Tarawa
Tarawa was the first ancestor to arrive from Hawaiki. According to one legend he swam to New Zealand and came ashore at Paerâtâ, east of the Waiôtahe River. There he released two pet fish in a spring which became known as Ôpôtiki-mai-tawhiti (the pets from afar). This name was later applied to the township of Ôpôtiki. Tarawas arrival is marked by two carved pillars commemorating the settlement of the land by Mâori and later Pâkehâ ancestors.
Tautûrangi
The next ancestor of note was Tautûrangi, who arrived in the Nukutere canoe 26 generations before 1900. The canoe made landfall in an isolated rocky cove, and was moored to a flat white rock named Te Rangi. Tautûrangi and his followers then sailed round to Te Kôtukutuku and went ashore.
Tautûrangis first act of claiming the land was to travel up the Waiaua Valley to a high point on the skyline, named Kapuarangi. There he installed the god Tamaîwaho. Tautûrangis tribe was known as Te Wakanui until the time of Tûtâmure, born eight generations later.
NUKUTERE GENEALOGICAL CHART
Tûtâmure
Tûtâmure established the eastern boundary between the two tribes of Te Wakanui and Ngâi Tai at Tôrere, and inland from Te Rangi cove to Ôroi.
He led an attack on the pâ of Ngâti Kahungunu in Maungakâhia, to avenge the murder of his sister Tâneroa by her husband. During the battle Tûtâmure broke a club, and reached for his more durable whalebone club to smash the heads of his enemies and bury them. Thereafter, the victorious Tûtâmure and his people were known as Te Panenehu (the buried heads).
Tûtâmure built Poutôtara pâ inland at Waiaua to seal off retaliatory raids by Ngâti Kahungunu. He occupied several pâ at Waiaua, including the iconic, pyramid-shaped Mâkeo behind Ômarumutu marae.
Muriwai
Acting like a man
Nine generations after the Nukutere canoe arrived from Hawaiki, the Mataatua canoe brought the Te Whakatôhea female ancestor Muriwai, landing at Whakatâne. The captain, Toroa, and his men left the canoe and went inland to survey the land, unaware of the danger of the high rise and fall of the tides in New Zealand. Muriwai, seeing that the falling tide threatened to sweep the Mataatua out to sea, cried out, Ka whakatâne au i ahau! (I shall acquit myself like a man!). She saved the canoe and immortalised her actions in the name of Whakatâne.
The Mataatua canoe, bearing the female ancestor Muriwai from Hawaiki, reached Whakatâne nine generations after the Nukutere canoe. Muriwais son Rçpanga went to Ôpôtiki where he married Ngâpoupereta. Rçpangas descendant, Ruatakena, became the ancestor of the Ngâti Ruatakena tribe (now known as Ngâti Rua). Muriwais daughter Hine-i-kauia followed her brother and married Tûtâmure. The descendants of this union became Te Whakatôhea, who merged with Te Panenehu
Kahuki
Tûtâmures counterpart in the west was Kahuki, of the Whakatâne sub-tribe. Kahuki lived at Waiôtahe. He conquered the other sections of this hapû to avenge the killing of his father, Rongopopoia.
He then returned to Waiôtahe, where he built a pâ close to the river. The remaining members of Whakatâne and Ngâti Raumoa, including the Te Ûpokorehe hapû, occupied lands at Waiôtahe and Ôhiwa under Kahukis control. Te Ûpokorehe, on the western border, were subjected to attacks from Tûhoe and Ngâti Awa. In times of danger Te Ûpokorehe sought refuge at Ôpôtiki. The final battle between Te Whakatôhea, and Ngâti Awa and their Tûhoe ally, took place at Ôhope. There Te Whakatôhea chief Te Rupe led his people to victory with the haka, Te kôtiritiri te kôtaratara!
Significant site in the history of Te Whakatohea. It was the scene of the
last battle between Te Whakatohea, Ngati Awa and Tuhoe.
Te Rupes chant
This chant was delivered by the Te Whakatôhea leader Te Rupe, before a retaliatory battle at Ôhope against a party of Tûhoe warriors.
Te kôtiritiri te kôtaratara o huki Ôhope e.
Haere tî taha ana te kaha o te kupenga ki uta râ e.
Hurahia te tangata mate.
Hurahia te tangata mate.
Houhoua e te ure.
Ki roto ki te onepû.
Kei motu tî kariri i te tûpere ha!
Te Whakatôhea fought many battles against their eastern neighbour Ngâi Tai at Tôrere, to keep them out of Waiaua. The defining battle was at Awahou under the leadership of Punâhamoa, before the arrival of the missionaries. The Ngâi Tai chief Tûterangikûrei was killed, and his head preserved as a trophy of war. Ngâi Tai redeemed their chiefs head in exchange for the greenstone adze named Waiwharangi, which they gave to the Te Whakatôhea victors. Waiwharangi is now held in the Whakatâne Museum.
Waiwharangi
