| Registration Classification | compound heritage |
| Registration Criteria | (6), (7), (8) |
| Year of registration | 1990 |
Tongariro National Park is a national park on the North Island of New Zealand.It was originally considered a natural heritage site in recognition of its active and extinct volcanoes and various living organisms. However, in 1993, Tongariro was expanded as a composite heritage site in recognition of its “cultural landscape” as it is a sacred site for the Maori people and an area of high cultural value.
Here, a World Heritage enthusiast explains why Tongariro National Park is a World Heritage Site in an easy-to-understand manner.Read this and you will definitely learn more about Tongariro National Park!
What is Tongariro National Park?
The park is located in the central part of New Zealand’s North Island and is centered around three of the highest peaks, Mount Ruapehu (2797m), Mount Naurueho (2291m), and Mount Tongariro (1967m). It is located 320 km north of the capital Wellington.
Originally, these three peaks were worshipped as sacred places by the Maori people, who have lived there for a long time.However, when New Zealand was colonized by the British Empire in 1840, the area was turned into grazing land and populated by settlers, and in 1887, the Maori chief, Te Heuheu Tsukino IV, donated the land to the Queen to protect this sacred site, bringing it under state protection. And in 1894, it became New Zealand’s first national park.
Natural Heritage
Mount Tongariro erupted about 260,000 years ago, followed by Mount Ruapehu. And an acidic volcanic lake was formed on the summit of Mt. Ruapehu, which changes color depending on the water temperature. Mt. Ngauruhoe is an active volcano with a conical shape similar to Mt. Fuji, and is thought to have been formed relatively recently, about 25,000 years ago. 1990 saw the registration of the Tongariro Complex volcanic landform itself as a World Heritage Site.
The area is also home to many plants and animals, including 60 species of birds, including endemic species such as the kiwi, New Zealand’s national bird, and the kaka, a member of the parrot family.
Cultural Heritage
The word “Tongariro” means “cold south wind” in Maori.It derives from the legend that an explorer climbed this mountain, nearly froze to death, and delivered his voice to his sister against the south wind. As a sacred site, the cultural value created by the Maori people was recognized in 1993, and the site is now registered as a composite heritage site.
For what reason is Tongariro National Park on the World Heritage List?
Tongariro National Park was recognized for
Registration Criteria (vi)
The fact that the site has high cultural value as a sacred Maori site.
Registration criteria (vii) (viii)
As the southernmost point of the Pacific Rim volcanic belt, it means that beautiful volcanic landscapes can be seen, including beautiful emerald-colored volcanic lakes and land formed by lava.
World Heritage Mania Conclusions and Impressions
As the world’s first World Heritage Site, it may answer the question, “What is a World Heritage Site?”and it may be a symbol of a composite heritage site. So the whole area has value as a natural heritage, but as a sacred site, it has a cultural heritage aspect.
Incidentally, the kiwi is now the national bird…but I heard that the Maori did not value it that much, as it was used for food and feathers. It is said that the kiwi became a symbol of the Maori people after the British settled in the area. However, the number of them is now quite small, and I think all New Zealanders are aware of the need to protect them.
*The content here is a discussion derived from research conducted by World Heritage enthusiasts. As for the data, interpretation differs depending on the media.
