My minimal smattering of Maori now includes Matotapu - Holy/Sacred Island.

Didn't actually get there, but was on the next one, Rangitoto - which means 'blood red sky' reflecting its origin from a volcanic eruption.

Unlike UK Holy Islands, there is no religious settlement/community there, it is being developed as a nature reserve.  But it did remind me of an essay I wrote a very long time ago about a water rite associated with tapu (taboo)  and some sort of nice circularity in now visiting the part of the world from which it originated.

In some ways I struggle with the idea of sacred places/spaces as I think the 'thinness' is often in us not the physical location with which we associate it.  The idea of the earth as sacred, now that I'll sign up for any day of the week!