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| Ngāti Tūwharetoa | |
|---|---|
| Iwi (tribe) inMāoridom | |
 | |
 | |
| Rohe (region) | CentralNorth Island |
| Waka (canoe) | Arawa |
| Population | 47,103[1] |
| Website | www |
Ngāti Tūwharetoa is aniwi descended fromNgātoro-i-rangi, the priest who navigated theArawa canoe to New Zealand.[2] The Tūwharetoa region extends from Te Awa o te Atua (Tarawera River) atMatatā across the central plateau of theNorth Island to the lands aroundMount Tongariro andLake Taupō.[3][4][5]
Tūwharetoa is the sixth largest iwi in New Zealand, with a population of 35,877 of the2013 New Zealand census, and 40% of its people under the age of 15.[6] The tribe consists of a number ofhapū (subtribes) represented by 33marae (meeting places). The collective is bound together by the legacy of Ngātoro-i-rangi as epitomised in theariki (paramount chief), currently Sir Tumu te Heuheu Tūkino VIII.[5]
In the2013 New Zealand census 35,877 people identified as Ngāti Tūwharetoa.[6] By the2018 New Zealand census, there were at least 47,103 people identifying with the iwi, including 44,448 identifying with the Taupō branch, and 2,655 identifying with the Kawerau branch.[1]
Ngāti Tūwharetoa are descendants of the eponymous male warriorTūwharetoa i te Aupōuri. He was born at Te Pare-o-te rawahirua at Otamarakau ca. 1300.The main tribal areas of his people are based from Te Awa o te Atua inMatatā toTongariro. He gains his mana principally from the powerfultohunga and navigatorNgātoro-i-rangi who piloted the greatwakaTe Arawa fromHawaiki toAotearoa and also the great navigator Toroa of theMātaatua waka. Ngātoro-i-rangi was tricked onto the Te Arawa waka by the chiefTama-te-kapua as it was considered good luck to have him aboard. He was originally destined to travel aboard theTainui waka. This greatly angered Ngātoro-i-rangi and his disdain and animosity of the Te Arawa chief led to his leaving the group soon after arrival.
In Aotearoa they made landfall at Te Awa o Te Atua, and Ngātoro-i-rangi departed heading inland to Te Takanga i o Apa (Kawerau area), thence to Ruawahia there he encountered the monstrous Tama o Hoi and eventually reachingTaupō district where he climbedMount Tauhara. From Tauhara, Ngātoro-i-rangi made his way to Tongariro with the intention of standing on its summit and thus claiming the district as his own. While climbing the mountain a powerful southerly wind whipped his face, icy gales chiselled the warmth from his body while the frozen volcano cut painfully into his feet eventually bringing him to his knees with cold. As Ngātoro-i-rangi lay dying he called to his sisters Kuiwai and Haungaroa in Hawaiki, to send fire to warm him, "Kuiwai e! Haungaroa e! Ka riro au i te tonga! Tukuna mai he ahi!" (Oh Kuiwai! Oh Haungaroa! I am seized by the cold south wind! Send fire to me!)
Heeding his call, they sent fire in the form of twotaniwha, Te Pupu and Te Hoata. As they travelled underground the flames first erupted atWhakaari, thenRotorua and Taupō, finally bursting at the feet of Ngātoro-i-rangi, welling up from the large vent in the volcano’s summit, warming the tohunga and thus allowing him to achieve his goal. On the summit of Tongariro Ngātoro-i-rangi gave thanks and established 'Te Wharetoa o Tūmatauenga' The Warrior House ofTū – the legacy of Tūwharetoa.
Ngātoro-i-rangi did not remain at Tongariro, instead returning to the coast to live out his life atMōtītī Island. His descendants settled at Te Awa o Te Atua inland to Kawerau increasing over the generations until the time of Mawake Taupō, 8th generation descendant of Ngātoro-i-rangi. Mawake Taupō married an ariki of Hapuoneone named Hahuru, whose lineage included the original inhabitants of the area and their son Manaia would eventually take the name Tūwharetoa.[3][5]
The sons of Tūwharetoa moved from Kawerau across Waiariki and eventually into the district around Taupō and by skill at arms, strategy and might eventually established the rohe of Tūwharetoa settling in three divisions at Kawerau, Waiariki and Tongariro.Mai Te Awa o Te Atua Ki Tongariro, Tūwharetoa Ki Kawerau, Tūwharetoa Ki Waiariki, Tūwharetoa Ki te Tonga (From Te Awa-o-te-Atua to Tongariro, Tūwharetoa at Kawerau, Tūwharetoa at Waiariki, Tūwharetoa at Tongariro). Thispepeha (tribal saying) describes the tribal boundaries of Ngāti Tūwharetoa extending from Te Awa o Te Atua (a confluence of rivers at Matatā) south to Tongariro.[3]
Ngāti Tūwharetoa were very active during the early 19th century through military and diplomatic actions amongst the surrounding iwi. From about 1822 to 1832 theyfought battles against Ngati Maru. Although the location of Tūwharetoa in the Central North Island kept them isolated from European contact until 1833, the iwi was nonetheless very aware ofPākehā impact on the coast both through the introduction of new crops and stock (horses) and due to upheavals and conflicts amongst neighboring iwi to the north caused by the introduction of muskets.Te Rauparaha sought shelter with Tūwharetoa during his early rise to prominence and the Tūwharetoa war party met withHongi Hika during the 1820s as part of the Roto-a-tara campaign at Heretaunga. Most notably Tūwharetoa actions during this period consolidated its position as the dominant iwi of the central plateau and the mana (authority) ofTe Heuheu Mananui as paramount ariki.
In 1840Iwikau Te Heuheu and others were in the upper North Island trading flax and later attended the meeting at Waitangi. However he did not have the authority to sign as that right was held by his older brother Mananui as ariki. Later during theFlagstaff War Mananui attempted to supportHōne Heke, but was dissuaded from doing so by Waikato. Iwikau Te Heuheu replaced his brother in 1846 and was a key supporter of the founding of theKingitanga movement after hearing of growing abuses and land theft by the British Colonials.
Tūwharetoa did not take part in any of the early 1863 raids and battles in Auckland. Their first effort to join the Kingitanga movement was theBattle of Ōrākau. A few Ngāti Tūwharetoa men, women and children fought the Colonials with their fellow soldiers inside the Ōrākau fortifications. The bulk ofHoronuku Te Heuheu's Tūwharetoa warriors were prevented from entering the rebel stronghold by the early arrival of government troops, who quickly formed a ring around the stronghold to prevent reinforcement. Tūwharetoa warriors were left to watch from a hillside 900 metres away where they were intermittently bombarded by Armstrong cannons. They could only encourage the defenders with haka from a safe distance.
Later in 1869, Tūwharetoa joined with the Māori sovereignty warriorTe Kooti and hisHau Hau supporters. Te Kooti had challenged the Māori KingTāwhiao atTe Kūiti for his position but been rebuffed. However the Kingitanga kept a close eye on Te Kooti as he fought with the government and settlers and loyal Māori. Tūwharetoa joined with Te Kooti's Hau Hau atTe Pōrere Redoubt, which was styled after a European fort. The result of theBattle of Te Pōrere was a decisive defeat for Tūwharetoa and Te Kooti. Women taken prisoner at Te Pōrere by the government soldiers indicated that Tūwharetoa were reluctant to fight. Te Kooti had kept the Tūwharetoa women under Hau Hau guard to ensure the Tūwharetoa men would fight. Donald McLean the native minister realised that confiscating significant Tūwharetoa land could cause further anti-colonial dissent. Instead, Tūwharetoa were forced to give some land – Mount Tongariro – to the crown.[7]
Ngāti Tūwharetoa academic Hemopereki Simon wrote that the mana, in particular the mana whenua andmana motuhake, of Ngāti Tūwharetoa is derived from the arrival of Ngātoro-i-rangi and that this is best demonstrated culturally throughPuhiwahine'smōteatea, "He waiata aroha mo Te Toko", more commonly known as "Ka Eke ki Wairaka."
The following lines from this moteatea relate to the history of Ngātoro-i-rangi.
Kāti au ka hoki ki taku whenua tupu
Ki te wai koropupū i heria mai nei
I Hawaiki rā anō e Ngātoroirangi
E ōna tuāhine Te Hoata, Te Pupū
E hū rā i Tongariro, ka mahana i taku kiri.
The followingNgā Ariki o Te Whare Ariki o te Heuheu (paramount chiefs) have held the position of Ariki of Ngāti Tūwharetoa.
The ariki are listed here in chronological order:[8][9]
The Senior male line of Ngāti Tuwharetoa is maintained by Tuwharetoa ki Kawerau.
Tuwharetoa = Uira (first wife)
Rakeimarama Te Kotori Te Tuhoro Te Whiu Te Awhe o Te Rangi Te Oretukarea Te Awhe o Te Rangi II Te Akaurangi (Tohunga)
Their descendants are from Hahuru Marae at Onepu.
Another whakapapa from Rongomaitengangana
Tuwharetoa = Paekitawhiti (second)
Rongomaitengangana Tutapiriao Rongoteahu Piri Tunono Umutahi (Ariki) Rakaumaoa Pokipoki Te Paetata Te Araomakau Tahapirau
The Senior Ariki lines are maintained by Ngāti Umutahi hapu of Ngati Tuwharetoa at Te Awa o Te Atua.
Tuwharetoa FM is the official radio station of Ngāti Tūwharetoa. It began at Waiariki Polytechnic inTūrangi in February 1991, was taken off air in late 1992, relaunched in 1993, and added a frequency reaching as far asTaumarunui. An off-shot station, Tahi FM, began in February 1993 but is no longer operating.[10] Tuwharetoa FM broadcasts on97.6FM in Tūrangi, and95.1FM in the areas of Taumarunui,National Park,Whakapapa andRaetihi.[11]
Hamiora Pio - Ngāti Tuwharetoa, notebook, Alexander Turnbull national library
Whakapapa - RakeimaramaUmutahi
