A pa site thought to be developed by General Trevor Chute during the land wars in the 1860s, may have just been accidentally discovered through the process of roadworks in South Taranaki. The roadworks process was underway to realign the Normanby over bridge, a notorious accident hotspot. A hapu leader has called for the realignment of the road to be halted immediately, or unless ceased until other significant tapu elements have been unearthed.
At present only a Araukuuku hapu chair has been recovered from the Maori fortified village. However many Māori leaders believe other items of sacred interest lie beneath the site. The Ketemarae pa was a four dimensional pa at the centre of a wealthy village. The site was ovverun in 1886 by 600 men, in which General Chute had assembled to clear rebellious Māori from Taranaki.
The transport agencies regional highways manager David McGonigal, said that the agency had strict protocols surrounding the way in which the New Zealand Transport Agency deals with items that are discovered. McGonigal remarked how the agency is keeping local Maori and hapu up to date with the developments during the project and working with local Māori to get it right.
