna people (a mix of Tuwharetoa, Tama Kopiri/Upper Whanganui whanau/Tu Hope - Descendants of Te Rere Ao, the First of Tuwharetoa) of the Tuwharetoa people, who have traditionally been the keepers of the wai (Keepers of the Water) and Maunga Kaitiaki (Protectors of the Mountain). The Pihanga mountain was an important water resource for the whole of the Tuwharetoa, Tainui, Whanganui and some parts of the East Coast rohe, are all catchments of this water source.

Some members of the chieftain line of the Matapuna people, who held mana, were given the honor of being buried on the mountain. One such chief, Pakau, interred his son, who was killed in battle, in one of the burial caves. Pakau was known to have mourned for many months over the death of his son.[5]

See also edit

 
Map centered on Pihanga to show approximate selected surface volcanic deposits nearby with andesite in red shading. Lake Rotoaira is to the south west and beyond it are the larger andesitic deposits of Tongariro. To the west across the Te Ponanga Saddle ( no colour as mixed source deposits ) are the similar andesitic deposits of the Kakaramea-Tihia Massif. Rhyolitic ignimbrite surface deposits are various shades of violet from eruptions of the Taupō Volcano and Lake Taupō is to the north. Clicking on the map enlarges it, and enables panning and mouseover of volcanic deposits name/wikilink and ages before present for wider volcanic context. The key to the shading of other volcanics that are shown (active in last million years odd) with panning is rhyolite - violet, dacite - purple, basalt - brown, monogenetic basalts - dark brown, undifferentiated basalts of the Tangihua Complex in Northland Allochthon - light brown, arc basalts - deep orange brown, arc ring basalts -orange brown, basaltic andesite`- light red, and plutonic - gray. White shading has been used for postulated calderas (usually subsurface now).

References edit

  1. ^ a b Topping, Wayne William (1974). "Some Aspects of Quaternary History of Tongariro Volcanic Centre".
  2. ^ Index Mundi: New Zealand: Mountains: Pihanga to Poarangitautahi
  3. ^ Pure, Leo (2020). The volcanic and magmatic evolution of Tongariro volcano, New Zealand (PDF) (Thesis). Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
  4. ^ "Rotopounamu Pihanga Restoration". Retrieved 2022-08-07.
  5. ^ Kahui Maunga Vol. 1 Page 125, Page 126 A history of the Tuwharetoa People

External links edit