The Pukekiwiriki (alternatively spelled and pronounced Pukekoiwiriki), also known as Red Hill, is the northernmost volcano of the South Auckland volcanic field in New Zealand, located east of Papakura, which erupted an estimated one million years ago. The hill was the site of a major TÃÂmaki MÃÂori pÃÂ, and the Te ÃÂkitai Waiohua village Te Aparangi in the 19th century.
The name in MÃÂori literally means "the Hill of the Little Kiwi", but is also known by the name Pukekà Âiwiriki. This name, directly translated as "hill" (puke-) "bones" (koiwi-) "of the Riki people" (riki) or sometimes as "the Hill of the Small Skeleton", refers to the remains of ancient chiefs found at this hill, and the red soil, stained by their deaths. The English language name, Red Hill, refers to the red volcanic soils on the volcano's slopes.
Pukekiwiriki is a basalt volcano that erupted an estimated 1,000,000 years ago. The eruption flowed west towards Papakura, and scoria thrown out from the eruption dammed the Hunua Gorge for a period.
Some areas of Pukekiwiriki have remnant native forest, dominated by taraire, pà «riri and kohekohe trees.
The hill has a flat summit, which became the location of a pÃÂ, known variously as Paritaiuru, Pukekà Âiwiriki or Pukekiwiriki. The pàis associated with the Tainui ancestress MÃÂrama, who was the second wife of Hoturoa, captain of the Tainui waka. She settled permanently at the pàafter quarrelling with Hoturoa. The site became a home for the TÃÂmaki MÃÂori people who descended from her, known as NgàMarama, who later became a part of the Waiohua. The pàwas strategically important, due to the view of the Manukau Harbour and the Hunua Ranges from this point, and was linked to settlements in the Hunua Ranges and Bombay Hills by paths.
By the early 19th century, the residents of the area moved from the pàin favour of a kÃÂinga (village) on the slopes of Pukekiwiriki, known as called Te Aparangi. By this time, Te Aparangi became the major settlement for Te ÃÂkitai Waiohua. Te Aparangi was surrounded by extensive farms and orchards, where crops including kà «mara, taro and wheat were grown for the growing town of Auckland. Te ÃÂkitai Waiohua fled the village in July 1863, during the Invasion of the Waikato.