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176: The Tangata Whenua of the Central North Island
Do not think that the Polynesians who arrived in the Tainui came to an unoccupied land. The evidence is everywhere, but more importantly, their own stories and legends prove it. Many Maori in 1870, and prior, talked about the tangata whenua... and they did not mean themselves, but a people here when they arrived.
Of the ancient tribes which formerly occupied the central districts of this island, perhaps the most important was the Ngati-Kahupungapunga. There is nothing left but tradition of their former existence, for it is not now known who they were, or where they came from; we only know that about AD1580, they occupied all the valley of the Waikato, from the Puniu river southwards to Te Whakamaru range on the borders of the Taupo country. At that time, the descendants of Hoturoa of the Tainui migration were still in the Kawhia district, where they first landed, and had not crossed the Pirongia ranges which separated them from the Waikato country. This occupation of the Ngati-Kahupungapunga continued undisturbed until the days of Whaita.
Various tales are told as to the cause of quarrel between the tangata whenua and the descendants of Hoturoa. They advanced on Hapenui and captured that stronghold. They then crossed the Waikato river to drive the enemy before them to Mangamingi, where Pipito slew the Kahupungapunga chief Matanuku (hence the name of that place).
From this place the war-party proceeded by the old war-path, called the Rongo-o-Tuarau, to Te Ana-kai-tangata, and here the hunted tribe, assisted by the roughness of the country, made their first vigorous stand, and fought for three days. Most of them were however killed, including the chiefs Kaimatirei, Te Aomakinga, Tokoroa, and Te Rau-o-te-Huia. The Ngati-Raukawa now advanced on Te Whakamaru range, and there stormed Te Ahuroa Pa; here all the slain were burned for the reason that Korokore had been so treated at this place.
It was now evident that the strength and courage of Ngati-Kahupungapunga was broken, and that there would be no more severe fighting. The pursuers therefore divided to hunt up the stragglers. Pipito went in the direction of Te Tokoroa plains and captured many people in a cave; these were all taken to Te Ahuroa, where for the first time in this campaign people were eaten—but not until the tohungas had with many ceremonies removed the tapu caused by the death of Korokore.
Such is the account given of the destruction of this once powerful tribe, of whom a remnant probably became absorbed into the Arawa, for from that time forth they ceased to be known as a tribe.
Ngati-Manawa.
This tribe was originally known as the “heke” (migration) of Tangiharuru, and was an off-shoot from the Ngati-Kahupungapunga. From the fact that from Tangiharuru to the present day there are only eleven generations, we may infer that their departure did not long precede the destruction of the parent tribe. When the Arawa canoe arrived in the Bay of Plenty, this was already a very numerous tribe, possessing large fortified pas at the foot of Putauaki (Mount Edgecombe), and also at many places on the sea coast. Their chief at that period was Tama-a-hoe, another, a woman of great rank named Murirangawhenua who married Tangi-hia, a son of Ngatoro-i-rangi, the chief priest of the Arawa canoe. From Wakapau-korero, the warparty marched to Te Umuhika where they killed and ate the people of that place. At Ohui they saw the smoke of distant fires, and Tangiharuru halted his men and sent forward scouts to examine the country and report on the numbers and fortifications of the people he intended to invade. When the messengers returned, they reported the Marangaranga as being very numerous. The boastful chief had not long to wait, for Tangiharuru defeated him at Pukahunui, and the same evening captured the Whangonui Pa, killing most of the chiefs of the tribe and among others Haeana himself. The survivors fled to their relatives among the descendants of Kurapoto, in the neighbourhood of Runanga, where they were certain of protection if not sympathy, for Maruahine, daughter of Rarataumai-Hawaiki had long before married Tupangea, third in descent from Kurapoto and her descendants were numerous. From this time forth Marangaranga ceased to exist as a tribe, but they have representatives among the tribes of the Whaiti (near Galatea), viz., the Patuheuheu, Ngati-Whare, Ngati-Manawa, and Ngati-Hamua, of which last I submit a genealogy.
Ngati-Apa.
The Ngati-Apa who are really at the present time one tribe with the Ngati-Manawa. but who claim to have sprung from Oro and Maaka, of the Arawa migration (see genealogy) assert that they also took part in the destruction of the Marangaranga. These Ngati-Apa claim to be one and the same tribe with Ngati-Apa of Rangitikei. Their account is, that after the death of Apa, who was killed by the kick of a moa, while hunting that bird at Putauaki (or Mount Edgecumbe), his descendants were driven away to Lake Rotoaira, where they lived for many years in the Orangi-te-taia Pa.
Ngati-Hotu.
Among other inland tribes of uncertain descent, of who we have now only a tradition, are the Ngati-Hotu, who at one time occupied Eastern and probably Western Taupo, and the Murimotu District, south-east of Ruapehu Mountain. They were driven from Eastern Taupo, by Kawhia, son of Kurapoto. At this early period in Maori history, the Ngati-Hotu were a strong tribe, and no doubt Kawhia following the old Maori custom allied himself with one section to destroy the other. This war took place in the second generation after the arrival of the Arawa and Tainui canoes. About this same period came the heke of Tamakopiri, son of Tamatea, from Turanganui or Poverty Bay, and they, after much fighting, dispossessed the Ngati-Hotu of all that portion of the Murimotu district east of the Moawhanga river. The territory thus acquired, evidently satisfied the Ngati-Tamakopiri, who made peace with the ancient tribe of Hotu and allowed them to live unmolested on the opposite bank of Moawhanga until the generation of Tumakaurangi, when another migration of the same Tamatea stock arrived under Whiti-Kaupeka. The Ngati-Hotu of West Taupo, were not included in the defeat of the Eastern Ngati-Hotu by Kawhia—they succeeded in holding their own until the time of Hakuhanui, fourth in descent from Tia who came here in the Arawa canoe. This man it is said came from Kawhia to Te Kakaho near Pokomutu where he built a house called Otangarue and lived with the Ngati-Hotu. This friendship however did not last long, a dispute arose over a woman, and Hakuhanui began to kill the Ngati-Hotu, and in revenge was killed by them at Maraeroa. The death of Hakuhanui sealed the fate of the doomed tribe.
Even in the 1880's it is impossible to mistake the descendants of these ancient tribes, for they did not in any way resemble the true Maori of the migrations; this is specially noticeable in the case of the Ngati-Hako, whose type of face is Mongolian and who bear no resemblance to the fair descendants of Hotunui among whom they live.
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These accounts, written from direct discussions with Maori, their genealogies, and observation, seem to prove the so called migration of Maori did not arrive here to an empty land. In fact, in 2020, it is now finally being acknowledged that what is taught in schools (still) is incorrect and that this land was indeed occupied prior to any of the major canoes (Tainui, Arawa etc) arrived here. Therefore, this land is only theirs by conquest - luckily they have a treaty to protect them. That is fair for they were the occupiers when the Europeans arrived and you make a treaty with the living, not the dead. But they were not the prior owners of this land.
