Ngāti Pūkenga
Video transcript
[Sound of flute.]
(Welcome screen with the logos of Te Tāwharau o Ngāti Pūkenga and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage. Aligned left on the screen are written the words ‘Te Tai Whakaea Treaty Settlement Stories Ngāti Pūkenga’.)
[Background music starts.]
(Video cuts to a view of trees in a forest.)
(Video cuts to a ground-level drone shot approaching the entrance of a marae meeting house.)
(Video cuts to a drone aerial view of a harbour inlet with open ocean and dome-shaped mountain visible in the background.)
(Video cuts to Speaker 1.)
Speaker 1: “Piki ake a Tāwhaki i te arakuiti. I whakatauira ai te ara a Rangi, te ara a Tūkaiteuru.”
(When Speaker 1 says ‘ka kakea te ara whāiti…’ the video cuts to drone aerial view above a coastline and harbour inlet.)
“Ka kakea te ara whāiti, ka kakea te ara whārahi.”
(When Speaker 1 says ‘ko te ara I whakatauira ai…’ the video cuts to drone aerial view above a sealed road winding along the side of a harbour inlet.)
“Ko te ara i whakatauira ai tō tupuna.”
(When Speaker 1 says ‘…ko te ao roroa…’ the video cuts to drone aerial view above a stream and adjacent area of swamp.)
“Ko te ao nunui, ko te ao roroa, ko te ao whiti te rā. Tēnā ka eke.”
(When Speaker 1 says ‘…kei ō mana i runga…’ the video cuts to drone aerial view above a harbour inlet filled with sandbars looking out to sea.)
(When Speaker 1 says ‘…kei ō ariki…’ the video cuts to drone aerial view of rows of commercial mussel beds in the sea in front of green hills.)
(When Speaker 1 says ‘…kei ō taura…’ the video cuts to drone aerial view of coastline in shade at sunset.)
“Kei tō ihi, kei tō mana, kei ō mana i runga, kei ō ariki, kei ō tapairu, kei ō pūkenga, kei ō wānanga, kei ō taura, kei ō tauira. Tūturu whakamaua kia tina. Tina! Haumie, hui e. Taiki e!”
(Video cuts to Speaker 1 sitting facing the camera. The words ‘Ngāti Pūkenga ki Manaia’ appear followed by ‘Haerengārangi Mikaere’ in a yellow box at the bottom of the screen before disappearing from the screen.)
(Video cuts to a drone aerial view across the top of a red-roofed building to the grass lawn in front of it.)
(Video cuts to a drone ground-level view moving through the entrance to a marae and over a wharenui meeting house.)
(Video cuts to a drone aerial view of 30-40 people gathered on the grass in front of a wharenui meeting house with the name ‘Te Kouorehua’ visible beside the door.)
(Video cuts to Speaker 2. The words ‘Ngāti Pūkenga ki Ngāpeke’ appear followed by ‘Rāhera Ohia’ in a yellow box at the top of the screen before disappearing from the screen.)
Rāhera Ohia: “I think of us as highly educated people. Which probably overall might be true. I don’t know. You know I’m not sure if higher education should be rated quite so highly but, you know. But I think that’s one of the, another thing we’re known for. But I think… I’m… I think more than anything we’re known as people of honour and people of integrity.”
Interviewer: “That’s a great way to wrap up but I’ve still got two questions.”
[Sound of laughter.]
[Sound of birds and running water].
(Video cuts to drone aerial view moving above stream, mangrove forest, houses, and rolling hills.)
[Voice of Speaker 3 is heard.]
(After Speaker 3 says ‘…when the chief from Waharoa…’, the video cuts to drone aerial view of the side of a tree-covered hill.)
Speaker 3: “One of our main proverbs from around here. When I think the chief from Waharoa come through and he saw these, you know, all the, all of the Ngāti Pūkenga, all of the whānau around the sandbank you know, eating. Thought they were eating you know; they were picking up these mud snails and having a feast.”
(After Speaker 3 says ‘…picking up these mud snails and having kai”, the video cuts to Speaker 3.)
Speaker 3: “When resources are scarce, the people become as taniwha. Hamuti wera, niho tetē. In terms of Ngāti Pūkenga, growing up in my time at Ngāpeke there wasn't a, well, I don't remember a lot of kōrero about Ngāti Pūkenga”
(After Speaker 3 says ‘…in terms of Ngāti Pūkenga…’, the video cuts to two people sitting at a table.)
(Video cuts to Speaker 3. The words ‘Ngāti Pūkenga ki Ngāpeke’ appear followed by ‘Rehua Smallman’ in a yellow box before disappearing from the screen.)
Rehua Smallman: “Quite honestly. And whilst we weren't… We never really... In terms of my time growing up we never really spoke about you know, differences of iwi or, I think we just spoke about Ngāi Te Rangi. Cause I think at the time you know, a lot of our people were of the understanding that we were Ngāi Te Rangi.”
(After Rehua Smallman says ‘…a lot of our people…’, the video cuts to a person sitting at a table talking and gesturing with their hands.)
Rehua Smallman: “We were a hapū of Ngāi Te Rangi. And I always remember my dad actually and then he always used to say that our kui, Merataka used to you know, always used to say that Ngāti Pūkenga was an iwi and not a hapū.”
(After Rehua Smallman says ‘…he would use to say…’, the video cuts back to Rehua Smallman speaking to the camera.)
Rehua Smallman: “That was her kōrero all the time. But yeah, but we grew up you know, under the idea that Ngāti Pūkenga was a hapū of Ngāi Te Rangi.”
(After Rehua Smallman says ‘…Ngāti Pūkenga was a hapu of Ngāti Rangi’, the video cuts to drone aerial view moving over rolling green hills toward the sea.)
(Video cuts to drone aerial view of bush-covered hills.)
(Video cuts to Speaker 4. The words ‘Ngāti Pūkenga ki Manaia’ appear followed by ‘Shane Ashby’ in a yellow box before disappearing from the screen.)
Shane Ashby: “Pūkenga. I can understand when I asked my mother the question and she answered, I don’t know. I can understand her confusion and her generation's confusion. As I continued into the research and went on a path of going to talk with our elders, it was really clear that even they didn't fully understand who Ngāti Pūkenga were.”
(After Shane Ashby says ‘…even they didn’t fully understand who Ngāti Pūkenga were…’, the video cuts to different views of a person sitting on the floor reading a piece of paper.)
Shane Ashby: “One of our beautiful, old kuia Aunty Bonnie Renata. I remember sitting and talking with her and she looked at me and she asked me, ‘Boy, who’s Ngāti Pūkenga? Because we've never heard that name, I've never heard that name. The only name that was ever spoken in Manaia was Ngāti Kiore Kino. I've never heard Ngāti Pūkenga until recent times.’”
(After Shane Ashby says ‘…because we’ve never heard that name…’, the video cuts back to Shane speaking to the camera.)
Shane Ashby: “Which was really interesting. But an understandable dynamic. Te Tāwera. Another name for our people. No one had heard of that. It was a name that was long lost. But yet the minute books were full of the name, Te Tāwera. So, ask me who Ngāti Pūkenga are today. We're the combination of three very important ancestors. Pūkenga of course, from Mātaatua. These are our direct lines. The convergence between Ngāti Pūkenga ancestors and that of Kūmaramāoa of the Waitaha tribe saw the eventuation of Te Tāwera. That appellation, that name being put on sections of the Ngāti Pūkenga. Particularly, those that were living at Maketū at the time. And then of course, the third whakapapa link well, line is that of Horouta. Through Rongowhakaata and his son, Rongopopoia. So, between Rongopopoia, Kūmaramāoa and Pūkenga. That's who Ngāti Pūkenga are today. And we can all, hand on heart say we are all descended from there.”
(After Shane Ashby says ‘…we are all descendant from there’, the video cuts to drone aerial view moving over bush-covered hills next to the sea.)
(Video cuts to Speaker 5. The words ‘Ngāti Pūkenga ki Pakikaikutu’ appear followed by ‘Hori Parata” in a yellow box before disappearing from the screen.)
Hori Parata: “Well, what I heard was back there when Moeroa and his war party came up here to the Bay of Islands to get some guns.”
(After Hori Parata says ‘…get some guns’, the video cuts to drone aerial view of coastal headland and beaches.)
Hori Parata: “Now they'd say on the way up here that, boy wanted to come in and meet his...see his sister who had been captured by Ngāpuhi down there in Tauranga, I think it was.”
(After Hori Parata says ‘…in Tauranga I think’, the video cuts to exterior of building with the words ‘Tamaterau Hall For Hire’ fixed to the wall.)
Hori Parata: “And he got caught there at Tamaterau. He was killed by those people that were in Whāngārei at that time.”
(After Hori Parata says ‘…those people at Whangārei at the time’, the video cuts to view of tennis court.)
Hori Parata: “From Marupō. Oh, what I meant is that's what was happening back in those days.”
Interviewer: “Yeah.”
(After Hori Parata says ‘…what I meant is that’s what was happening...’, the video cuts to Hori speaking to the camera.)
Hori Parata: “And obviously, I suppose, I mean that, that's how it was in those days, ay. Our people are watching all the time ay. Oh, well they would've known that you got to come off that, off that waka.”
(After Hori Parata says ‘…off that waka’, the video cuts to view of a wharf with boats and the sea in the background.)
Hori Parata: “And Tirarau and those fullas. Iwitahi. While staying there, I heard that Moeroa died there. But the two that were given wives by Ngāti Hine was Whatarau and Tiketike.”
(After Hori Parata says ‘…but the two that were given wives…’, the video cuts to Hori sitting facing the camera.)
Hori Parata: “But they did, they did support the pakanga at Ruapekapeka.”
(After Hori Parata says ‘…at Ruapekapeka’, the video cuts to drone aerial view moving above stream, mangrove forest, houses, and rolling hills.)
(Video cuts to Speaker 6 in front of wharenui meeting house. The words ‘Ngāti Pūkenga ki Ngāpeke’ appear followed by ‘Te Harawira Ohia’ in a yellow box before disappearing from the screen.)
Te Harawira Ohia: “I like to reference Pūkenga as, well especially our tauā, in terms of the stories, Ngā Matā-kai-kutu-kurī. So Ngā Matā-kai-kutu-kurī is, we were known as hired dogs. Hired mercenaries. So if anyone needed help, they called on Pūkenga. And Ngā Pōtiki, us or these ones, especially us down in Ngāpeke, the Ngā Pōtiki lot were known as fighting in the water.”
(After Te Harawira Ohia says ‘…us or these ones…’, the video cuts to a drone aerial view over the top of a red-roofed building to the grass lawn in front of it.)
Te Harawira Ohia: “So, we never used to fight on the land. We used to fight within the water and used to slaughter everyone in the water down in the mudflats and in the estuary. Oh, you know. Where all the mangroves and all of that are.”
(After Te Harawira Ohia says ‘…where the mangroves are’, the video cuts back to the Te Harawira speaking in front of a meeting house.)
Te Harawira Ohia: “And so that's one thing I like to put forward for, especially us young ones when we're going into hakas or you know, rugby. Hitting the field is just remembering that Ngā Matā-kai-kutu-kurī o Ngāti Pūkenga. We're the hired dogs, executioners pretty much. That's how I like to call it.”
(After Te Harawira Ohia says ‘…is how I like to call it’, the video cuts to drone aerial view of a boat moving across the sea.)
(The video cuts to Speaker 1, Haerengārangi Mikaere, sitting in a chair.)
Haerengārangi Mikaere: “Manaia has always been well-known by its guests for the food basket.”
(After Haerengārangi Mikaere says ‘…for the kāpata kai…”, the video cuts to drone aerial view moving over a hilly coastal headland toward the sea at sunset.)
Haerengārangi Mikaere: “And I know during my time and also today our people are still heavily supportive of the whole kāpata kai process. And work really hard at maintaining the fertility of that resource available to our people, going forward.”
(After Haerengārangi Mikaere says ‘…the resource available to our people…’, the video cuts to Haerengārangi speaking to the camera.)
Haerengārangi Mikaere: “So that our grandchildren can still tell what a crayfish looks like. In some areas throughout Aotearoa now that's gone. From those islands of the past. And we certainly don't want that happening to Manaia. Although, I must say it's going to take a lot more work.”
(Video cuts to drone aerial view moving up and away from a marae.)
(Video cuts to Speaker 7. The words ‘Ngāti Pūkenga ki Maketu’ appear followed by ‘Mereana Moko’ in a yellow box before disappearing from the screen.)
Mereana Moko: “Yeah, the Kaikokopu is our awa. As a pepeha as such, we don't sort of have your generic pepeha with your maunga and your awa. Oh well, we've got an awa. We don't have a specific maunga. But there's no questioning our presence or our survival off the Kaikokopu River. So, it starts in Tāheke, which is near Ōkere Falls. There's a marae over there, Tāheke. Not far from there the Kaikokopu starts there. Travels through Paengaroa lands and Maniatūtū and then comes through to the back of Waewaetūtuki and finishes at the Waihī estuary.”
(After Mereana Moko says ‘…it travels through Paengaroa lands and Mangatutu…’, the video cuts to a drone aerial view moving down a stream toward a tidal estuary.)
Mereana Moko: “That's our, I suppose been a stable source of pātaka for us through our existence in Maketū. We've always lived alongside it; from the time we arrived to today.”
Interviewer: “Yeah.”
Mereana Moko: “So yeah, it's a, yeah, Kaikokopu. The name given because it's the amount of kōkopu that are abundant, well was abundant in that river.”
Interviewer: “Right.”
Mereana Moko: “And that travelled all the way up through into Rotorua to spawn. So yeah, that's our river.”
(After Mereana Moko says ‘…that’s our awa…’, the video cuts to Mereana speaking to the camera.)
Mereana Moko: “From our… Waewaetūtuki is a stronghold of our whenua in Maketū.”
Interviewer: “Yeah.”
Mereana Moko: “I suppose… It's really hard to describe the area of Waewaetūtuki but it sits between Paengaroa, Pungakawa and Maketū township as we know it. Those are our neighbours. The area, I suppose the general area in between it is known as Waewaetūtuki.”
(After Mereana Moko says ‘…Maketu township…’, the video cuts to drone aerial view moving across tidal estuary towards headland and small group of houses.)
(Video cuts to drone aerial view above a sealed road winding along the side of a harbour inlet.)
(Video transition to Speaker 5, Hori Parata speaking to the camera.)
Hori Parata: “Kiore would have been a big kai here, amongst our people. We don't… The kiore is not a rat.”
Interviewer: “Yeah.”
Hori Parata: “Rather it is a kiore.”
Interviewer: “Oh, it is a kiore?”
Hori Parata: “Yes, yes, yes. Here's the difference of the kiore to a Pākehā rat. It doesn't have that vector like the Pākehā rats got that flea, that'll bite you and make you sick.”
Interviewer: “Right.”
Hori Parata: “That's the first thing. Only lives for 12 months. Thirdly, that's what the...You know, three mammals came here, humans, kurī and kiore. The humans and kurī are mixed. But the kiore was still pure blood from Hawaiki. Right up to today.”
Interviewer: “Far out.”
Hori Parata: “No sign at all of any add mix with the two Pākehā rats or the mouse. That's unique, man.”
Interviewer: “Yeah.”
(After Hori Parata says ‘…that’s unique man’, the video cuts to views across a shell-covered beach out to sea, and within a forest of trees.)
Hori Parata: “Well, a lot of our people that you know, they let the Pākehā tell them it's just a rat.”
Interviewer: “Yeah.”
Hori Parata: “Ay?”
Interviewer: “Yeah.”
Hori Parata: “It wasn't sexy in those days you know, to be eating rats. And yet, it was a delicacy. You know, you didn't eat them like a pipi. You know, it was special ay. Special events. You know, after receiving your puhoro maybe you wanna have a feed of some kiore.”
(After Hori Parata says ‘…special kaupapa…’, the video cuts to Speaker 5, Hori Parata speaking to the camera.)
(Video cuts to drone aerial view over the top of a tree-covered hill.)
(Voice of Speaker 2, Rāhera Ohia followed by video cut to Speaker 2, Rāhera Ohia speaking to the camera.)
Rāhera Ohia: “Yeah. So, if I think about all of this you know, from the time that, from the time that I was a kid, you know, hearing about Ngāti Pūkenga and just the word pūkenga. You know? Like kind of says it all really. And I always think of Ngāti Pūkenga as the iwi that can lead others. You know?”
Rāhera Ohia: “If we put our minds to things we can help other people to navigate their way through difficult things through to realising their aspirations. So, I, you know, I do think of us as a leadership tribe, I do think that way. I always have, always will, you know. I don't think that'll ever change. And I'm hoping that's how our people will think of us as well.”
(Farewell page with the words ‘Te Tai | Treaty Settlement Stories’ and ‘Explore more stories on tetai.nz’ in the centre of the screen.)
Whakapapa
Ngāti Pūkenga trace their descent back to Toroa, who arrived on the Mātaatua canoe. Wairaka, the daughter of Toroa, had a son named Tamatea-ki-te-Huatahi, whose son Tānemoeahi was the father of Pūkenga.
Toroa
Historian Dr Pouroto Ngaropo (Mātaatua, Te Arawa) introduces Toroa, the founding ancestor of Ngāti Pūkenga. Toroa arrived on the waka he named te Mata Tapu o te Atua, which is now known as Mātaatua.
Video transcript
[Deep resonant sound of a gourd.]
(Welcome screen with the logos of Te Tāwharau o Ngāti Pūkenga and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage. Aligned left on the screen are written the words ‘Te Tai Whakaea Treaty Settlement Stories Ngāti Pūkenga’.)
[Background music starts.]
(Video cuts to speaker standing in front of sand dunes with the sea and islands in the background.)
Speaker: “Toroa was the rangatira of his people.”
(The word ‘Toroa’ appears in a yellow box at the bottom of the screen underneath the speaker before disappearing.)
Speaker: “Toroa's brothers were Tāneatua, Puhi, Huriwainuku and there was also his sisters. Of course, Muriwai, Mōrungaiterangi, Hinekukutirangi, another sister.
Toroa had two wives. Pūhaunui’s the first wife that begat Wairaka. Then he married Kakepikitua and had the other sons, Te Whakapoi and Ruaihona who are the brothers to our ancestress, Wairaka. They were all born on the island of Ma’uke. They all came with their father Toroa on the Mātaatua Waka. So, Wairaka is a direct descendant of Toroa. Wairaka married Maiurenui and begat Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi. He married Paewhiti and begat Tānemoeahi, who begat Pūkenga, the people of Ngāti Pūkenga. This is the whānau of Irakewa, and Toroa was the rangatira of his people.
The Mātaatua waka was his waka. Therefore, that is Ngāti Pūkenga's waka. So, we as Ngāti Pūkenga descend from the direct line of Toroa to Wairaka, his daughter.
Toroa was an expert in karakia. When they got caught in the storm, in the whirlpool it was our ancestor Toroa that recited the prayer, Tūtapa o Te Kawa o Mātaatua. As he was reciting the karakia they say he felt the presence of God. He saw the face of God. Our ancestor Toroa named our waka Te Mata Tapu o Te Atua. Which means the sacred face of God.
He was a born leader. He was named after the albatross bird. The albatross bird was one of the sacred birds of the island of Ma'uke. When he was born the albatross bird was seen flying. So, his father gave him the name Toroa. Albatross, i te rangi. The albatross flying in the heavens. So, he was a significant ancestor for Ngāti Pūkenga. But actually for the whole of Mātaatua. So, this is our ancestor, Toroa i Te Rangi.”
Wairaka
Historian Dr Pouroto Ngaropo (Mātaatua, Te Arawa) introduces Wairaka, the sacred house of Pūkenga. Ngāti Pūkenga are descended from the eldest child of Wairaka, Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi. The full name of Wairaka is Te Wairakaraka o te Rangimanukanuka, after her home in Mauke, an island off Rarotonga.
Video transcript
[Deep resonant sound of a gourd.]
(Welcome screen with the logos of Te Tāwharau o Ngāti Pūkenga and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage. Aligned left on the screen are written the words ‘Te Tai Whakaea Treaty Settlement Stories Ngāti Pūkenga’.)[Background music starts.]
(Video cuts to speaker standing in front of sand dunes with the sea and islands in the background.)
(The word ‘Wairaka’ appears in a yellow box at the bottom of the screen underneath the speaker before disappearing.)
Speaker: “The following incantation is by Wairaka herself.
Piki mai rā, kake mai rā.
Homai te waiora ki a au.
E tū te hua nā te moe a te kuia i te pō.
Pō, Wairaka i raru ai.
Papaki tū ana ngā tai ki Te Reinga.
Ka pō, ka ao, ka ea, ka awatea.
Wairaka is the daughter of Toroa and also of Pūhaunui or to some Pūharaunui. Her full name is Te Wairakaraka o Te Rangimānuka. The glistening waters where she was born in the pā site of Te Rangimānuka, on the island of Ma'uke. So Wairaka was very important to her people on the island of Ma'uke. Her umbilical cord was buried at Te Rangimānukanuka. And she had two brothers, Te Whakapoi and also Ruaihona. Wairaka was an exciting ancestor because she would do things that would look after and protect the interest of others.
The major theme for us, for Ngāti Pūkenga in terms of our ancestress Wairaka is that she is the sacred womb of Ngāti Pūkenga. Thus, she holds great mana.
Wairaka is our direct ancestress. She is the sacred house of Ngāti Pūkenga. So Wairaka was a very important ancestor on the journey of Mātaatua Waka.
She was, she was a beautiful woman. She had men throughout the region falling for her. Because of her beauty all of the men were so captivated by her. They couldn't resist her. Now her beauty had travelled far and wide. Maiurenui and his brother Tūkaiteuru they came from Taranaki and Tainui connections. So, they arrived at Whakatāne. They were pōhiri’d there. Te Whare o Toroa. And during that engagement, Wairaka could see that she actually fell in love with Tūkaiteuru. Which is the tāne that she actually really admired. But! ‘That other man, he’s ugly. I don’t want him.’
Then she said, ‘well there's the other brother there,Maiurenui, he's not handsome at all. I don't think that I would want to be with that guy.’ But Maiurenui was the most strategic one of them both. So, once the peoples had been welcomed to Whakatāne, at Toroa's house, Te Whare o Toroa, they had kai. Then they went to arrange their bedding.
With interest, Tūkaiteuru was actually manoeuvring his bed next to Wairaka's bed. Tūkaiteuru wanted Wairaka for himself. So as they were preparing their beds in the wharepuni he placed his bed deliberately by Wairaka's bed. Wairaka went out to prepare the kai with the tribe and prepare for the evening activities, Maiurenui saw Tūkaiteuru still getting his things ready by the bed. He said, ‘Hey mate you got bad asthma’.
‘You’ve got asthma. Best move your bed near the window and sleep there. I think you need to move your bed. Shift it over to the window there.’ Tūkaiteuru thought, ‘Yeah, I think he's right. My brother's right.’So, he shifted his bed over to the window and then he left as well for dinner. And then as he was leaving Maiurenui placed his bed by Wairaka's bed. Anyway, after dinner they were doing haka, they were doing poi dancing and entertainment. And it was dark as. So, when they went back into the wharepuni Wairaka was so excited. Why? Because she thought that lying next to her was the man of her dreams. Tūkaiteuru. But it wasn't, it was someone else. It was the brother of Tūkaiteuru. Maiurenui. They joined in union. They connected. They copulated. And in that Wairaka fell in love. Wairaka felt the power of their union.
So, during that engagement Wairaka fell in love with, well, she thought it was Tūkaiteuru. And that evening they became man and wife. Anyway. She scratched his face. Marked her man and went to sleep very content. The next day Wairaka gets up early. So pleased with herself. ‘I got my man. I got a man; I got a man.’ Toroa came to have a look and said, ‘Oh well, who is this man?’ ‘Oh, his face is scratched. I scratched his face.’
The guy that she fell in love with he came out and he did not have the scratch on his face. She realised that she was deceived. And the guy that actually she scratched was not the guy that she was supposed to be with. So, that was the night that our ancestor Wairaka was deceived. And that's when she composed that tauparapara, that incantation.
Piki mai rā, kake mai rā.
You know, climb here to me.
Homai te waiora ki ahau.
Give to me your love.
E tū te huanga, te moe a te kuia i te pō.
And this night I have become a woman.
A woman of knowledge of the art of love.
Papaki tū ana ngā tai ki Te Reinga.
I can hear the tides of Te Reinga beating.
It was them actually, you know, together
in a loving and caressing embrace to one another.
Ka pō,
let it be darkness.
Ka ao,
let it be light.
Ka awatea.
And te pō i raru ai a Wairaka.
And the night that our kuia Wairaka was deceived.
So, Wairaka then had four children. And from these four children we as Ngāti Pukenga descend from the eldest child. So, Wairaka is the sacred womb of the iwi, of Ngāti Pūkenga. Ngāti Pūkenga is an iwi and a direct connection from the ancestress, Wairaka. And so, thank you all.”
Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi
Historian Dr Pouroto Ngaropo (Mātaatua, Te Arawa) introduces Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi, a renowned warrior and diplomat who married Paewhiti. The sons of Paewhiti and Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi – Ue-i-mua, Tānemoeahi and Tūhoe-potiki – became famous as ‘the three of Paewhiti’ (Te Tokotoru o Paewhiti).
Video transcript
[Deep resonant sound of a gourd.]
(Welcome screen with the logos of Te Tāwharau o Ngāti Pūkenga and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage. Aligned left on the screen are written the words ‘Te Tai Whakaea Treaty Settlement Stories Ngāti Pūkenga’.)
[Background music starts.]
(Video cuts to speaker standing in front of sand dunes with the sea and islands in the background.)
(The word ‘Tamateakitehuatahi’ appears in a yellow box at the bottom of the screen underneath the speaker before disappearing.)
Speaker: “Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi is the son of Wairaka. Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi marries Paewhiti. Eventuating the three sons of Paewhiti. Who are the three sons of Paewhiti? Well, there is Ueimua. After him comes Tānemoeahi. After him comes Tūhoepōtiki. These three were experts in combat. As well as being the protectors for the region of Ōwhakatoro.
Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi was born in Whakatāne. Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi's father of course was Maiurenui. He was an only child. Hence, he was given that name Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi. An only child.
So Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi when he was in his mother's womb Wairaka, when she was hapū she asked Maiurenui to go out and get kai. She was hungry for kahawai. So that month of the year was not good in terms of the ocean and the waves. There was storms, it was rough.
He, Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi's father Maiurenui, drowned. So, in memory of that part of the month going out, Tamatea, to go out and fish Wairaka named her son Tamatea and because he was an only child ki-te-huatahi. Hence his name, Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi.
Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi was also a warrior of great renown. But he was also a man of diplomacy. You know, it's not always about warfare.
Today we have two significant marae that have that name, Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi. Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi the ancestral meeting house on Mōtītī Island. And also, Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi which is the wharekai here in Whakatāne, at Wairaka Marae. So Wairaka had Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi, her son. So, you got mother and son.
On the island of Mōtītī you've got Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi, husband and the wharekai is Hinewai which is his wife. Of the island which connects to the people of Waitaha.
So Toroa begat Wairaka who begat Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi at Mōtītī Island who begat Ueimua, who begat Toroakaikaha who begat Te Hapū, who begat Te Whatuwai. Te Hapū begat Romai and Romai married Pūkenga. That's our connection to Mōtītī.
Why?
Well, Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi was born and bred in Whakatāne. Then he lived for a little while at Te Teko. The pā there called, Rākaiurukia. Then from there, Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi moved to Ōhiwa and lived there. He learned how to fish there. Became a great fisherman.
Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi then shifted from Ōhiwa to Ōtarahīoi, to Tāneatua. And so, it was at Ōwhakatoro that Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi lived there.
There was a political marriage an arranged marriage between him and his wife, Paewhiti. From Toroa comes Wairaka comes Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi.
From Tāneatua, Toroa's brother comes for his daughter, Paewhiti. So, aunty marries nephew.
They have four children. But the son's become great warriors. Actually, the kings of the valley of Ōwhakatoro. The first son is Ueimua. The second son is Tānemoeahi. Out of them, the warrior chief and the expert in warfare and weaponry is Tānemoeahi. They have a sister, Uenuku-rauiri. And then they have Tūhoe.
But those three sons were so powerful together that no one could attack them at Ōwhakatoro. So, they became known as the three pillars of the tribe. Te tokotoru a Paewhiti. The three sons of Paewhiti.
And so Ueimua begat Ngāti Awa tribes, also Te Arawa tribes and Ngāti Pūkeko come off that line as well. But so does Patuwae. That's why Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi is standing at Mōtītī Island today. So those are our connections.
And from te tokotoru a Paewhiti that's where we come from. So Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi when he died was buried in the valley of Ōwhakatoro. Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi begat Tānemoeahi who begat Pūkenga, who beget us. The direct line from Pūkenga is Te Whetū-o-te-rangi whom all of us descend. The entirety of Ngāti Pūkenga. Ngāti Pūkenga direct descendant lines from Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi.”
Tānemoeahi
Historian Dr Pouroto Ngaropo (Mātaatua, Te Arawa) introduces Tānemoeahi, who together with his brothers Ue-i-mua and Tūhoe-potiki won renown as warriors and were dubbed ‘the three of Paewhiti’ (Te Tokotoru o Paewhiti).
Video transcript
[Deep resonant sound of a gourd.]
(Welcome screen with the logos of Te Tāwharau o Ngāti Pūkenga and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage. Aligned left on the screen are written the words ‘Te Tai Whakaea Treaty Settlement Stories Ngāti Pūkenga’.)
[Background music starts.]
(Video cuts to speaker standing in front of sand dunes with the sea and islands in the background.)
(The word ‘Tānemoeahi’ appears in a yellow box at the bottom of the screen underneath the speaker before disappearing)
Speaker: “Yeah, Tānemoeahi is a direct descendant from Toroa who begat Wairaka, who begat Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi who begat Tānemoeahi. You know, Tānemoeahi was the son of Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi. That's his father. And his mother was Paewhiti. Paewhiti is a daughter of Tāneatua and Ōhinemataroa. So, Irakewa begat Tāneatua. Tāneatua married Ōhinemataroa and begat Paewhiti. And then Paewhiti married Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi and begat Tānemoeahi. So, Tānemoeahi was born at Ōwhakatoro.
He was trained in the house of learning in the house of knowledge in the house of warfare called, Ōhaua-i-te-rangi. And he held the expertise of weaponry and strategic movements within battles, within warfare. In fact, he was out of the three brothers the most skilled and the most powerful.
Tānemoeahi, you know, he had several wives and established his mana at Ōwhakatoro. Principally, Uetūpuke. Which is, Rongopopoia. Our connection there. And also, Tānehiwarau. So, those two wives really are quite significant in terms of the history of our people of Ngāti Pūkenga. Tānemoeahi also protected the boundaries of the whole of the area and was always leaned on by his brothers.
They all understood that, of them all, he was the expert in weaponry and warfare and in defending the entire area within the Ōwhakatoro Valley.
He was so quick that you couldn't see him.
Unless you know, you were strategic. Like he was.
Hence the saying Tānemoeahi, auahi whare. So, the smoke of a house. He would be so quick that you couldn't see him. Moving in battle and everything that he did in life was precise and with precision. Tānemoeahi was taught by his father Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi, in weapons. Tānemoeahi was chosen by the three to be the main warrior of the, Te Tokotoru a Paewhiti. So, he was more the pou tokomanawa. The centre child of all of them.
It was mainly between his younger brothers Tūhoe and Ueimua where a lot of the conflict would happen. He unfortunately got caught up in a battle where his younger brother, Tūhoe was not happy with the elder brother, Ueimua. Unfortunately, Tūhoe and Ueimua his brother, the youngest and his older, they said words to each other which were quite negative. Basically, they said, if we capture you, I capture you then I'm gonna kill you and I'm gonna rip your heart out and eat it. Tūhoe asked him to help him. What he said, well I'll help. But I won't do anything to harm my older brother.
Tānemoeahi actually went into battle with his brother, Ueimua. And actually, was so skillful tripped him up and held him down with his taiaha.
And so in that, Tūhoe then took over. Tānemoeahi withdrew from that. And Tūhoe then killed his brother. So, that created a huge war amongst the family. And in that war Tānemoeahi left and settled in Gisborne. Ueimua was killed and buried in Ōwhakatoro. Uenuku-rauiri had come to Te Teko and was living at the pā site here called Puketapu. And then she moved to Fairy Springs and Ngongotahā. And Tūhoe well, his children and Ueimua's children were battling against one another. Tānemoeahi exited and stayed in Gisborne until his death. Then his children travelled to Gisborne and brought Tānemoeahi's bones back to Ōwhakatoro and buried him here in the cave called, Te Ana o Kawekawe.
There our ancestor Tānemoeahi remains, at Te Ana-o-Kawekawe. And here we are still mourning you, oh koro. We are sending our love to you, our ancestor. You are responsible for Pūkenga. You are responsible for Ngāti Pūkenga. Hence these stories about our ancestor, Tānemoeahi.”
Pūkenga
Historian Dr Pouroto Ngaropo (Mātaatua, Te Arawa) introduces Pūkenga (‘the skilful one’), a warrior who was killed at Ōwhakatoro (near Rūātoki in Bay of Plenty) before his vision of establishing a home for his people in Tauranga Moana could be realised. Pūkenga’s people took his name in his memory, and his son Te Whetū o te Rangi carried on his father’s legacy.
Video transcript
[Deep resonant sound of a gourd.]
(Welcome screen with the logos of Te Tāwharau o Ngāti Pūkenga and Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture & Heritage. Aligned left on the screen are written the words ‘Te Tai Whakaea Treaty Settlement Stories Ngāti Pūkenga’.)
[Background music starts.]
(Video cuts to speaker standing in front of sand dunes with the sea and islands in the background.)
(The word ‘Pūkenga’ appears in a yellow box at the bottom of the screen underneath the speaker before disappearing.)
Speaker: “Pūkenga is the eponymous ancestor who begat the Ngāti Pūkenga tribe. From Toroa, came Wairaka, Tamatea-ki-te-huatahi, Tānemoeahi, Pūkenga, and from him came the descendants of Ngāti Pūkenga. Greetings, greetings, greetings to you all.
Our ancestor Pūkenga was given that name by his father because he was imbued with skills of oratory, of fighting, of, you know, leadership on the land with the whānau. He had great ability. It was seen at his birth that he was going to be a great leader. So, Pūkenga, the skilful one. He was named by his father, Tānemoeahi. Pūkenga was also the warrior of his people in terms of mau rākau. He was an expert in mau taiaha, mau patu and he was relied on heavily as the main chief to look after and protect the tribal boundaries of the tribe. Pūkenga was also a great visionary. And he, with his brother Te Ahuru one day set out from Ōwhakatoro and came across to Matatā, came across to Maketu and eventually made their way over to the Kaimais. It was actually Pūkenga that named that area, Kaimai Ranges.
‘Let us eat here where we journeyed. We shall eat here and eat there. I’ll take the ocean, to you the shore.’
It was Pūkenga that said, ‘you know I've come here to establish my presence so that I can partake, you know of a new future for my people and eat the fruits of this land. I eat from the fruits of the ocean and my younger brother eats from the fruits of inland.’ Te Ahuru. And so hence the name. The quotation and the words of Pūkenga himself naming those ranges, Kaimai. It was always intended for him to settle in Tauranga Moana knowing the journey of the Mātaatua waka. His connection to Toroa. And you know the name of Tauranga was given that name, Te Tauranga o Mātaatua. Pūkenga was excited about the opportunity to come and establish a new home for him and his people. Unfortunately, when he left the Kaimai Ranges his brother Te Ahuru stayed in Pūtāruru, around that area and he came back to actually uplift his family. Getting ready to come across to Tauranga. So Pūkenga returned.
Great battle happening amongst the tribes of Ueimua, the tribes of Tūhoe, the people of Tūhoe, the tribes of Tānemoeahi, and of course Pūkenga himself got caught up in the battle, which he wasn't expecting. No. Our ancestor was expecting an opportunity to go to Tauranga Moana to establish a new home for them, for all Ngāti Pūkenga.
There was no intention for our ancestor to die. Unfortunately, when he got back, his father and his uncles were in battle mode. So, he, with his father attacked the tribes of Ueimua. And where the Ōwhakatoro marae is now, that's where they had the last battle. And unfortunately, Pūkenga died there.
It was there at Ōwhakatoro that our ancestor Pūkenga was murdered and killed. So, the people took the name in memory of him and then we become known as Ngāti Pūkenga. In memory of Pūkenga. You know, unfortunately it was Te Whetū-o-Te Rangi that had to carry on his legacy. Te Whetū-o-Te Rangi and with the people of Ngāti Pūkenga or Ngāti Hau they left there and travelled to the East Coast.
From the East Coast they travelled to Tunapahore. From Tunapahore they travelled to Tōrerenui-ā-Rua. From Tōrerenui-a-Rua they also landed in Waiaua. From Waiaua to Ōpotiki. From Ōpōtiki they settled in Whakatāne.
And from there um they came to Tuararangaia into Te Teko and then from here to Kawerau. Te Whetū-o-Te Rangi settled at Braemar called Ūhika and established his pā there, Waiariki. He then moved from there to Whāriki Te Toki. And named the area there called Te Tāpapatanga o Te Whetū-o-Te Rangi. Te Whetū-o-Te Rangi then migrated and came to Awakaponga, and he named that stream and that whole area Te Awakaponga. From here he came and looked at Whakapaukōrero. Which is the mountain just here, Matatā. From here Te Whetū-o-Te Rangi travelled along the coast to Maketū. From Maketū he then travelled into Tauranga and settled first at Tuapiro. Uh his home there, Tuapiro was Hikurangi. From Hikurangi he made his way back to Tauranga and then settled at Kopukairoa. From Kopukairoa he became the rangatira of that area and then from there Te Whetū-o-Te Rangi begat all of our people.
All of the descendants of Te Whetū-o-Te Rangi migrated to Manaia. All the descendants of Te Whetū-o-Te Rangi migrated to Maketū. All the descendants of Te Whetū-o-Te Rangi also migrated to Pakikaikutu. All the descendants of Ngāti Pūkenga settled in and around Ngāpeke. So Pūkenga is the ancestor whom all of us descend.
These are the stories associated with this famous ancestor, Pūkenga. From Pūkenga comes Ngāti Pūkenga.”
Locations of Ngāti Pūkenga kāinga and sites of significance
Pūkenga and his brother Te Ahuru made a famous journey to Tauranga Moana from their home in Ōwhakatoro, naming the Kaimai ranges. Pūkenga intended to settle his people in Tauranga Moana, but was killed in fighting at Ōwhakatoro. Pūkenga’s people, led by his son Te Whetū o te Rangi, did eventually settle in Tauranga Moana.
Originally known as Ngāti Ha, Ngāti Pūkenga settled in Ōpōtiki before coming west to Tauranga, where their base is Ngāpeke in Te Tāhuna o Rangataua (the eastern arm of Tauranga Harbour). Through their association with Ngāti Ha, Ngāti Pūkenga have a base in Maketū. Ngāti Pūkenga also live with Ngāti Maru on land in the Coromandel Peninsula (Manaia) and have a kāinga in Whangārei (Pakikaikutu).
Deed of settlement
Ngāti Pūkenga (represented by Te Au Mārō o Ngāti Pūkenga Charitable Trust) began negotiating with the Crown for a settlement to its historical treaty claims in 2010. ‘Due to the geographical spread of Ngāti Pūkenga, negotiations were split between two Crown negotiation regions (Tauranga and Hauraki) and between individual and Collective negotiations.’1
Ngāti Pūkenga was left almost landless after the Crown initiated conflict in 1864 and later confiscated large areas of land in western Bay of Plenty. This was despite the fact Ngati Pūkenga had honoured an agreement with the Crown not to take part in the fighting.2
A package negotiated by a negotiations team known as Te Matakahi was placed before the iwi in 2013. A Deed of Settlement with the Crown was signed at Te Whetū o Te Rangi Marae on 7 April 2013. A new entity, Te Tāwharau o Ngāti Pūkenga Trust, was established to receive the settlement assets.
The settlement included:
- An agreed historical account of the relationship between Ngāti Pūkenga and the Crown
- Crown acknowledgements and apology
- Cultural redress, including the return of culturally significant properties and marae revitalisation
- Financial and commercial redress of $5 million.3
Ngāti Pūkenga Deed of Settlement signing at Te Whetu o Te Rangi marae in Welcome Bay on 7 April 2013. Images taken by Robin Ohia reproduced with permission of Te Tawharau o Ngāti Pūkenga.
Anticlockwise from top left:
Tamariki from Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Otepou;
Ngāti Pūkenga whānau;
Piripi Kahotea-Rangikotua moving forward with the wero to the Crown;
Kuia in mahau of Te Whetū o Te Rangi wharenui, from left: Debbie Henton, Irimena Heke, Elaine Tapsell, Joan Douglas, Puti Dey, Pearl Newman Raewyn Douglas, Rangi Oliver and Janna Hawira;
Te Awanuiarangi Black and other speakers Hori Parata, Waka Taite, Rehua Smallman, and Kairau Ngāwha Takotohiwi on the Ngāti Pūkenga paepae.
Separate from the settlement for its historical claims, Ngāti Pūkenga is part of the Tauranga Moana Iwi Collective – a collective of Bay of Plenty iwi centred around the Tauranga Harbour: Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāti Pūkenga. On 21 January 2015, the Tauranga Moana Iwi Collective signed a deed with the Crown for collective Treaty redress in respect of shared interests.
Through its interests in Hauraki, Ngāti Pūkenga is also part of the Hauraki Collective, established to represent the 12 iwi of Hauraki in historical Treaty of Waitangi settlement negotiations (separate from individual iwi settlements).
More information about Ngāti Pūkenga’s settlements can be found on the Tāwharau o Ngāti Pūkenga website: Treaty Settlements—Te Tāwharau o Ngāti Pūkenga
