{{Short description|Māori iwi (tribe) in [[Bay of Plenty]], [[Tauranga Moana]], [[Pāpāmoa]], [[Te Puke]] and [[Maketu]] New Zealand}}

|image =

[[File:Mauao Papamoa Hills.jpg|thumb]]

[[File:Waitahanui-a-Hei.png|thumb]]

[[File:Hei Marae.jpg|thumb|Hei Marae]]

|iwi_name = Waitaha

|map = [[File:Waitaha Map.png|thumb]]

|iwi_location = [[Tauranga Moana]], [[Pāpāmoa]], [[Te Puke]] and [[Maketu]]

|waka = [[Te Arawa]]

|population = [[3000]]

{{Short description|Māori iwi}}

[[File:Waitahanui-a-Hei.png|thumb]]

Waitaha (Waitahanui-a-Hei) is a Māori tribe in the [[Bay of Plenty]], [[Tauranga Moana]], [[Pāpāmoa]], [[Te Puke]] and [[Maketu]] area of the North Island of New Zealand, that arrived on Te Arawa waka.

== ORIGIN ==

Waitaha is an ancient iwi that descend from Hei, twin brother of Tia, elder brothers of Rakauri, Houmaitawhiti, Oro, and Maaka, who are sons of Atuamatua.

* Hei had a son Waitahanui-a-Hei who had 22 children that spread across the country and many iwi descend from them, the senior line being the iwi Waitaha.

* Tia had a son Tapuikanui-a-Tia from whom the iwi of the same name descend, also known as Tapuika.

* Rakauri had a son Ngatoroirangi, from whom Ngāti Tuwharetoa descend.

* Houmaitawhiti had a son Tamatekapua, from whom many Te Arawa iwi descend. <ref>{{cite book |last1=Tapsell |first1=Paul |title='Te Arawa - Origins' |origyear=8 February 2005 | date= 22 March 2017}}</ref>

Their tribe was Ngāti Ohomairangi of Ra'iātea Island. After engaging in war with Uenuku, over 30 members of the tribe migrated to New Zealand on board the “Nga Rakau e Rua Matahi Pu a Atua Matua”, named in honour of the twin's (Hei and Tia) father, Atuamatua.

On the journey from Hawaiiki aboard the waka “Nga Rakau e Rua Matahi Pu a Atua Matua”, Ngatoro-i-rangi raised a huge whirlpool in the ocean known as “te korokoro o Te Parata” (the throat of Te Parata). The wife of Hei, Hinerangi was drawn into the whirlpool however was saved by her husband Hei. It was from this incident that Ngatoro-i-rangi named her Ngataiwhakaki (the ebbing tides). The waka was saved from Te Parata by a great mythical shark named Te Arawa, and the Waka was renamed it's honor.

The western Bay of Plenty was chosen as the best place for settlement. As dawn broke, the canoe approached a prominent headland, sailing between Matarehua (on Mōtītī Island) and Wairākei (a stream that once flowed over Pāpāmoa Beach).

Hei stood and proclaimed, ‘Nō tua nei o te maunga rā ahu atu ki tērā pae maunga e rehurehu mai rā i raro, ko te takapū o taku tama o Waitaha!’ (From this mountain [Pāpāmoa], to that far mountain range to the north [Coromandel range], is the belly of my son Waitaha!).

Tia followed, saying, ‘Te toropuke i runga rā, ahu mai ki te maunga nei, ko te takapū o Tapuika!’ (From that hill to the south, and to the mountain here [Pāpāmoa], is the belly of [my son] Tapuika!).

On seeing the headland of Maketu their nephew Tamatekapua rose and proclaimed, ‘Te kūrae rā, ko te kūreitanga o tōku ihu!’ (That point there [Ōkūrei] is the bridge of my nose!).

== TE ARAWA REGION ==

The rohe/region of Te Arawa can be thought of as the waka.

* The Kei (stern) of the waka is the Taupo and Tongariro region. Settled by Ngāti Tuwharetoa,

* The Takere (the hull) of the waka is the Rotorua Lakes region. Settled by the 'Confederated Iwi of Te Arawa'

* The Ihu (the nose/bow) of the waka is the Te Puke, Rangiuru, Maketu, Pāpāmoa and Tauranga region. Settled by Waitaha, Tapuika, Ngāti Makino and also has a presence of Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Ngāti Pikiao, Ngāti Whakaue

== TAURANGA MOANA ==

[[File:Waitaha Tauranga Moana Whakapapa.png|thumb]]

[[File:Waitaha Map.png|thumb]]

Waitaha's rohe/region is a triagle shape. From Mauao (Mt Maunganui) along the Waimapu river to Otanewainuku Maunga. From Otanewainuku along the Waiari river to Maketu. From Maketu back to Mauao.

Many Iwi and Hapū in the Tauranga Moana region whakapapa to Waitaha.

== HISTORICAL BACKGROUND OF WAITAHA ==

<ref>{{cite web |last1=McCausland |first1=Tame |url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/29196813.pdf |ref=Tame McCausland, ‘Evidence on Behalf of Waitaha’ before The Waitangi Tribunal, 16 February 2005.}}</ref>

Our tupuna have always lived along the coast extending from Mauao to Maketu, from the time that Te Arawa arrived here. Inland Te Arawa have the ngawha, we have the salt waters. Our ancestors Ngāti Ohomairangi built Te Arawa for the migration to Tiriti Moana, the land that was discovered by their tupuna Kupe. The waka was launched at Rangiatea in Hawaiki, and was steered on course in line with the star Whakaahu. The waka followed Te Tohora me te manu (the whale and the albatross). They had our knowledge and they became our kaitiaki. The waka was nearly lost when it was pulled into a whirlpool Te Korokoro o Te Parata. Through karakia Ngatoroirangi managed to rescue the waka. Our tupuna Hei was on board Te Arawa, along with his son Waitaha. Hei and his brother Tia were the sons of Atua Matua by his wife Karika. Houmaitawhiti was one of their brothers, so they were the uncles of Tamatekapua.

Te Arawa landed at Whangaparaoa in Tai Tokerau. After leaving Whangaparaoa, the canoe travelled east and landed on an island they later named Te Poito o te Kupenga o Taramainuku. While there, Tamatekapua pointed to the summit of this windswept mountain and named it Moehau and claimed it for his final resting place. Hei stood and made a taumau claiming Te Whanganui a Hei, which is in the area known as Te Ha o Hei (or Hahei as it is known today.)

The older brother of Waitaha was Tahuwhakatiki. He got off at the area referred to as Whangarei today, and his descendants are Ngāti Hei and Ngāti Wai. The mountain at the entrance to Whangarei Harbour is Hikurangi, named after the son of Tahuwhakatiki.

As Tamatekapua had done, other rangatira onboard claimed parts of the land by naming specific landmarks as the waka travelled along the coast. As the waka came around Te Rae o Papamoa, Hei made his claim, 'Ka huri mai a Te Arawa i Te Rae o Papamoa ka tohuhia e Hei mai i waho o te moana te tapapu o taku tama o Waitahanui-a-Hei. It was our tupuna Hei who laid the mauri on Papamoa, when he claimed the mana of the land for his son Waitaha. Hei stood up first and pointed claiming an area for his son, ‘Te takapū o taku tama, o Waitahanui a Hei’. The last point he mentioned was Te o Kurei o Papamoa. This was a prominent point on the northern end of the Papamoa hills. This area is also referred to as Te Rae o Papamoa. The meaning was explained as this: ‘He wahine, he wairua ia. E taapapa ana. Te roroa o ngā makawe hei awhi i ona uri’.

Tia, the twin brother of Hei, then stood and made his claim to the land for his son, ‘Te takapū o taku tama, o Tapuika nui a Tia.

The waka continued on its voyage, and Naki made the claim to Motiti: ‘Te Moutere i Takoto mai ra ka Taipana e ahau. Ko te Motiti nui o Naki’. As the waka approached Maketu, Tamatekapua stood up and said, ‘Te o kurei na, mo akua whakatupuranga, ko te Kureitanga o taku ihu.

Te Arawa briefly rested at Maketu, where Ngatoroirangi built a tuahu, and then they continued travelling on the Whangaparoa at the East Cape, naming further landmarks as they went. On their way back, Te Arawa was beached at Te Awa o Te Atua. It was there that Ngatoroirangi told Tametekapua to seek the assistance of his tuakana Toroa, who was the captain of the Mataatua. Toroa had a special karakia. Tamatekapua followed Ngatoroirangi’s advice and requested Toroa’s assistance. Toroa and Tametakapua decided that Te Awa o Te Atua would be the boundary between Mataatua and Te Arawa.

Te Arawa followed Tainui back up to Moehau to a place we know as Te Wharekawa today. Te hui ngutu uma whakamutunga o nga waka, Ka tangi tikapa mai a Tainui kia Te Arawa, Ka tangi tikapa atu a Te Arawa kia Tainui. Maketu is sacred to us as the final resting place of Te Arawa.

Hei is buried at Moehau, along with Tametekapua. Hei took Tamatekapua back to Moehau. He was sick and he had his last kai at Papamoa.

=== WAITAHANUI-A-HEI ===

Waitaha was the son of Hei and Ngataiwhakaki. The sons of Waitaha settled along the coast. Waitaha is said to have 22 children. Waitaha married Te Ngaruhora, Ruapotango, and Irakau. The children of these unions were Te Manutohikura, Naaia, Mura, Ruarangi, Kumaramaoa, Tutauanui, Rongomaitane, Tatauaroa, Tahuwera,Matamoho, Tumatunui, Taunga, Tuterangiharuru, Kuri, and Papawhero. I will now speak of how the sons of Waitaha who radiated out to occupy and claim the mana over the coast from Ngā Kuri a Whare (now Katikati) right through to Otamarakau.

* Te Manutohikura settled on Maungamana on Papamoa and he shared occupation with Tamatea Arikinui of Takitimu. Straight out from the beach at Maungamana is a place called Otira and it was from here that a sad event occurred which caused the departure of Kahungungu from the district. Kahungungu broke the tape of offering the first fish back to Tangaroa. His brother Whaene picked up the snapper up and hit him across the chest with it. The incident was reported back to his grandfather Tamatea Arikinui, and he had to leave.

* Naaia occupied the Papamoa Pa. this is located above the rock face referred to as Te Rae o Papamoa.

* Mura went to Hauraki.

* Ruarangi occupied pa on Te Rae o Papamoa known as Te Ihu of Ruarangi and Karangaumu. The daughters of Ruarangi, Ihuparapara and Iwipupu, married Tamateapokaiwhenua. From this union came Ngati Ranginui and Ngati Kahungungu. Waitaha refer to this period as Ranginui a Hei. At the time of Ruarangi, Waitaha and Ngāti Ranginui were linked and it wasn’t until Ranginui ll, that the lands were divided at the Waimapu River.

* Tutuanui occupied Waimapu in Tauranga. Tutauanui was an ancestor of Haraki, who married Te Iwikoroke. However, Haraki also descends from Ihuparapara through Ranginui. Taiwhanake ll was her teina.

* Rongomaitane occupied Tuhua (Mayor Island). His descendants became known as Ngāti Whitikiore.

* Tutauaroa was the first rangatira to occupy Mauao, along with his sons Taiwhanake and Kinonui. Tutauaroa then left Taiwhanake and Kinonui on Mauao and moved to Otamarakau with his other sons Pou and Tuahuriri. Tutauaroa and his sons settled the area from Pukehina to Otamarakau. They were known as Waitaha. Later on, they changed the name to Ngāti Makino, after Makino married Te Rarereao of Waitaha.

* Tahuwera and his younger brother Taunga occupied inland at Matawhaura, Rotoiti, and Rotoma. Tahuwera married Pikirarunga, daughter of Uruika, who came on Te Arawa. Ngati Pikiao also descends from this union.

* Matamoho and Tumatuanui settled the area from Waihi to Pukehina.

* Kuri went down to the Te Wai Pounamu along with his nephew Tuahuriri.

* Papwhero was the daughter of Waitaha. Her great-granddaughter Papwharanui married Rangitihi, and from this union came Tuhourangi. In this way the descendants of Waitaha occupied the coast of from Ngā Kuri a Wharei (Katikati) right through to Otamarakau. Our tupuna belonged to these lands and to the sea that lapped the shores, as did the generations that followed.

* Te Manutohikura, the tuakana of Waitaha and his first wife Te Ngaruhora, carried the mana of Waitaha in an unbroken line down to our tupuna Takakopiri.

The hills called the Papamoa range today are known by our people as Te Uku o Takakopiri (te uku is a red clay). Before the time of Takakopiri, they were referred to as Te Uku o Waitaha. The range stretches from Otanewainuku to Te Rae o Papamoa puta atu ki Owhaaro. Te o Kurei o Papamoa and Te Rae o Papamoa are situated just below and in front of the Papamoa pa. This is a rock face shaped in the form of a person’s forehead. It was the last point mentioned by Hei when he stood to proclaim the taumau for his son Waitaha. Papamoa, ‘He wairua, he wahine, he roroa ona makawe’. Her appearance was that she was lying on her stomach with her arms and hands under her chin and her long locks of hair were used by mokopuna to hide in when trouble was near.

There are many pa on the hills of Te Uku o Takakopiri. Spiritually, those hills are the papatupu (birthplace) of our people. For hundreds of years those hills have given birth to us, provided us with the sustenance necessary for daily life, and sheltered us in times of war. The number of pa in the hills attests to their strategic significance. Otawa is our maunga. No matter where you are from, Tauranga to Katikati, Otawa is always visible. Otawa is the maunga of Takakopiri. He is buried in a cave in those hills. Hence our whakatauki:

Ko Otawa te Maunga

Ko Hei te Tupuna

Ko Te Raparapaahoe te Awa

Ko Takakopiri te Tangata

Ko te Putaratara o te Tuunui

Tahuhu whakairinga korero

Tu te Ihiihi tu te Wanawana

Tai tu te wehi o te moana o punga ee e mauri

Ko Waitaha te iwi

Ko Te Arawa te Waka

It was Takakopiri who laid on Te Uku o Takakopiri the parawhenua of his tupuna Atua Matua and Karika, who were the parents of Hei. It was decided amongst the Waitaha chiefs of the time that Takakopiri would return to Hawaiiki to collect the parawhenua. Takakopiri laid the jawbones of Atua Matua down at the top of a gully. The places where he did this are called Te Okere o Tua and Te Okere o Mua (meaning top and lower jaw bone). Together these places are known as Te Okere o Atua Matua. The second parawhenua Takakopiri laid was called Te Pitaratara o Karika (meaning the cervix of Karika) and this was placed at the bottom of the gully. By placing these sacred body parts on the hills Takakopiri was placing the tapu of his tupuna. Those sites are tapu as a result. The effect of these actions by Takakopiri was to claim the mana for Waitaha to the hills and the surrounding district.

In time Takakopiri conferred the mana of the land to his grandsons, who were brothers Te Iwikoroke and Kumaramaoa. Kumaramaoa was chief of the Tauranga side of the Te Uku o Takakopiri, while Te Iwikoroke held mana over the Maketu side of the ranges. The boundary between the two brothers was named Te Aore o Kumaramaoa, while the Te Puke side of Otawa belongs to Te Iwikoroke.

Waitaha identifies five principal hapū. These evolved from the marriages of Te Iwikoroke; Ngāti Haraki, (or Waitaha tuturu), Ngāti Te Moemiti, Ngāti Reremanu, Ngāti Kahu and Ngāti Te Puku O Hakoma. It were these hapū that occupied the lands of Waitaha. In summary, then, the extent of Waitaha’s land interests in Tauranga Moana and the Bay of Plenty ‘in ancient times’ extended from Katikati in the north to Maketu in the south. After several generations, Waitaha occupied the eastern side of Tauranga Moana. Their area ran from the Waiari River northward along the coast to Mauao, around the shore of the Tauranga harbour to the Waimapu River, along that river into the ranges, then turning south-west on the eastern side of Otanewainuku to the watershed of Te Rerenga stream, then along that stream to where it met the Waiari Stream. ‘The old people spoke about the foundation of our people, and of our ahi kaa. They talked about a lot of the sites where Waitaha people used to live, and here battles were fought, and where pa were sited. The old people referred to the foundation of the area of Waitaha as Te Korowai o Wai o kehu ko Te Iwikoroke. The phrase refers to the cloak or mana of Te Iwikoroke and connotes the Te Iwikoroke side of Waitaha. The area it includes runs along Te Uku o Takakopiri, from Otawa to Te Rae o Papamoa down Karamara to Te Repehunga on the coast and then along to Otumatawhero, and hence inland to Te Kopua (a pa at the bend of the Kaituna River, ) up the Kaituna River to the Waiari River, and then along Te Rerenga Stream to Otanewainuku, including Whakauma and Waoku blocks.

=== NGATI RANGINUI ===

Our relationship with Ngāti Ranginui has always been strong. This goes back to Haiwaiki prior to the departure of the great fleet to Aotearoa. The tupuna Waitaha had a sacred rakau. This rakau was called Puwhenua. This rakau was given by Waitaha to Tamatea Arikinui to build the Takitumu waka. This was the genesis of a relationship that carries down to the present day. Upon the arrival of the Takitumu and the Te Arawa, Ngā Marama were one of the tribes living in Tauranga. With the support of Ngāti Ranginui, Waitaha were able to subdue Ngā Marama and as a result the lands of Tauranga were divided between Waitaha and Ngāti Ranginui. Ngāti Ranginui occupied the western side of the Waimapu River and Waitaha occupied the eastern side. Ngāti Ranginui on one side are of Waitaha descent…The common boundary line between Waitaha and Ngāti Ranginui is the Waimapu River. We support our whanaunga in Ngāti Ranginui and that is why we do not go over the Waimapu River’.

=== TE ARAWA CONFEDERATION ===

‘Waitaha are still part of Te Arawa. We will never lose that. We have strong links with Waitahanui a Hei, at Otamarakau on the other side, who are also known as Ngāti Makino, but their ahi kaa is on that side. It is stated that all of Waitaha are Ngāti Pikiao. It is also stated that all of Waitaha belong to Ngāti Parua. Ngāti Parua is a hapū of Ngāti Pikiao. Those are the very strong cross-relationships into the Ngāti Pikiao side. We are also connected to Tuhourangi, and to Ngāti Whakaue and Ngāti Rangiwewehi.They are important because they give us turangawaewae there. However, I think the shareholdings are not large ones. For instance, I think if all my family put their Ngāti Whakaue shareholdings together, it would not be sufficient for a house site. In terms of economic base, those interests don’t really figure. However, Waitaha are not part of the Te Arawa Confederation of Tribes. I’ve always been brought up on that kōrero. This has been confirmed by two kaumatua from Tapuika also. Waitaha have never belonged to the Te Arawa Māori Trust Board. That

means our interests are often overlooked because when the Crown wants to consult with Te Arawa iwi it tends to go directly to talk to the Trust Board.

=== TAPUIKA ===

Waitaha and Tapuika have always had a close relationship. This is only natural given our common tupuna and our proximity as neighbours. Waitaha and Tapuika are first cousins, having descended from the twins Hei and Tia, and marriages between the lines have strengthened the ties. The Waiari River has always been the boundary between Tapuika and Waitaha. That boundary has never varied since it was decided upon by Hei and Tia Tapuika and Waitaha have always exercised their rangatiratanga over their respective sides of the river. At times, Tapuika have had access to the resources in Waitaha’s rohe and vice versa, but that has only occurred with the consent of the tangata whenua. For instance, in the late 1860s Tapuika had maara in Te Puke. Waitaha chief

Tarakawa became concerned that Tapuika intended to settle permanently. Hakaraia told Tapuika to go to Rotorua to see Te Meneti. At his suggestion, Waitaha held a hui and selected Te Meneti to go and see Tapuika. It was at that point that Tapuika returned home. Given the interrelationship between Tapuika and Waitaha, it was only natural that Waitaha and Tapuika would intermarry. Rights in land were not acquired by marriage, but the children of those marriages gained rights by ancestry. The descendants of those marriages can claim the Waitaha whenua through their Waitaha side and Tapuika through their Tapuika side. Our close relationship with Tapuika made us natural allies in battle. The battle of Poroprohuamea was a very important battle in which Waitaha and all our allies were called in to assist Tatahau, the leader of Tapuika at Maketu.

=== NGAITERANGI ===

We were told abut the conquest by Ngaiterangi of the area spreading east from Mauao. There were many battles, and the old people were clear that Ngaiterangi did not win all of them. However eventually Ngaiterangi became dominant on the coast, up by Mauao and on the coastal areas radiating from there. They secured their position by intermarrying into Waitaha lines, and it was through these intermarriages that their descendants gained the mana to the land. In tikanga you have no rights if you are living on your wife’s land and that is why Ngaiterangi adhere to the stories of conquest, to emphasise the dominance of the Mataatua lines. However, we remain adamant that the dominance of Ngaiterangi was only established on the coast down by Mauao and in some of the inland areas. Even then, there interests were not absolute. We remained close relations and our rights were not extinguished. For example,

Waitaha still had rights to collect kai moana at Mauao, Tauranga harbour and Te Repehunga (now Papamoa domain). Furthermore, we say that Waitaha interests

prevailed inland and along the coastal stretches from Papamoa back towards Te Puke It is true that at one point Ngaiterangi did hold control of the coastal area down to Maketu. Te Arawa eventually succeeded in pushing Ngaiterangi back along the coast towards Mauao after the battle of Te Tumu.

Despite past conflict, many Ngaiterangi today are also of Waitaha.

=== CONFLICT ===

I would also like to mention the great chief Te Waharoa in my kōrero. Te Waharoa was of Ngāti Hauā, but he had strong connections to a number of tribes in the region; he was descended from Tamangarangi of Waitaha, who married Hauā. After the battle of Te Tumu, Te Waharoa stated that he wanted this coast to be left open as a highway for all to pass through. That statement indicated that Te Waharoa wanted to preserve safe passage for all, and that he didn’t want fighting over it. It is true that the battles continued for some time following the battle of Te Tumu, but Ngaiterangi never came back to stay in the area stretching from Papamoa. Following the battle of Te Timu, there were three pa that we took, Te Taumata, Te Papa, and Ongare. The leading chiefs were Te Kou o Rehua, Rauroha and Taraia, these chiefs were Waitaha. Waitaha were never absent from our lands. In times of war, the movement was thrust and parry (karo pare). Even when we went away in times of trouble, our mana and the mauri of the land remained. It was never permanently occupied by anyone else. Ngāti He or Ngāti Hei or Ngāti Hoko came over from time to time, but they all claimed their karangatanga under Waitaha (through their whakapapa connections into Waitaha). When the fighting was on, our women and children were taken up to the hill pa for protection. That way if the men were all killed, Waitaha would not die out. In the big battles we went inland to Waeranga. When it quietened down, we came back. We did not come back alone; our whanaunga came back with us. Following the end of the wars with Ngaiterangi, we returned to our lands. We came back under Hakaraia. Haere Huka also escorted Waitaha and Tapuika, and stayed for a further two years to prevent anyone else coming onto the land. Haere Huke was staying on his mother’s side, as his mother was Puawe of Waitaha. Tuhourangi also escorted Waitaha We went back to the coast again. We still exercised our mana over the resources of the sea. We would go down there for kai moana. We went to Mauao, Te Repehunga, Te Okuroa, the whole coastline. All of Te Arawa have rights to Maketu’.<ref>{{cite web|last1=McCausland|first1=Tame|date=16 February 2005|title=‘Evidence on Behalf of Waitaha’ before The Waitangi Tribunal, 16 February 2005.|url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/29196813.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== [https://docplayer.net/45085568-Ngati-pukenga-nga-tapuwae-kura-the-sacred-footprints.html NGĀTI PŪKENGA] ===

Ngāti Pūkenga claim mana through Hei and his descendants down to Kumaramaoa and Te Pukuohakoma. In the time of Takakopiri the lands on the Te Puke side of the Otawa range were given to Iwikoroke and those on the Tauranga side to Kumaramaoa. Iwikoroke gave Te Pukuohakoma a piece of his estate which was between Kumaramaoaand himself. Ngāti Pūkenga are therefore Kumaramaoa and Pukuohakoma people and along with the hapu of Rangataua, Ngati He and Nga Potiki. The Te Tāwera name is particularly important in this respect. Descent from Kūmaramaoa became as important as descent from Pūkenga. Our ancestors expressed this in many ways. Our alliances with Te Arawa increased and expanded. By the nineteenth century the third of the tribal appellations, Te Tāwera, arose. Te Tāwera takes the Kūmaramaoa whakapapa as an important take in terms of claims to the land and merges it with the Ngāti Ha and Ngāti Pūkenga whakapapa.

==References==

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