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Regional | Department of Conservation

'Tramping' on iwi protocol

Check first with iwi and the Department of Conservation (DoC) if you want to indulge in unusual activities on Mt Taranaki, to avoid breaching culturally sensitive protocols.

This advice comes after a group of trampers erected a trampoline on Pouakai Plateau last week, raising the ire of local iwi.

Conduct on summits like Pouakai and Kaitake is of huge concern to iwi, as they regard the head of a mountain as sacred, like that of a chief.

The group of trampers already knew that certain activities would be inappropriate, after landing themselves in trouble in 2011 for holding a barbecue on the summit of Mt Taranaki.

However, some have said DoC and the Taranaki Iwi Trust should be more proactive in informing the public about what is culturally acceptable.

Reporter:  Piripi Taylor