But on a sweltering hot day in early 2015, the valley was busy once more as we came to Tawata to honour four tupuna who had contributed much to the story of the Whanganui River.
The day was chosen to mark the birth of Sir Archie Taiaroa (January 13, 1937) while joining with those gathered to participate in Te Tira Hoe Waka, our annual wananga to travel the length of our tupuna awa, from the mountains to the sea.
By whatever means we got there, by waka or four-wheel drive, and our purpose was to attend the unveiling of four headstones in the Poumaanu Urupa - Koro Titi Tihu, Hori George Anderson (Da), Nanny Putere Grace Taiaroa and her beloved son, Sir Archie John Te Atawhai.
As each headstone was unveiled, the tears flowed remembering the lives dedicated to protecting, preserving and caring for Te Awa Tupua. As the waiata soared and the korero was laid down, the symbolism of what we were doing was never far from mind.
Thirty-five years ago, in 1980, the elder Titi Tihu appeared before the Maori Affairs select committee and told them that the taniwha of the Whanganui River embodied the spirit of the people who lived alongside it. They were one and the same; ko au te awa, ko te awa ko au.
The taniwha - our traditional river guardians - are always known as 'kaitiaki', those who guard and keep us safe. The teachings of the ancestors have been consistent: if you respect the river and treat it well, then the river will treat you well.
Titi Tihu led the Whanganui River Maori claim from 1936 until his death in 1988, at the age of 103. Koro Titi was a direct descendant of the prophet Te Kere, who had committed his life to peace after the battle of Moutoa in May 1864.
Moutoa Gardens, named to commemorate that event of war, has, of course, become an important landmark in our story. While for many years it was a public park, for Whanganui iwi we knew it as the site of the marae kainga known as Pakaitore, a market place, a down-river sanctuary, a fishing village, home.
This year marks 20 years since our iwi occupied Pakaitore for 80 days in 1995 to draw attention to our Treaty of Waitangi claim for the Whanganui River. At the heart of our claim, at the heart of the lives of the people we remembered lying in the urupa at Tawata, was the aspiration for the exercise of tino rangatiratanga, self-determination, and the right to make decisions.
The road to Tawata requires skilful negotiation. Drivers have to be alert to the many challenges - a concealed pothole, a sudden dip, a hidden curve; or close to 240 rapids to pass through. In many ways it represents the journey of all those who have contributed to the river claim over 130 years.
On August 5, 2014, descendants of the three genealogical groupings of the river, Tamaupoko, Hinengakau and Tupoho, joined ministers of the Crown, local dignitaries and members of the Whanganui River Maori Trust Board to sign Ruruku Whakatupua - the Whanganui River Deed of Settlement.
This year - 175 years since the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi - we intend to honour the legacy of all those before us, to work assiduously to progress the passage of settlement legislation.
During the service at the graveside, a waiata especially composed in honour of Sir Archie left an enduring message.
"Kua rangona nei ko kupu akina nei, he kaha wero kia kauaka ra e ngoikore. He pataka ia he pu wananga ko te awa. Tiakina mai he taonga atua."
"Your words of inspiration are a challenge never to fold in defeat. For the river is our storehouse and wellspring of our prestige. Look after it, it is a precious gift of God."
It is a message we will strive to live up to heading into this important year, as the Crown and Whanganui iwi negotiate a framework to protect and provide for the special relationship Whanganui iwi uphold with the Whanganui River.
