Te Kawerau ā Maki

Te Kawerau ā Maki are descendants of the first people to settle Tamaki, and thus are related to all the tribes that now have mana whenua (customary authority) within the area. 

Te Kawerau ā Maki have close ancestral associations with areas across the region, such as Manurewa, Mangere, North Shore, Kaipara, Mahurangi and the Tamaki isthmus. Their strongest ancestral interests are in Waitakere, the area referred to traditionally by them as Hikurangi. 

Tamaki Makaurau has been occupied by descendants of the Tainui crew ever since its arrival in Aotearoa. The Manukau Harbour is an extremely significant part of the crucible of original Tainui occupation of the area. 

Nga Oho is in fact the original tribal name for the descendants of early Tainui tupuna that occupied Tamaki. In recent times, Ngati Whatua o Orakei have emphasised their status as a Ngati Whatua hapu. However, Ngati Whatua o Orakei have clear Tainui ancestry. The hapu of Ngaoho and Te Uringutu are actually of shared Te Waiohua, Kawerau and Ngati Whatua marriages with rangatatira such as Tuperiri and Te Wahaakiaki) descent.

It is well known that during the inter-tribal conflicts of the 1830's, particularly those precipitated by the Ngapuhi musket raids, Waikato sheltered many Tamaki tribes. Those iwi, including Te Kawerau a Maki and various Ngati Whatua hapu, were eventually restored to their original homes under the leadership of Potatau Te Wherowhero, and were able to remain there with his protection.

Though Potatau, prior to being made the first Maori King in 1858, was very much a Waikato leader, his mana also extended into Tamaki. Potatau resided for a long period in the Auckland District, and is well known to have had an important role in protecting the developing district from the threat of attack from northern tribes, hence his famous whakatauki:

"Kia tupato ki te remu o taku kahu"

"Beware the hem of my cloak "

This was a direct warning to northern tribes not to tread upon the figurative hem of Potatau's cloak, being Tamaki, the northern boundary of the Tainui waka and hence encompassed by Potatau's mana.

Ref: PRELIMINARY IWI ASSESSMENT DOCUMENTS October 2011

Josie Wall is the Education Lead for the iwi. You can connect with her via LinkedIn or email her directly at josie@tekawerau.iwi.nz

For more information, visit www.tekawerau.iwi.nz