Te Tai – Treaty Settlement Stories

Story: Raukawa

About the Iwi

The Iwi of Raukawa descends from the eponymous ancestor, Raukawa.

Raukawa is the eldest child of his father Tūrongo of the Tainui waka and his mother, the celebrated Māhina-a-rangi of the Takitimu waka. His birth was significant as a bridge joining the people of the west and east coast of the North Island.

The story of Tūrongo and Māhina-a-rangi is an epic love story.

Their courtship was immortalised in the naming of their son Raukawa. Etched within the cultural memory of the iwi was the journey undertaken by a heavily pregnant Māhina-a-rangi from her lands to her husband’s. This highlighted the determination, strength and courage of our ancestors to set the foundation of the iwi and to create a connection to the land.

Carving of Tūrongo and Māhina-a-rangi .
Tūrongo and Māhina-a-rangi (located at Te Whare o Raukawa, Tokoroa).

Taku ara rā ko Māhina-a-rangi

Video transcript

Taku ara rā ko Māhina-a-rangi. The birth of Raukawa is a very significant story to the iwi.

This kōrero is a summary of the events leading up to and following Raukawa’s birth.

Like most oral histories there are variations to kōrero. This is but one kōrero as described by Raukawa historian and kaumātua Nigel Te Hiko following his research during the treaty settlement process.

The story of Raukawa has been immortalized in the history of the iwi. It was a story built upon true love and principles, sacrifice, obligation, tenacity and duty. It was a true love story that rivalled any great saga ever recorded.

Tūrongo a direct descendant of Hoturoa, the captain of the Tainui waka and Māhina-a-rangi the beautiful maiden of the East coast and descendant of Tamatea-arikinui, the captain of the Takitimu waka.

After suffering a devastating betrayal by his brother, Tūrongo left his homelands in Kāwhia and travelled overland to the East coast.

He had learned of a famed maiden whose beauty was without rival and he sort to pursue her favor.

Arriving at Kahotea the home settlement of Māhina-a-rangi, he set about certain tasks that highlighted his exceptional skills. In his homelands Tūrongo was renowned for being a master builder with excellent communication skills and a great food gatherer. It was not long before his famed skills won over the people of Kahotea.

Māhina-a-rangi’s parents suggested that she might consider Tūrongo as an excellent suitor.

However, little did they know Māhina-a-rangi had already laid plans to court this young chief. She knew where Tūrongo returned to his resting place at night and that his path led him past the spring.

One night under the cover of darkness as Tūrongo made his way to his sleeping place, he passed the spring when he smelt the fragrant aroma of the raukawa oil floating on the clear night breeze and heard the delightful giggle of a young woman. This drew him to her and he was met by an unknown woman who remained hidden by the night.

In a brief encounter they embraced, then the unknown maiden disappeared into the darkness and Tūrongo was left intrigued by the encounter but was determined to discover the identity of the woman.

The only clue to her identity was the scent of the raukawa oil worn by her. With the memory of his previous night’s encounter rushing through his mind, Tūrongo carried on his usual business, but never forgetting the aromatic scent that drew him to the beautiful maiden.

As he was making his way back to his resting place he came across a group of young women playing a game when he smelt the familiar scent of the raukawa oil, it was a scent that had burnt its way into his soul, it was a scent that he would never forget.

The special fragrance of the oil revealed that the beautiful Māhina-a-rangi was the woman that Tūrongo had met the night before. With their identities revealed they both expressed their love for each other, this news was greeted with approval by her parents and her people and shortly thereafter they were joined in union.

Tūrongo and Māhina-a-rangi, continued to enjoy living at Kahotea, until it was announced that Māhina-a-rangi was hapū. Although Tūrongo had enjoyed living with his wife’s people, he yearned one day to return to his homelands. Hearing that his wife was with child, he was determined that he should return to his lands with his new whānau.

After discussing with Māhina-a-rangi, it was agreed that they would return to Tūrongo’s lands. Tūrongo returned to his homelands promising to build a new home for his whānau.

Before leaving, Tūrongo left his kurī Waitete as a guide to help his wife find him as she opted to wait until the pregnancy was more pronounced.

When the time came for her to leave Kahotea, Māhina-a-rangi was late in her pregnancy. She did this because she wanted her people to see the unborn child nesting within her womb and she wanted them to connect to the child.

Māhina-a-rangi and her entourage left Kahotea taking a circuitous route along the East coast.

Every village she passed she was celebrated, along the way her people could see her pregnancy and would connect with the unborn child. The people realized that even though the child would be raised in the West coast, the child was also bound to the people of the East coast.

From Kahotea, Māhina-a-rangi journeyed north to her people at Wairoa. From Wairoa she set off Eastward to her whānau at Waikaremoana, then onto Rotorua.

Her journey then took her to Kuranui the Kaimai-Mamaku track that would take her towards her Takitimu whanaunga in Tauranga Moana. When Māhina-a-rangi reached Kumikumi feeling her labor pains begin, she turned Westward again to ensure her child would be born within the domain of his father.

According to some, Te Pae-o-Raukawa got its name from Māhina-a-rangi, who while crossing the Kaimai Ranges to join her husband Tūrongo, looked out at the lands around her. She could see Maungatautari and Wharepūhunga to the west, as well as the area that came to be known as Te Kaokaoroa-o-Pātetere below her. When looking to the south the young Raukawa kicked within her stomach, to which she said ‘Ka takahia e koe ōu waewae ki runga i Te Pae-o-Raukawa’.

Some people say that at the top of the Kaimai Ranges, in a place known as Whenua-ā-kura, she gave birth to the new ariki. The child was named Raukawa in recognition of the aromatic scent worn by his mother during the courtship of his parents.

From Whenua-ā-kura, Māhina-a-rangi came down the track known as Te Ara Pōhatu into the Pātetere region.

The naming of numerous places within this area reflect the birth of Raukawa.

Rapurapu stream takes its name as referenced to the cleaning of the afterbirth from the new born child.

Māhina-a-rangi fed her new baby at the base of the Kaimai Ranges an event commemorated at the naming of the original Ūkaipō marae.

Te Poipoitanga a Raukawa or Te Poi as it is more commonly referred to celebrate the nurturing of the new born child.

Within this area, Māhina-a-rangi took time to recover from giving birth. She utilised the hot springs found throughout the area particularly bathing in the warm waters of Waitakahanga a Māhina-a-rangi, commonly referred to today as ‘Māhina-a-rangi’s bath’. These hot pools helped to rejuvenate her strength before moving on towards Maungatautari that she saw in the distance.

Arriving at the narrowest part of the Waikato river just at the foot of Maungatautari at a place called Ānewanewa, Māhina-a-rangi crossed the Waikato river. Once across she undressed the swaddling cloth from the baby and laid it out to dry. This became known as Te Horahoratanga o Ngā Maro o Raukawa, more commonly known today as Horahora.

Having returned to familiar territory the kurī, Waitete left the group at Parahaemotu to find his master Tūrongo. Upon seeing the dog arrive at his new pā, Tūrongo knew that his wife was coming, he immediately set off to find them.

At Pirongia, Tūrongo had found his wife and new born son waiting for him. Excited they continued their journey to the newly built pā of Rangiātea, upon arriving they were greeted by the great chief Tāwhao the father of Tūrongo to their new home on the banks of the Mangaorongo river. It was here that Tāwhao performed the tohi ceremony on his grandson confirming the name Raukawa upon the child.

This story provides insight into the journey traversed by our tūpuna Tūrongo and Māhina-a-rangi. It is a journey of significance to the Iwi of Raukawa embedded within our stories, our memories and our named landmarks. It expresses the practice of values from the past and the continued adherence to them by the present to guide the future generations of Raukawa.

Raukawa rohe

Raukawa Tauparapara

Audio translation

A tauparapara used by Raukawa kaumātua to describe the Raukawa landscape and association.

The Raukawa takiwā is from Te Wairere,
Horororo
Pohaturoa.
At Ongaroto is the house of the ancestor Whāita.
From Nukuhau to Taupō-nui-a-Tia,
to Hurakia
on the Hauhungaroa Range.
From Titiraupenga mountain the horizon is the boundary of the district of Raukawa.
To the mountain Wharepūhunga and the marae at Arowhena.
To the ranges of Whakamaru, the view extends to the region of Te Kaokaoroa-o-Pātetere.
To Maungatautari.
The view beyond Wharepūhunga to the ancestor Hoturoa to the marae at Parawera.
For this is the heart of Ngāti Raukawa.

The traditional Raukawa takiwā is divided into four rohe.

Maungatautari rohe
Maungatautari
Large waterfall in the bush
Te Kaokaoroa-o-Pātetere
Lake with mountain in the background
Te Pae-o-Raukawa
Large rock in a paddock with gorse in the foreground.
Wharepūhunga

Each rohe has its own unique, but interrelated histories and geographic features, and are delineated by traditional pou whenua. These pou are known as Maungatautari in the north, stretching to the Wairere Falls within the Kaimai Ranges. This is the northern tip of the eastern pou known as Te Kaokaoroa-o-Pātetere. To the south is the pou Te Pae-o-Raukawa that includes the Western Bays of Lake Taupō, and to the west of the takiwā is the pou known as Wharepūhunga.

Paddocks and marae buildings with with mountain rising up from fog in the background
Maungatautari from Aotearoa marae
Mountain rising up behind rolling countryside.
Maungatautari from Pikitū marae
Wooden fence in the foreground with paddocks and mountain rising up in the background
Maungatautari from Arapuni
Group of adults and children posed in front of some trees
Te Pou o Mōtai (site visit from Te Whare Kōrero o Raukawa Group)
River surrounded by ferns
Te Awa o Waihou
Large waterfall in the bush
Wairere Falls Northern end of Te Kaokaoroa-o-Pātetere
Group in orange vests listening to a speaker standing in front of a stone memorial next to the road
Planting at Hatupatu
Looking down on a river valley with forest covered hill on one side.
Top of Mt Kaahu
Waterfall in the bush
Te Turi o Wairangi
Red-roofed marae buldings with fields and hills in the background
Parawera marae
Road sign, 'Puniu River' on a bridge over a creek
Rawhitiroa marae
Large rock in a paddock with gorse in the foreground.
Tokahaere

Our identity

During the 1820s, some sections of Raukawa migrated to the Rangitikei, Manawatū, Horowhenua and Kāpiti districts.

Over time the Southern and Central North Island Raukawa descendants developed distinct and separate identities.

Raukawa descendants of the Central North Island do not consider themselves as Ngāti Raukawa. Ngāti literally means to be a part of (or branch of) and as the tupuna Raukawa was born, lived and died within the Central North Island, we therefore rightly consider ourselves to be Raukawa.

This kōrero was endorsed and supported by the Raukawa Kaunihera Kaumātua Collective in 1989.

Ngāti Raukawa landmarks in the south of the north island

River running through a gorge with railway line and bridge on one side and road on the other.
Manawatū Gorge and River
View of an island taken from the dunes of a sandy beach.
Kapiti Island
A valley with a river running through bush-clad banks.
Horowhenua District
River with high cliffs with exposed white soil.
Rangitikei River

Raukawa Trust Board

Origins

The Ngāti Raukawa Trust Board (NRTB) was developed in 1987 by Raukawa kaumātua to meet the social, economic and cultural needs of the iwi. In 1989, the NRTB was renamed the Raukawa Trust Board (RTB).

Politically, the establishment of the NRTB set in motion the opportunity for Raukawa to advance its relationship with the Crown, which was virtually non-existent prior to then.

The Raukawa identity was in crisis and its survival relied heavily upon a small group of elders. To them, it became clear that in order for Raukawa to survive as independent people, then Raukawa needed to assert its voice politically.

Raukawa Trust Board logo
Raukawa Trust Board logo

Kaumātua considered a number of pre-conditions before any Board could be recognised as an iwi authority.

These conditions were:

  • That the Trust Board would hold the mandate to represent the entire iwi;
  • That the neighbouring Trust Boards approved of the creation of the new authority;
  • That Raukawa are the tangata whenua of the area covered by the Trust Board; and
  • That the Trust Board had the organisational capability to administer any funding that it may receive.

In a major consultative hui-a-iwi in December 1986, it was unanimously agreed that a Trust Board would be created.

The purpose of the Board was described as being:

  • To clarify on the basis of whakapapa, the identity of Raukawa and his uri; and
  • To become an iwi authority in their own right in order to exercise self-determination on behalf of and for the benefit of Raukawa.

Unlike some Trust Boards, the Ngāti Raukawa Trust Board would not be a statutory board declared under the Māori Trust Boards Act 1955. Rather, the first step to achieving government recognition of the NRTB was to become incorporated under the Charitable Trust Act 1957. This provided the NRTB with a legal identity that was not constrained by the limiting requirements of the Māori Trust Boards Act 1955.

Wai 443 Claim

The original Wai 443 claim was lodged in 1989 by the then Raukawa Trust Board Chairman Wally Papa and trustees on behalf of the iwi. It was intended that the Wai 443 would be the overarching claims for Raukawa. Any other Raukawa claims within the central North Island should, wherever possible, be consolidated with the Wai 443. This, however, proved difficult and took 18 years to collectivise the various Raukawa claims. In the meantime a number of kaumātua, acting under the Wai 443 and other claims, maintained a presence in Waitangi Tribunal inquiries in areas such as the Pouakani Block, the Central North Island and Tauranga. The evidence that those kaumātua prepared for these inquiries would prove invaluable for later Tribunal inquiries and settlement negotiations.

In 2007, the RTB was the mandated iwi authority. The RTB held hui with marae within the takiwā and a single theme pervaded the conversations: What was happening with the Treaty claims?

A cause of this unease was because of inertia around the Treaty claims of Raukawa, while at the same time settlement processes and Waitangi Tribunal hearings were occurring regarding the claims of neighbouring iwi. These had the potential to impact on the Raukawa claims and were creating the perception that Raukawa was being left behind.

In 2007, Chris McKenzie (Ngāti Tūkorehe, Ngāti Kauwhata, and Ngāti Mahuta) was asked to lead the Treaty claims. McKenzie was initially employed by the RTB as the Education Manager prior to his secondment.

He started contacting Raukawa claimants. His first port of call was at a hui in early 2007 where he met with the leading members of the Raukawa Kaunihera Kaumātua and secured their support.

Buoyed by the outcome with the kaumātua, McKenzie went on to visit the individual claimants in the hope of forming a single LNG (Large Natural Grouping).

McKenzie set up a Treaty education program to address issues raised by the iwi. The purpose of the program was to educate Trustees, claimants and uri members about the Treaty settlement process.

McKenzie also organised for other iwi negotiators to share their experiences with the iwi. This was another watershed moment for the iwi, as following these wānanga the iwi chose to pursue direct negotiations, while still participating in the Waitangi Tribunal.

At this time the Waitangi Tribunal had also begun its inquiry into the King Country. While Raukawa claimants had previously progressed Raukawa claims in other Tribunal process, it was felt that a co-ordinated Raukawa presence must be maintained in this inquiry. The team argued that Raukawa participation in any record of inquiry was a necessity as Raukawa was a major participant to the Rohe Pōtae compact and that our absence in the Inquiry would adversely affect the iwi.

In 2007, Stephanie O’Sullivan joined the team to lead the Waikato River negotiations. O’Sullivan had been the Environment manager for the RTB prior to her secondment to the Treaty role.

With McKenzie working on the comprehensive claims and O’Sullivan on the Waikato River, the team came to the attention of the Crown and neighbouring iwi. This was a significantly challenging time for the team as the overlapping iwi discussions became very heated at times.

This generated interest amongst uri members with many making themselves available to assist. This resulted in an iwi wide project that focused on the transcription of the Native Land Court minute books. Over 70 uri members participated in the project that saw over 10,000 pages of minutes digitised.

Two young men on either side of a young woman on a bench.
Three original transcribing members

Raukawa Settlement Trust

The Raukawa Settlement Trust (the RST) arose out of the Central North Island Forest Settlement (the CNI).

On the 19 January 2008, members of the CNI namely; James Carlson from Ngāti Whare and Dixon Chapman from Ngāti Tūwharetoa, came to the Raukawa Trust Board in Tokoroa, to meet and convince the board to join and become members of the CNI. In June of 2008 Raukawa, together with seven other iwi signed the CNI Deed of Settlement at parliament. In order to receive the redress from that settlement, the RTB had to create a new fit for purpose board.

Crown policies had changed since the RTB’s establishment and now, although it was registered under the Charities Act, the RTB was unable to receive redress as it fell outside the new Crown rules. As a result, throughout 2008 to June 2009, the Raukawa Trust Board worked on creating a new Post Settlement Governance Entity (PSGE) to receive the benefits of the settlement.

During this time, the RTB continued to act as the mandated board. By June 2009, the RST was established and on July 1, 2009, the redress from the CNI settlement was received by Raukawa.

During this period the RST continued to refine its infrastructure, deed and processes. It also began the process of transitioning its assets and staff to the new entity.

In April 2010 uri of Raukawa agreed to transfer the mandate for ongoing Treaty settlement negotiations to the RST. In June, the Crown recognised the transfer of mandate from the RTB to the Raukawa Settlement Trust.

Raukawa Settlement Trust Structure

Kaunihera Kaumātua
Raukawa Settlement Trust
Raukawa Iwi Development Limited
Raukawa Asset Holding Company
Raukawa Charitable Trust (RCT)

Raukawa Charitable Trust Structure

Raukawa Charitable Trust (RCT)
Kōuru Whakahaere
GM Executive Office
Aka Tauwhiro
Corporate Services
Kakara Whakarei
Culture
Pūtake Taiao
Environment
Tīwai Hauora
Health and Social Services

Learn more about the RCT structure [PDF, 3.5MB]

The humble beginnings of Raukawa

1300 CE

Hoturoa and Rakataura

Captain and tohunga of the Tainui waka. Raukawa is a descendant of both the captain and lead tohunga of the Tainui waka. Arrives in Aotearoa from Rangiātea and eventually settles at Kāwhia.

1600 CE

Tūrongo and Māhina-a-rangi

Father and mother of Raukawa. Tūrongo is descendant of Tainui waka at Kāwhia and Māhina-a-rangi descends from the Takitimu waka at Kahotea. Māhina-a-rangi travels from the East coast to the West coast to give birth to her child in her husbands lands.

Raukawa is born in the Kaimai area. Raukawa is named to commemorate the courtship between Tūrongo and Māhina-a-rangi. Raukawa is raised at Rangiātea, the pā built by his father near Ōtorohanga.

1650 CE

Whāita and Wairangi

Following the murder of his sister by the Ngāti Kahupungapunga, Whāita and his cousins Tamatehura, Wairangi, Upokoiti, Ngakohua and Pipito lead a taua seeking revenge for her killing. Marching from the Kāwhia region to the South Waikato, the Raukawa forces defeat the Ngāti Kahupungapunga. At Pohaturoa, the Kahupungapunga seek refuge atop the mountain, but are placed under siege. Having being starved of water and other supplies, the Kahupungapunga attempt to flee but most are killed.

1675 CE

Haetapunui and Kapumanawawhiti

As a result of the slaying of their relatives Tukemata and Rungaterangi grandsons of Maniapoto by Ngāti Tama, the Ngāti Maniapoto elders realising that their forces could not prevail against the strength of Ngāti Tama, sent a message inland to their Raukawa relatives. The brothers Haetapunui and Kapumanawawhiti answering the call led a taua south to Mōkau.

Problems arose for the brothers as Hae, a very tapu man, became careless and continuously cast his shadow over the armies food supply. This meant that the food was contaminated and resulted in it being discarded. “An army marches on its stomach” is the old saying and soon the taua struggled as a result of lack of food. Kapu asks his brother to return home at which he agrees, before taking the taua onto Victory at Mōkau.

1700 CE

Ngātokowaru

Seeking to expand their influence, Ngātokowaru leads a Raukawa taua north and attacks Waikato. After initial success, Ngātokowaru is defeated and captured. Before he is killed he petitioned his captors to take him before the high chief, Te Putu. When he comes before Te Putu, Te Putu tells him to hongi his foot. As Ngātokowaru approached Te Putu, he pulled out his sharktooth dagger that he had secreted away and slew Te Putu, smearing the old chiefs blood all over him. In doing this, he made his body tapu, saving him from the earth ovens to which he was no doubt to be consigned to. Before being killed Ngātokowaru said “The dagger of Ngātokowaru! It will be renowned! It will be renowned!”.

1790 CE

Wahineiti and Hape

Leading Raukawa chiefs, Wahineiti and his younger brother Hapekituarangi were famed for their military exploits against Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Maniapoto. Hape was to later tutor and mentor Te Rauparaha.

1807 CE

Hingakākā

Dubbed “The fall of Parrots” a metaphor for the significant number of chieftain that died during the battle, Hingakākā was the largest battle ever fought on New Zealand shores involving an estimated 14,000 men. Raukawa chiefs fight on both sides of the battle with some joining their relation Pikauterangi of Ngāti Toa and others joining their relations from Ngāti Maniapoto.

1816 CE

Hangahanga

Pā situated west of Pukeatua, Hangahanga Pā was fought between Raukawa and Ngāti Kauwhata against Waikato tribes including Ngāti Hauā and Ngāti Maniapoto. Waikato forces laid siege to the pā. Tūkōrehu of Ngāti Paretekawa and others realised that their close whānau were trapped inside the pā. They hatched a plan to get them out. Raukawa forces used flax ropes to escape the pā late at night. The resulting escape eventually led to a peace-making hui held at Pawaiti between Raukawa and Waikato.

1820 CE

The Migrations

Over the course of a decade some Raukawa hapū travelled south to the Kapiti region. The first of these migrations was an effort to build relationships with Europeans for the purpose of obtaining muskets. Lead by chief Te Māhunga, the son of Wahineiti and others, the group with some difficulty, make their way to Kapiti.

The next migration was known as Te Heke Karere. In this regard news had been received that Te Rauparaha had been killed at Kapiti. Fearing for the loss of their relative, a taua was dispatched from Maungatautari to Kapiti only to find that Te Rauparaha was well and thriving. Te Ahukaramu is convinced by Waitohi to bring his people to Kapiti. He returned to Maungatautari, but the people refuse to move. He burns the village down saying it was the will of the gods. His people move to Kapiti. This becomes known as Te Heke Whirinui.

Shortly thereafter, a further taua was dispatched south to bolster forces already sent. This became known as Te Heke Kariritahi. The taua was led by Nepia Taratoa and Te Whatanui. Te Whatanui later returned to Maungatautari to lead the remainder of his people south in what became known as Te Heke Mai Raro.

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Raukawa and the Crown