Te Hikawera was a rangatira (chieftain) of the Ngāti Te Whatuiāpiti hapū of Ngāti Kahungunu , around the late seventeenth century. He maintained pā sites at Oueroa, Manahuna, and Kaimata, from which he exercised authority over the whole of Heretaunga . Later he also gained control of the area of Tarawera in the Ahimanawa Range He is responsible for the names of several geographic features in the Hawke’s Bay region and is the ancestor of Ngāti Pārau , formerly known as Ngāti Hikawera.
41-529: Te Hikawera was the son of Te Whatuiāpiti and Te Huhuti . His father was the founding ancestor of Ngāti Te Whatuiāpiti. Through both parents, he was a descendant of Rākei-hikuroa and ultimately of Kahungunu ; Tamatea, who captained the Tākitimu canoe; and the early explorer Toi , but his mother and father belonged to different branches of the iwi, who had long been at variance. He had two older brothers, Rangiwawahia and Te Wawahanga; one younger brother, Keke; and
82-446: A kumukumu ( red gurnard ), on account of his red hair. Te Whatuiāpiti considered this a curse and led a war party to attack the fortress at Te Iho o Te Rei. A force came out from the island in canoes, led by Tahinga, Ika i Te Atu, Te Mata, and Rangitahia. They met Te Whatuiāpiti at Keteketerau (the entrance to the old inner harbour at Napier), so he retreated to Mataruahou (then an island, now Napier Hill ). Te Whatuiāpiti appealed to
123-574: A Pāpāuma and Te Hika a Ruarauhanga. The story is considered one of the great Māori romances and has been compared to the more famous tale of Hinemoa and Tūtānekai . It is commemorated by a traditional song of Ngāti Te Whatuiāpiti, which is recorded by John Te Herekiekie Grace : E noho e tama i roto i to pa i Te Rotoatara, Hangaia to whare ko Pakewairangi. E piki e tama ki runga ki to pa, Whakatangi ai i to pu Ko Te Aometikirangi ra te pūtōrino e tama, Ka puta ai koe ki te whaiao ki te aomarama! Remain, sir, in your fort at Te Rotoatara And build
164-520: A Ruarauhanga escaped. After the battle, Te Whatuiāpiti finally reoccupied his original home, Te Kauhanga, splitting his time between there and his mother’s village at Rotoatara . Tahinga settled on Te Iho o Te Rei island in the Te Whanganui-a-Orotū harbour (the old inner harbour at Napier , which was destroyed during the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake ), and Te Rangitaumaha settled at Oueroa. Te Whatuiāpiti heard that he had been called
205-490: A daughter: Te Whatuiāpiti married his son’s widow, Te Aopatuwhare, and they had a son and a daughter: The story of Te Whatuiāpiti’s reconquest of Heretaunga was reported by Hamana Tiakiwai to the Native Land Court at hearings in 1886 and 1889. Tiakiwai also recounted the gift of Te Rangitaumaha in 1889, but his version was challenged at the hearing by Meihana Takihi and Paora Kaiwhata. The story of Te Huhuti
246-421: A devastating defeat at the hands of Tama-te-rangi and Rakaipaaka . He had one younger brother, Te Apunga, whose daughter, Tauapare, later married Te Whatuiāpiti’s son Te Hikawera . After Rākei-hikuroa's death, an enduring feud developed between the descendants of Pāpāuma (Te Hika a Pāpāuma) and the descendants of one of his other wives, Ruarauhanga (Te Hika a Ruarauhanga). Te Whatuiāpiti had red hair, and
287-500: A feast in honour of Te Hikawera’s return, but Te Tomo ate the food himself, so Te Whatuiāpiti killed Te Tomo and served him as the feast instead. When Te Hikawera left, he took Te Tomo’s bones with him and made them into spear points, washing them in the Mohaka River at a place that was therefore named Waitara (‘water of spear-points’). Then he made his base at Te Purotu. From Te Purotu, Te Hikawera went to Tarawera to hunt birds in
328-502: A message from him to Te Whatuiāpiti, who began forming a war party to rescue the captives. Te Whatuiāpiti sent an envoy to Irakumia at Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua , whom he had defeated and made peace with the previous year, to ask him to come and help. When the envoy arrived, he was imprisoned, but he said to Irakumia that he had “come from Te Whatuiāpiti’s nose,” a reference to the hongi , or touching of noses, with which Te Whatuiāpiti and Irakumia had sealed their peace. Then Irakumia agreed to aid
369-624: A result, Te Hikawera named the nearby mountain Tataraakina. Having visited Tarawera, Tangiharuru accompanied Te Hikawera home as far as the Waipunga River , where Hikawera took off his bird-feather hat because of the heat and Tangiharuru said “What a nice bald ( pākira ) head you have!” Te Hikawera found this funny and named the spot Pākira o Hikawera. Te Hikawera continued on alone to his father’s village, Rotoatara. Te Whatuiāpiti told one of his men, Te Tomo, to get fish and eels ready for
410-554: A spot on the Mohaka River . He was impressed by Te Uira’s beauty and said “Te Purotu o te wahine!” (What a beautiful wife you have!”), so the place of their meeting came to be known as Te Purotu. As the two chiefs travelled together over the Ahimanawa Range , Tangiharuru said, “Hikawera, why did you bring your beautiful wife to this ugly country which is like the spikes of the tatara kina (sea urchin) of Heretaunga?” As
451-502: A younger sister, Mihikitekapua. Hikawera grew up at Rotoatara (about four kilometres east of Pukehou ) in the Heretaunga region ( Hawke’s Bay ). Since his older brother died young, Te Hikawera inherited the land around Oueroa from his maternal grandfather Te Rangitaumaha and settled at a village in the area called Otatara, sharing the land with Te Rangitaumaha's sons, Hikateko, Hinehore, and Taraia. In this role, he had mana over
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#1732793544077492-461: Is first recorded in George Grey ’s Polynesian Mythology of 1854. H. J. Fletcher published another version in 1926, which he received from Hoeta Te Hata of Ngāti Tūwharetoa , a descendant of Te Whatuiāpiti and Te Huhuti. A similar version is given by John Te Herekiekie Grace. Tutaekuri River The Tutaekuri River ( Māori : Tūtaekurī ) flows eastward for 99.9 kilometres through
533-755: Is said to have been one of the most handsome chiefs of his time. Te Whatuiāpiti grew up at Te Kauhanga, at the mouth of the Ngaruroro River in the Heretaunga Plains , in the Hawke’s Bay region. But when he was still a young man, Tū-whakawhiu-rangi and Ngāti Rakaipaaka attacked Te Kauhanga on behalf of Te Hika a Ruarauhanga. He fled with some elders to his cousin Tumapuhia in the Wairarapa , abandoning his pregnant wife, Te Kuramahinono. She
574-608: The 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake , the land underneath Ahuriri Harbour was drastically raised. The river was forced to seek an alternative route and started to back up, and so the residents of Hawke's Bay dug out a new, alternate path connecting it to the Ngaruroro River, into which it still flows today. On 14 February 2023, the Tutaekuri River experienced a major flood as Cyclone Gabrielle moved over New Zealand. Due to buildup of debris at key crossing points such as
615-435: The Ahimanawa Range to take possession of the area. When he returned to Te Whatuiāpiti at Lake Rotoatara, Te Whatuiāpiti told one of his men, Te Tomo, to get fish and eels ready for a feast in honour of Te Hikawera’s return, but Te Tomo ate the food himself, so Te Whatuiāpiti killed Te Tomo and served him as the feast instead. Te Hikawera took Te Tomo’s bones with him when he left and made them into spear points, washing them in
656-678: The Hawke's Bay Region of the eastern North Island of New Zealand into the Pacific Ocean. It starts in the Kaweka Range roughly 50 kilometres north-east of Taihape , and reaches the sea just to the south of Napier , where the Ngaruroro and Clive Rivers join it. Ngāti Pārau , which is the local Māori hapū (sub-tribe), are said to have disposed of their waste food in the river. Tribes such as Ngāti Pāhauwera travelled to
697-512: The Rangitāne , and made peace with them. This allowed him to establish a base of operations at Marotiri on the nearby Te Aho a Māui peninsula. From there, he led a number of raids into his old territory. He defeated and killed Tupokonui and Tupaka at Kaikoura near Ōtāne , he killed Muheke at Pakipaki , and he defeated Ngāti Kahungunu at Waimārama in the battle of Waipuka. A Ngāti Kahungunu chieftain called Pokia attacked Marotiri in order to stop
738-594: The Tī kōuka ), so he invited them to Te Umukuri and feasted them on eels, freshwater mussels , and kurī (dogs). The innards of the dogs were disposed of in the traditional manner in the nearby river, which therefore gained the name Tūtaekurī ('dog-excrement'). In thanks for his hospitality, the guests gave Hikawera Te Rangimokai as a wife. Hikawera's uncle, Hikateko, also came with his family to visit Hikawera. During their stay, Hikawera's second daughter, Whakapakaru fell in love with Hikateko's son Ruruarau. Hikateko tried to keep
779-436: The hapū of Ngati Hinehore , Ngāti Hineiao , Ngāti Hikateko , Ngāti Mahu , Ngāti Kuke , Ngāti Tu , and Ngāti Hinepare . He also inherited Manahuna from his mother and occupied Otatara and Kaimata. At this time, the major chief of Ngāti Kahungunu, Kahutapere II, led an invasion of the region around Tarawera to recover the bones of Tupurupuru of Ngāti Kahungunu, which they had taken several generations earlier. Te Hikawera
820-476: The tohunga , Pakaotori to rescue them. He pulled off his clothes and jumped into the water at Upokopoito, holding Te Whatuiāpiti’s atua , Parukakariki. This caused a windstorm to appear which sank the enemy ships. Te Whatuiāpiti’s men captured the survivors as they came ashore and killed them, including Te Maha and Te Ika i Te Atu. Tahinga was allowed to live, because he had earlier saved Te Whatuiāpiti’s wife. After this victory, Te Whatuiāpiti’s control of Heretaunga
861-721: The Heretaunga region to Wawahanga. These questions were material to a hearing of the Māori Land Court on claims to the region around Ōmahu in 1889. When Te Wawahanga was grown up, he married Te Aopatuwhare, but he became sick and died while she was pregnant. Te Whatuiāpiti asked his son for instructions, expecting him to pass his wife to his younger brother, Te Hikawera , Te Wawahanga insisted that she should pass to Te Whatuiāpiti himself. Te Rangitaumaha’s lands were nevertheless ultimately inherited by Te Hikawera. In his old age, Te Whatuiāpiti's son Te Hikawera went to Tarawera in
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#1732793544077902-460: The Mohaka River at a place that was therefore named Waitara (‘water of spear-points’). Then he made his base at Te Purotu. Te Whatuiāpiti first married Te Kuramahinono and had one son: Te Whatuiāpiti later married Hinepehinga, who was given to him by her father Kotore of Wairoa as a peace offering, but she avoided sleeping with him because she was in love with another, so he allowed her to leave. Te Whatuiāpiti and Te Huhuti had three sons and
943-458: The Wairarapa. Later, he returned and, after a conflict with a rival chief named Pokia, he established himself at Te Kauhanga (modern Haumoana ) and on Lake Rotoatara (near Te Aute ). After further conflict, he fell in love with Te Huhuti , daughter of Te Rangitaumaha of Te Hika a Ruarauhanga, who married him and ended the feud between the two families. Their courtship is considered to be one of
984-426: The bush surrounding Takutai o Te Rangi and Otara. After picking off the men heading out of the fortress one-by-one, Takutai o Te Rangi was nearly empty and the war party quickly took it. At the same time, other contingents attacked the men digging fern roots at Otatara, in the battle of Aro Aro Tahuri, and the women and children collecting pipi in the battle of Te Roropipi. Pokia, Tahinga, and Te Rangitaumaha of Te Hika
1025-554: The daughter of Te Apunga (a younger brother of his paternal grandfather), and had two daughters: Finally, Hikawera married Te Rangimokai, daughter of Tureia and sister of Te Huki , with whom he had three sons and a daughter: The Hikawera II wharenui at Mangaroa Marae in Bridge Pa is named after Te Hikawera. It is used by the Ngāti Pōporo and Ngāti Rahunga hapū of Ngāti Kahungunu. Te Whatui%C4%81piti Te Whatuiāpiti
1066-426: The dogs were disposed of in the traditional manner in the nearby river, which therefore gained its name. In thanks for his hospitality, the guests gave Te Rangimokai as a wife for Te Hikawera. One of their sons, Te Kereru, was an ancestor of Ngāti Pārau. Until 1931, the lowest part of the Tutaekuri River flowed north, following its original channel (the location of present-day Taradale ) and into Ahuriri Harbour . In
1107-413: The evening and found that there was no way to get to the island where the village was located. So, Te Huhuti swam across the lake, guided in one version by a love song that Te Whatuiāpiti played on his pūtōrino flute, which was called Te Aometikirangi. Initially, Te Whatuiāpiti’s mother, Hinetemoa, bitterly opposed his marriage to Te Huhuti, but she then gave way. The marriage ended the feud between Te Hika
1148-557: The great romances of Māori tradition. Te Whatuiāpiti was the son of Te Hikawera (I) and Hinetemoa. Through his father, he was a descendant of Rākei-hikuroa by his wife Pāpāuma; Kahungunu ; Tamatea Arikinui , the captain of the Tākitimu canoe; and the early explorer Toi . Hinetemoa was a granddaughter of Ngarengare , the ancestor of Ngāti Ngarengare , a hapū of Ngāti Kahungunu based in Wairoa District , who had fled south and married Te Hikawera after her people suffered
1189-462: The house Pakewairangi. Ascend, sir, to the watchtower of the fort And play your love song again. Te Aometikirangi is your flute, sir, It will lead you into the world of light! When Te Huhuti gave birth to her first child, Te Wawahanga, her father Te Rangitaumaha came to Rotoatara in order to perform the tohi baptismal ritual and named the child Wawahanga. He brought a gift of shellfish and eels from Lake Oingo and Lake Runanga , but Te Huhuti
1230-499: The match. In another version, the marriage was a means for Hikawera to stake a claim to Hikateko's lands and this was the reason for Hikateko's reluctance. He followed this up by marrying his son, Te Kereru to Hikateko's daughters, unifying their lines. After Te Hikawera arrived at Oueroa, he married Te Uira i waho and Te Atawhāki, the granddaughters of Kahutapere II. Te Uira i waho was his principal wife and together they had five daughters and three sons: Hikawera later married Tauapare,
1271-478: The raids, but he was defeated, so he sent Hine Te Aorangi to make peace and offer to let Te Whatuiāpiti return to his ancestral lands. Te Whatuiāpiti responded by settling at Pohatunui a Toru in the Ruahine Range and sent a message to Pokia promising him a gift of forty women. Pokia built a house called Mata Kakahi for these women at Tawhitinui, Lake Oingo . When Te Whatuiāpiti sent his uncle Te Aokamiti with
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1312-592: The river to share food and trade. According to Ngāti Te Whatuiāpiti tradition, the river received the name Tūtaekurī , which means "dog-excrement", in commemoration of a feast in the late seventeenth century, when Kaitahi was travelling from Pōrangahau to Oeroa with people from Ngāti Kahungunu , and his cousin Te Hikawera found the travellers en route eating kōuka (shoots of the tī kōuka or cabbage tree). Hikawera invited them to Te Umukuri and feasted them on eels, freshwater mussels , and dogs . The innards of
1353-430: The two apart, because he feared to let his son marry the daughter of a chief who outranked him. As a result of their separation, Whakapakarau became sick and so Hikawera went to Hikateko, who protested that he his son was not sufficiently high-ranking to marry Whakapakarau. Hikawera responded, "Sit down and shut up or I will roast you. Do you want my daughter to die while your son lives?" and Hikateko felt obliged to accept
1394-581: The war party. Te Whatuiāpiti attacked Parehemanihi and fought with great prowess. Te Rangitaumaha’s daughter Te Huhuti was watching the battle from the ramparts and was instantly taken with him. When Te Whatuiāpiti caught sight of her, he was struck by her beauty, and immediately ended the battle and made peace, even though he had been winning. He was invited into the village for dinner and there he secretly slept with Te Huhuti and told her to come to him at Rotoatara. Te Huhuti snuck out of her village and travelled to Lake Rotoatara, but she arrived there late in
1435-422: The winter. At the end of the season, he built a storage hut for his spears and left them in it. However, when he returned the next year, the hut had been burnt down. According to Ngāti Kahungunu, this is how the place came to be called Tarawera (‘burnt spears’). Hikawera's cousin, Kaitahi came from Purangahau to Oeroa with people from Ngāti Kahungunu. Hikawera found the travellers en route, eating kōuka (shoots of
1476-746: The women, Pokia killed them all and led an invasion of the Ruahine range in order to kill Te Whatuiāpiti. He wounded Te Whatuiāpiti and killed his cousin Tumapuhia. Te Whatuiāpiti fled to Pohatunui a Toru, a fortress on top of a rock pinnacle in the Ruahine range, where Pokia was unable to reach him. Te Whatuiāpiti now planned to attack Pokia and Tahinga, at their village, Takutai o te Rangi. His father, Hikawera, persuaded Te Rangiwhakaewa of Rangitane to join this campaign. They found out that Pokia’s people were accustomed to go out to Otatara to dig fern root and gather pipi . Te Whatuiāpiti’s men hid themselves in
1517-605: Was a Māori rangatira (chieftain) of Ngāti Kahungunu from the Hawke’s Bay region of New Zealand and the ancestor of the Ngāti Te Whatuiāpiti hapū . He probably lived in the late 17th century. As a member of Te Hika a Pāpāuma, Te Whatuiāpiti was locked in a multi-generational feud with his cousins in Te Hika a Ruarauhanga. As a result, in his youth he was driven out of the Hawke’s Bay region, finding sanctuary in
1558-405: Was a descendant of Tupurupuru through his grandmother and a prominent chief himself. Therefore, when Kahutapere II grew old, he married his granddaughters Te Uira and Te Atawhāki to Te Hikawera. After the marriage, Kahutapere sent Te Hikawera and Te Uira to Tarawera to oversee the people that he had settled there. On his arrival, a chieftain of Ngāti Manawa , Tangiharuru, came to see Te Hikawera at
1599-428: Was confirmed and peace was made. Te Rangitaumaha of Te Hika a Ruarauhanga invited Te Whatuiāpiti to a feast at his village, Parehemanihi, near Ōmahu . Suspecting a trap, Te Whatuiāpiti sent a group of women with an old man. Te Rangitaumaha was offended, imprisoning the party and planned to cook them. However, a relative of Te Whatuiāpiti in the village snuck into the prison, gave the old man a whale bone mere , and took
1640-573: Was dismayed at the small size of the gift compared to that which she had received from Te Whatuiāpiti, so Te Rangitaumaha gifted Te Huhuti her “elders and brothers” as servants of Wawahanga. Sources differ as to whether this meant her elder brothers, Hinehore, Hikateko, and Taraia (the Ngāti Hineiao hapū) or the Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Ngāwera , Ngāti Te Ao hapū. Different sources also strongly disagree about whether Te Rangitaumaha also gifted large areas of land in
1681-478: Was saved by Tahinga, one of the attackers. When she subsequently gave birth to a boy, Rangiwawahia, she pretended that he was a girl, to prevent her captors from eating him . In Wairarapa, Te Whatuiāpiti developed his military skills by leading attacks on Waingawa (near Masterton ) and Ōtaki (on the Kapiti coast ). He then began to set himself up for a reconquest of Heretaunga. First, he attacked Wainui , fought