Karekare is a small coastal settlement in West Auckland, New Zealand, sandwiched between the Waitākere Ranges and a large black sand surf beach. Geography It is located west of Auckland city centre, south of the larger beach of Piha. It is north of Whatipu, south of Piha and west of the Centennial Memorial Park and Water Catchment area, which cover most of the native bushland Waitākere Ranges. Karekare Beach is the confluence of the Company Stream, which was traditionally known by the name Waiteahoaho, and the Karekare Stream. The Karekare Falls are located inland from the beach. The beach at Karekare is split into two sections separated by the, Karekare Stream, Karekare Beach to the south and Tāhoro / Union Bay, to the north. Two major geographical sites within Karekare are The Watchman, traditionally known by the names Te Matua and Te Tokamatua, a significant knoll on the beach's ridge, and Paratahi Island, located to the south of Karekare. Karekare is the remains of an ancient volcanic crater of the Waitākere Volcano, which was uplifted due to tectonic forces between 3 and 5 million years ago. Te Matua (the Watchman) is the hardest remaining portion of dacite of the crater, and Paratahi Island is a lava dome. History Karekare, along with the greater Waitākere Ranges area, was traditionally settled by the Te Kawerau ā Maki iwi. Karekare is one of the few locations where textiles created prior to European contact have been preserved. The ocean between Piha and the Pararaha Valley was traditionally known as Waikarekare, referring to the turbulent waters of the Tasman Sea. Over time, the name was shortened to Kakare and Karekare, and began to be used for the beach and the general area. A traditional Te Kawerau ā Maki legend of the area involves three rocks found on the beach. According to the legend, Te Matua (the Watchman), the large headland of the beach, had two children during Te Ao Kohatu, the age where inanimate things of the world could walk. Te Matua's children would play at the beach, however one disobeyed their parent, and strayed too far away. When the age of Te Ao Kohatu ended, her two children were frozen in place: Te Tokapiri, the obedient child who remained close to their mother, and Te Tokapaoke, who stands at the southern end of Karekare, alone in the ocean. Te Tokapaoke became known as Paratahi