PĀ
The name Māngere references Ngā Hau Māngere, or 'the idle breezes'. The name Te Pane o Mataoho translates as 'the head of Mataoho', the Māori deity who is the guardian of secrets hidden in the earth. The name Te Ara Pueru refers to a historic event that occurred on the Maunga prior to European arrival.
This Maunga, like so many across the region, was an important defensive pā. The high slopes along the south and northwest sides were heavily terraced, and these terraces can be clearly seen today.
The eastern rim of the smaller crater was a main kai (food) store for the pā, and the rows of rectangular storage pits still exist to this day.
