Muriwai, also called Muriwai Beach, is a coastal community on the west coast of the Auckland Region in the North Island of New Zealand. The black-sand surf beach and surrounding area is a popular recreational area for Aucklanders. The Muriwai Regional Park includes a nesting site for a large colony of gannets. The New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage gives a translation of "water's end" for Muriwai. Geology The Muriwai area was uplifted from the sea floor between 3 and 5 million years ago. Much of the landscape is formed by remnants of the eastern side of the Waitākere Volcano, notably the pillow lava formations seen along the cliffs south of Muriwai beach. History The Muriwai area is traditionally a part of rohe of the Tāmaki Māori tribe Te Kawerau ā Maki, known originally by the name One Rangatira ("The Chiefly Beach"), referring to the tohunga Rakatāura's visit to the beach. The beach has spiritual significance to Te Kawerau ā Maki, as it is a part of Te Rerenga Wairua, the pathway that souls take to Cape Reinga to depart the world. Te Kawerau ā Maki and Ngāti Whātua fought over the area when the latter settled south of the Kaipara Harbour. Muriwai became known as the border between Te Kawerau ā Maki and Ngāti Whātua, when peace was struct by the Te Kawerau ā Maki chief Te Hawiti / Te Au o Te Whenua. The area was settled by Ngāti Te Kahupara, a Ngāti Whātua hapū with Kawerau ancestry, until the 20th century. The southern Muriwai Beach area was also known as Paenga Tohorā, referring to the many whale strandings that happened in the location. Te Au o Te Whenua lived at Te Korekore, a headland pā located at the south end of the beach. He was known for collecting and drying Paphies ventricosa (toheroa) collected from the Muriwai area, which he would trade with other Tāmaki Māori iwi and hapū for delicacies. The gannet colony headland was known as Ōtakamiro, the location of a pā named after the ancestor Takamiro. Other pā and villages to the south-east of the beach included Matuakore, Te Toheriri, Ngārihariha and Tirikohua. The modern name, Muriwai, means "End of the Water". It refers to the Te Muriwai, a kāinga located upstream of the beach along the Muriwai Stream/Okiritoto Stream, which over time became a name for the river valley, and eventually for