Koita and Motu Landscapes and Seascapes of Caution Bay

Abstract

A loss of place-names, and of the knowledge of history those named places hold, is effectively a significant cultural loss, and for this reason it was deemed important to record named places at Caution Bay before those localities were permanently altered. Therefore, named, culturally meaningful places within and near the Caution Bay study area were recorded in conjunction with local Koita and Motu community members in 2008-2010 (Figures 5.1 and 5.2). This mapping was undertaken in two steps, the first consisting of opportunistic recording of place names during early, preliminary stages of fieldwork in 2008 and 2009; and the second a focused study undertaken in early 2010 explicitly aimed at recording place names and their cultural significance in the face of imminent developments that would forever transform the landscape. This chapter presents the results of these studies.