Ngātoro-i-rangi

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In

are the basis of Ngāti Tūwharetoa's claim to those regions.

Rangiātea

Ngātoro-i-rangi was the son of Rakauri and Hineruarangi and was raised at Te Vaitoa in Rangiātea. He was descended from the Ngāti Ohomairangi tribe and was direct successor to the high priest of Taputapuatea marae at Rangiātea. He also had ancestral connections to Aitutaki, Rarotonga, Rangiātea (Ra'iatea) and other islands in the area.

Puha-o-rangi, the father of Ohomairangi, was the progenitor of all of the Te Arawa people.^[1]

He was trained at Taputapuātea marae as a priest and navigator and was renowned for his skills and status. He made a number of journeys around the islands of Hawaiki and eventually rose to become a powerful high priest with the mana (authority or right) to carry the most powerful of deities.

The people of Ngāti Ohomairangi formed two divisions. After the various battles in Hawaiki these two divisions decided to participate in the migration to New Zealand (Aotearoa), and set about building the two great waka (ships) Tainui and Arawa.

Journey to Aotearoa

When the Tainui waka and Te Arawa waka were constructed it was intended that Ngātoro-i-rangi should command the Tainui canoe in its journey from Hawaiki to New Zealand. The two waka were anchored together for the initial sea tests before launching.

However, Ngātoro-i-rangi was persuaded by Tama-te-kapua to come aboard Te Arawa with his wife to perform the final rituals that would allow the waka to make for open water. While this was happening Tama-te-kapua ordered his crew to head for open water, and thus Ngātoro-i-rangi and his wife were kidnapped.

During the course of the voyage, Kearoa, the wife of Ngātoro-i-rangi, had been insulted by Tama-te-kapua. So, Ngātoro-i-rangi called upon a storm to drive the Arawa into Te Korokoro o Te Parata (The throat of Te Parata), a mid-ocean whirlpool. It was only when the shrieks of the women and children moved his heart with pity that Ngātoro-i-rangi relented, and let the canoe emerge safely.

Central North Island

Upon reaching New Zealand (Aotearoa) Ngātoro-i-rangi left the waka at Te Awa o te Atua (near

(human-like spirit beings) on the hills.

As he was crossing the plains near Tarawera, Ngātoro-i-rangi came across a strange figure named Te Tama-hoi. He was a demon (atua) who was directing evil spells towards Ngātoro-i-rangi. Ngātoro-i-rangi struggled against the demon and eventually overcame him. Ngātoro-i-rangi stamped his foot opening a chasm in the mountain into which Te Tama-Hoi was buried. The chasm became the volcanic rent of Mount Tarawera.

Ngātoro-i-rangi eventually arrived at Lake Taupō (Taupō-nui-ā-Tia), and, looking southward, decided to climb the mountain nearest to him, Tauhara and looked out across Taupō-nui-ā-Tia to claim the land he saw. He reached and began to climb the first mountain along with his slave Ngāuruhoe, who had been travelling with him, and named the mountain

(the name literally meaning 'looking south'), whereupon the two were overcome by a blizzard carried by the cold south wind.

Near death, Ngātoro-i-rangi called back to his two sisters, Kuiwai and Haungaroa, who had also come from Hawaiki but remained upon White Island (

remains frozen there as the volcanic cone we see today.

Ngātoro-i-rangi named a large number of places in the

, the Desert Road side was unknown to Ngātoro-i-rangi at this time which is why the borderlines of Ngati Tuwharetoa are only one side of Mount Ruapehu, the other side being part of the Whanganui tribal area.

Later journeys

Ngātoroirangi eventually left the Central North Island and returned to Maketu to conduct the rituals to bring Te Arawa waka to rest, before finally settling at Motiti Island.

However, on account of a curse uttered by his brother-in-law Manaia, Ngātoro-i-rangi led an expedition to Hawaiki, and defeated Manaia in the battle of Ihumoto-motokia. Ngātoro-i-rangi also left a son at Tongareva Island. Ngātoro-i-rangi then returned to New Zealand and fortified Mōtītī Island, where he was attacked by Manaia, who, with all his host, perished when by mighty spells Ngātoro-i-rangi raised a huge storm called Te Aputahi-ā-Pawa.

It is said that as an old man Ngātoro-i-rangi attempted to travel to

with his facial tattoo (tāmoko) still identifiable. It is uncertain where his remains were finally buried with both Kawhia and Motiti island being possible sites.

Mana of Ngāti Tūwharetoa

Ngāti Tūwharetoa academic Hemopereki Simon wrote that the mana in particular the mana whenua and mana motuhake of Ngāti Tūwharetoa is derived from the arrival of Ngātoro-i-rangi and that this is best demonstrated culturally through Puhiwahine's moteatea, He waiata aroha mo Te Toko or more commonly known as "Ka Eke ki Wairaka."^[2]

He Waiata Aroha mo Te Toko ("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.^[3]

References

Bibliography

• R.D. Craig, Dictionary of Polynesian Mythology (Greenwood Press: New York, 1989), p185.
• John TH Grace, Tuwharetoa: A history of the Māori People of the Taupo District (Wellington: Reed, 1959).
• Simon, Hemopereki, "Te Arewhana Kei Roto i Te Rūma: An Indigenous Neo-Disputatio on Settler Society, Nullifying Te Tiriti, ‘Natural Resources’ and Our Collective Future in Aotearoa New Zealand," Te Kaharoa, 9 (1), https://www.tekaharoa.com/index.php/tekaharoa/article/view/6/4
• E.R. Tregear, Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary (Lyon and Blair: Lambton Quay 1891), pp280–281.
• Waitangi Tribunal, He Maunga Rongo: Report on the Central North Island Claims Vol.4, (Legislation Direct: Wellington, 2008), p1282, pp1468–1469.
• Mataara Wall, Bruce Stirling and Lennie Johns, Ngati Tutemohuta: A Maori History of North East Taupo (Pakira Publishing: Taupo, 2009).