HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Written by Rāhui Papa
Notes to Whakapapa
Hoturoa: |
Captain of Tainui Waka who landed in Kawhia on the West Coast. His descendants settled the Kawhia and Aotea harbour area. Later his descendants travelled inland and populated the area from Mokau to Auckland, and from the Hauraki Gulf to the West Coast. Hoturoa names the Waikato River. |
Rakataura: |
High priest on Tainui. Rakataura is attributed as giving the name Maungatautari. |
Rakamaomao: |
An ancestor that trekked inland with his mother Kahupeka from Kawhia naming places such as Pirongia, Kakepuke, Whakamaru, Te Aroha. |
Kotare: |
One of the first inhabitants that settled in the Maungatautari region. He and his younger brother Tamapango settled on the western slopes of Maungatautari. Tamapango travelled further and settled in the Matamata district. His sons Kauwhata and Tukorehe became leaders of various tribal groups in and around Maungatautari. Kotare, Tamapango and their sons expelled Ngati Kahupungapunga from Maungatautari, who were later attacked and annihilated at Pohaturoa near Atiamuri by Whaita, Tamatehura, Wairangi and their brothers. |
Te Ihingarangi: |
After quarrelling with his younger brother, Maniapoto, he travelled and lived at Maungatautari above the present site of Karaapiro. Te Tiki o Te Ihingarangi was a large settlement that hosted the first recorded Koroneihana (Coronation Celebration) in the times of King Tawhiao. |
Koroki: |
The eponymous ancestor of Ngāti Koroki. After being insulted by Taowhakairo, a descendant of Kauwhata, with the aid of his Waikato cousins he, and his sons, waged war on Ngati Kauwhata and Ngati Raukawa and seized many pa around Maungatautari. Later Ngati Raukawa and Ngati Kauwhata abandoned Maungatautari altogether for the Otaki districts. |
Kahukura: |
The eponymous ancestor of Ngāti Kahukura. The descendants of Kaukura were mainly women and were married to the men of Ngati Koroki. Ngati Kahukura is evident in the Waotu area through to Waipapa. |
Hape: |
The eldest son of Koroki and Tumataura. Hape was a skilled warrior and became a leader of his people, from Hape descends Ngati Koroki. |
Haua: |
The second son of Koroki and Tumataura. Haua was a skilled warrior and leader. Hape and Haua with the assistance of the nephew, Waenganui, laid claim to vast tracks of land in Morrinsville, Matamata and Hinuera areas. Their tribal estate borders the Hauraki tribes to the east, Raukawa to the south and across to Rukuhia in the west. |
Tioriori: |
Tioriori was the recognised leader of Ngati Koroki. He was a nomadic leader and was skilled in war. Tioriori was taught to read and write in English to supplement the traditional education he received in the Whare Wananga. Some of his homes were in Cambridge, Arikirua, Tamahere, Te Papara, Kirikiriroa, Rangiaowhia, Kihikihi, Arititaha, Te Tiki o Te Ihingarangi, Taane and many other places at the base of Maungtautari. He became a native magistrate, school governor and was captured at the battle of Rangiriri and held prisoner until the end of the Waikato Wars. |
Te Waharoa: |
Te Waharoa was the recognised leader of Ngati Haua. His prowess in battle was renowned throughout the country. He was a contemporary of great Tainui warlords like Te Wherowhero of Waikato and Te Awaitaia of Raglan. He led campaigns to establish the security of Ngati Haua territory. Te Waharoa led Ngati Haua and Ngati Koroki in the battle of Taumatawiwi, the result of this battle saw Ngati Maru escorted back to Hauraki leaving the Maungatautari and Karapiro area undisputed territory of Ngati Haua and Ngati Koroki. |
Tarapiipipi: |
He was educated in the Whare Wananga as well as being educated in scripture. Earlier in life he led his Ngati Haua people in inter tribal wars, later he was the herald of peace. Tarapiipipi, or Wiremu Tamihana, was considered a statesmen by the Governors and officials of his time. He promoted Te Wherowhero as Maori King quoting scripture as divine authority. Tamihana became known as the ‘Kingmaker’ because of his efforts to establish the Kiingitanga. He had his main settlement at Peria near Morrinsville, but like Tioriori had many homes in Hamilton, Arikirua, Tamahere, Te Tiki o Te Ihingarangi and other places in the Morrinsville / Matamata area. Ngāti Koroki Kahukura have dominant mana whenua interests in our homeland area, which includes in and around Cambridge and from Te Tiki o Te Ihingārangi (an historic pā site on the north western side of Karāpiro) and Te Taurapa o Te Ihingārangi (eastern side of Karāpiro) through Pukekura, Horahora and Maungatautari land blocks to the south eastern corner of the Maungatautari blocks where the Ōwairaka river and our awa tupuna (ancestral river), the Waikato River, meet at Waotu North. |