Kiwi Tāmaki
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Kiwi Tāmaki (died ) was a
Māori Māori or Maori can refer to: Relating to the Māori people * Māori people of New Zealand, or members of that group * Māori language, the language of the Māori people of New Zealand * Māori culture * Cook Islanders, the Māori people of the Co ...
warrior and paramount chief of the
Waiohua Te Waiohua or Te Wai-o-Hua is a Māori people, Māori iwi (tribe) confederation that thrived in the early 17th century. The rohe (tribal area) was primarily the central Auckland, Tāmaki Makaurau area (the Auckland isthmus) and they had pā (for ...
confederation in
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland ( ; ) is a large metropolitan city in the North Island of New Zealand. It has an urban population of about It is located in the greater Auckland Region, the area governed by Auckland Council, which includes outlying rural areas and ...
(modern-day
Auckland isthmus The Auckland isthmus, also known as the Tāmaki isthmus, is a narrow stretch of land on the North Island of New Zealand in the Auckland Region, and the location of the central suburbs of the city of Auckland and the central business district. ...
). The third generation paramount chief of Waiohua, Kiwi Tāmaki consolidated and extended Waiohua power over Tāmaki Makaurau, making it one of the most prosperous and populated areas of Aotearoa. Kiwi Tāmaki's seat of power was at
Maungakiekie Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill is a volcanic peak and Tūpuna Maunga (ancestral mountain) in Auckland, New Zealand. It is an important place culturally and archeologically for both Māori and . The suburb around the base of the hill is also c ...
, which was the most elaborate
The word pā (; often spelled pa in English) can refer to any Māori people, Māori village or defensive settlement, but often refers to hillforts – fortified settlements with palisades and defensive :wikt:terrace, terraces – and also to fo ...
complex in Aotearoa. Around the year 1740, Kiwi Tāmaki angered
Ngāti Whātua Ngāti Whātua is a Māori iwi (tribe) of the lower Northland Peninsula of New Zealand's North Island. It comprises a confederation of four hapū (subtribes) interconnected both by ancestry and by association over time: Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa ...
tribes to the north-west, by murdering guests at a funeral feast held at South Kaipara. This led the Ngāti Whātua
hapū In Māori language, Māori and New Zealand English, a ' ("subtribe", or "clan") functions as "the basic political unit within Māori society". A Māori person can belong to or have links to many hapū. Historically, each hapū had its own chief ...
Te Taoū Te Taoū is a Māori iwi (tribe) of Northland and the Auckland Region in New Zealand. Together with Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa and Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei, it comprises the iwi (tribe) of Ngāti Whātua. The four iwi can act together or separate ...
to wage war on Kiwi Tāmaki and the Waiohua confederation, defeating him at a battle in the lower Waitākere Ranges. Kiwi Tāmaki's death signalled the end of the Waiohua mandate in Tāmaki Makaurau, and the beginning of a permanent Ngāti Whātua presence on the isthmus. Kiwi Tāmaki's direct descendants through his son Rangimatoru became the chiefs of the
Te Ākitai Waiohua Te Ākitai Waiohua is a Māori iwi of the southern part of the Auckland Region of New Zealand. History Te Ākitai Waiohua are descended from Kiwi Tāmaki, the grandson of Huakaiwaka, himself the ancestor of the Waiohua iwi, who lived in Tāmaki ...
iwi Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...
based in
South Auckland South Auckland ( or ) is one of the major geographical regions of Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. The area is south of the Auckland isthmus, and on the eastern shores of the Manukau Harbour. The area has been populated by Tāmaki M ...
and around the
Manukau Harbour The Manukau Harbour is the second largest natural harbour in New Zealand by area. It is located to the southwest of the Auckland isthmus, and opens out into the Tasman Sea. Geography The harbour mouth is between the northern head ("Burnett ...
, while relatives of Kiwi Tāmaki were married to members of Te Taoū who stayed in the region, eventually becoming the modern
hapū In Māori language, Māori and New Zealand English, a ' ("subtribe", or "clan") functions as "the basic political unit within Māori society". A Māori person can belong to or have links to many hapū. Historically, each hapū had its own chief ...
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei or Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei is an Auckland-based Māori hapū (sub-tribe) in New Zealand. Together with Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa and Te Taoū, it comprises the iwi (tribe) of Ngāti Whātua. These four hapū can act togeth ...
, based on the
Auckland isthmus The Auckland isthmus, also known as the Tāmaki isthmus, is a narrow stretch of land on the North Island of New Zealand in the Auckland Region, and the location of the central suburbs of the city of Auckland and the central business district. ...
and
Waitematā Harbour The Waitematā Harbour is the main access by sea to Auckland, New Zealand. The harbour forms the northern and eastern coasts of the Auckland isthmus and is crossed by the Auckland Harbour Bridge. It is matched on the southern side of the city ...
. Much of what is known about Kiwi Tāmaki is through
Ngāti Whātua Ngāti Whātua is a Māori iwi (tribe) of the lower Northland Peninsula of New Zealand's North Island. It comprises a confederation of four hapū (subtribes) interconnected both by ancestry and by association over time: Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa ...
leader and folklore recorder
Paora Tūhaere Paora Tūhaere ( 1825 – 12 March 1892) was a leader of the Ngāti Whātua Māori iwi (tribe) of Auckland, New Zealand, in the 19th century. His mother was Atareta Tuha, the sister of Ngāti Whātua leader Apihai Te Kawau, and his father was Wha ...
, 19th century court cases in the
Māori Land Court The Māori Land Court () is the specialist court of record in New Zealand that hears matters relating to Māori land. Established in 1865 as the Native Land Court, its purpose was to translate customary communal landholdings into individual ti ...
, and oral traditions from
Tāmaki Māori Tāmaki Māori are Māori ''iwi'' and ''hapū'' (tribes and sub-tribes) who have a strong connection to Tāmaki Makaurau (the Auckland Region), and whose rohe was traditionally within the region. Among Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau (the M ...
tribes including
Te Ākitai Waiohua Te Ākitai Waiohua is a Māori iwi of the southern part of the Auckland Region of New Zealand. History Te Ākitai Waiohua are descended from Kiwi Tāmaki, the grandson of Huakaiwaka, himself the ancestor of the Waiohua iwi, who lived in Tāmaki ...
,
Ngāti Te Ata Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...
and
Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki is a Māori people, Māori tribe that is based in the area around Clevedon, New Zealand, Clevedon, part of the Auckland region (''Tāmaki'' in the Māori language). It is one of the twelve members of the Hauraki Collective ...
.


History


Early life and reign

Kiwi Tāmaki's grandfather Huakaiwaka was the founder of Waiohua, a union between the
Tāmaki Māori Tāmaki Māori are Māori ''iwi'' and ''hapū'' (tribes and sub-tribes) who have a strong connection to Tāmaki Makaurau (the Auckland Region), and whose rohe was traditionally within the region. Among Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau (the M ...
tribes of
Ngā Oho Ngā Oho, also known as Ngā Ohomatakamokamo-o-Ohomairangi, is the name of a historical iwi (tribe) of Māori who settled in the Auckland Region. In the 17th century, Ngā Oho and two other tribes of shared heritage, Ngā Riki and Ngā Iwi, form ...
, Ngā Riki and Ngā Iwi under a single banner. His parents were paramount chief Te Ika-maupoho and Te Tahuri. His mother was from the Waikato tribe
Ngāti Mahuta Ngāti Mahuta is a sub-tribe (or hapū) of the Waikato (iwi), Waikato tribe (or iwi) of Māori people, Māori in the North Island of New Zealand. The territory (rohe) of Ngāti Mahuta is the Kawhia Harbour, Kawhia and Huntly, New Zealand, Hunt ...
, and was a famed agriculturalist, who managed Nga Māra a Tahuri, extensive kūmara (sweet potato) plantations located between
Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill is a volcano, volcanic peak and Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau, Tūpuna Maunga (ancestral mountain) in Auckland, New Zealand. It is an important place culturally and archeologically for both Māori people, Māo ...
and
Onehunga Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland in New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill. Onehunga is ...
. Kiwi Tāmaki was born on
Maungawhau / Mount Eden Maungawhau / Mount Eden is a scoria cone and '' Tūpuna Maunga'' (ancestral mountain) in Mount Eden, Auckland, New Zealand. The cone is part of the Auckland volcanic field, the tallest located on the isthmus. Geography The cone is a dormant vol ...
. When he was a young leader, Kiwi Tāmaki shifted the seat of power of the Waiohua from Maungawhau to Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill. The 46 hectare Maungakiekie
The word pā (; often spelled pa in English) can refer to any Māori people, Māori village or defensive settlement, but often refers to hillforts – fortified settlements with palisades and defensive :wikt:terrace, terraces – and also to fo ...
complex was the largest pā in the Tāmaki Makaurau region. By 1720, Waiohua confederation were thriving under the leadership of Kiwi Tāmaki, and had established pā and
kāinga A kāinga ( southern Māori: ''kaika'' or ''kaik'') is the traditional form of village habitation of pre-European Māori in New Zealand. It was unfortified or only lightly fortified, and over time became less important than the well-fortified ...
at most of the volcanic peaks of the Auckland isthmus and the
Māngere Māngere () is a major suburb in South Auckland, New Zealand, located on mainly flat land on the northeastern shore of the Manukau Harbour, to the northwest of Manukau, Manukau City Centre and south of the Auckland CBD, Auckland city centre. ...
peninsula, including Maungarei / Mount Wellington, Māngere Mountain / Te Pane-o-Mataaho,
Ihumātao Ihumātao is an archaeological site of historic importance in the suburb of Māngere, Auckland. Once a pā site, it stands on the Ihumātao Peninsula, at the base of Ōtuataua, part of the Auckland volcanic field. Its scoria cone reaches above ...
,
Onehunga Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland in New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill. Onehunga is ...
,
Remuera Remuera is an affluent suburb in Auckland, New Zealand. It is located four kilometres southeast of the city centre. Remuera is characterised by many large houses, often Edwardian era, Edwardian or mid 20th century. A prime example of a "leafy ...
, Omahu, Te Umuponga at
Ōrākei Ōrākei is a suburb of Auckland city, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on a peninsula five kilometres to the east of the city centre, on the shore of the Waitematā Harbour, which lies to the north, and Hobson Bay and Ōr ...
,
Kohimarama Kohimarama is a coastal residential Auckland suburb, located to the east of the city. Kohimarama is situated between Mission Bay and St Heliers and has an accessible beach with a boardwalk and green recreational spaces located amongst reside ...
, Taurarua ( Point Resolution in Parnell), Te Tō (
Freemans Bay Freemans Bay is the name of a former bay and now inner city suburb of Auckland, in the North Island of New Zealand. The bay has been filled in to a considerable extent, with the reclamation area now totally concealing the ancient shoreline. Hi ...
),
Rarotonga / Mount Smart Mount Smart ( or ; officially Rarotonga / Mount Smart) is one of the volcanoes and Tūpuna Maunga (ancestral mountain) in the Auckland volcanic field. A century of quarrying removed almost all the 87 meter scoria cone along with extensive ter ...
, Te Tatua-a-Riukiuta / Three Kings and
Ōwairaka / Mount Albert Ōwairaka / Mount Albert, also known as Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura, is a volcanic peak and Tūpuna Maunga (ancestral mountain) which dominates the landscape of the Ōwairaka and Mount Albert suburbs of Auckland. Etymology The main Māori name o ...
. Kiwi Tāmaki primarily stayed at Maungakiekie, but would also shift seasonally between the different pā throughout Tāmaki Makaurau, based on when the harvest times for various seafood, bird and vegetables were. He was based at Māngere during the Manukau Harbour shark season and at Te Tō (Freemans Bay) during the
Waitematā Harbour The Waitematā Harbour is the main access by sea to Auckland, New Zealand. The harbour forms the northern and eastern coasts of the Auckland isthmus and is crossed by the Auckland Harbour Bridge. It is matched on the southern side of the city ...
shark season. During the migratory season of the
kākā The New Zealand kākā (''Nestor meridionalis'') is a large species of parrot of the family New Zealand parrot, Strigopidae found in New Zealand, New Zealand's native forests across the three main Islands of New Zealand. The species is often kn ...
parrot, Kiwi was based at Ngutuwera (in modern-day Chatswood on the North Shore) where birds could be snared in the forested gullies, and at Te Pāhī ( Herald Island). When it was time to preserve the birds, Kiwi Tāmaki moved to Ōwairaka / Mount Albert. The Maungakiekie pā complex (also known as Te Tōtara-i-āhua, after a tōtara tree planted at the peak of the mountain to commemorate the birth of a rangatira) could house as many as 4,000 people. Kiwi Tāmaki's rule is associated with the time of the greatest unity and strength of the Waiohua confederation, and was one of the most prosperous and populated areas of Aotearoa prior to the arrival of Europeans. Kiwi Tāmaki owned a gigantic pahū pounamu, a greenstone gong, that could be heard from across the isthmus as a calling for warriors to assemble, especially in times of war. It was known as Whakarewa-tāhuna ("Lifted from the Banks of the Sea"), and was located at either Maungakiekie or Maungawhau. The gong had been in possession by Tāmaki Māori for generations, however was hidden near Maungawhau during the end of Kiwi Tāmaki's reign and never recovered. Kiwi Tāmaki married Paretutanganui (who descended from the Waiohua hapū Ngāti Te Aua and Ngāti Pare), and together they had a son, Rangimatoru. Kiwi Tāmaki's sister Waikahina (also known as Waikahuia) was married to Mana, a chief of
Te Kawerau ā Maki Te Kawerau ā Maki, Te Kawerau a Maki, or Te Kawerau-a-Maki is a Māori ''iwi'' (tribe) of the Auckland Region of New Zealand. Predominantly based in West Auckland (Hikurangi also known as Waitākere), it had 251 registered adult members as of J ...
, the iwi who primarily resided in West Auckland and the
Waitākere Ranges The Waitākere Ranges is a mountain range in New Zealand. Located in West Auckland, New Zealand, West Auckland between metropolitan Auckland and the Tasman Sea, the ranges and its foothills and coasts comprise some of public and private land. ...
. Together they lived at Mangonui (modern-day Chatswood on the North Shore). Alternatively, according to
Ngāti Tamaoho Ngāti Tamaoho is a Māori iwi (tribe) of Auckland and the Waikato District of New Zealand. It is part of the Waiohua confederation of tribes. They have three marae, which are at Karaka, Mangatangi and Pukekohe. The tribe is a strong support ...
tradition, Waikahina married Noia, a Ngāti Pou chief who settled at Te Maketū (
Drury Drury may refer to: Places * Drury, New Zealand, a town * Drury, a village near Buckley, Flintshire, Wales * Drury, Kansas, United States, an unincorporated community * Drury, a village in Florida, Massachusetts, United States * Drury, Missouri, ...
) in South Auckland, after fleeing the isthmus. Kahutoroa, another sister of Kiwi Tāmaki, married Tautini of
Ngāti Tāhinga Waikato Tainui, Waikato or Tainui is a group of Māori ''iwi'' based in the Waikato Region, in the western central region of New Zealand's North Island. It is part of the larger Tainui confederation of Polynesian settlers who arrived to New Zeal ...
. While there are many explanations for the etymology of
Māori language Māori (; endonym: 'the Māori language', commonly shortened to ) is an Eastern Polynesian languages, Eastern Polynesian language and the language of the Māori people, the indigenous population of mainland New Zealand. The southernmost membe ...
name for Auckland, Tāmaki Makaurau ("Tāmaki of a Hundred Lovers"), one tradition links the name to Kiwi Tāmaki.


Massacre at the Ngāti Whātua funeral feast

Waiohua's relationship with Te Taoū and
Ngāti Whātua Ngāti Whātua is a Māori iwi (tribe) of the lower Northland Peninsula of New Zealand's North Island. It comprises a confederation of four hapū (subtribes) interconnected both by ancestry and by association over time: Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa ...
tribes was complex. The
Kaipara River The Kaipara River drains the area to the northwest of Auckland, New Zealand. It flows north from the northern foothills of the Waitākere Ranges, meandering past the town of Helensville. It is joined by the Kaukapakapa River in its lower tidal ...
area was an unstable borderland between Ngāti Whātua, Te Kawerau ā Maki and Waiohua, which over time intensified, as Ngāti Whātua pushed further south and grew in numbers. Unacceptable killings began a cycle of revenge raids between the parties. Many high-ranking members of Ngāti Whātua were also close relatives of the Waiohua ruling class, such as Tuperiri and Kiwi Tāmaki, who were cousins. One chief of Ngāti Whātua who had ties to both Ngāti Whātua and Waiohua was Te Raraku (of the hapū Ngāti Rongo). Te Raraku was a Ngāti Whātua leader based on the south of the Kaipara River, who fought with Te Taoū over border issues, and led a faction of Ngāti Whātua who were opposed to Te Taoū. Kiwi Tāmaki agreed to support Raraku's cause, as the Waiohua people had suffered historic raids by Ngāti Whātua warriors led by the Tainui warrior Kawharu, and waited for an opportune time. Around the year 1740, Kiwi Tāmaki attended the uhunga (funeral rites) commemorating the death of
Te Taoū Te Taoū is a Māori iwi (tribe) of Northland and the Auckland Region in New Zealand. Together with Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa and Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei, it comprises the iwi (tribe) of Ngāti Whātua. The four iwi can act together or separate ...
rangatira and great warrior Tumupākihi. Tumupākihi was one of the warriors who secured Ngāti Whātua hegemony in the area, pushing Ngā Iwi (Waiohua) residents further south. A memorial feast was held at Waitūoro, close to
Parakai Parakai is a town in the North Island of New Zealand, sited northwest of Auckland, close to the southern extremity of the Kaipara Harbour. Helensville is about to the south-east, and Waioneke is to the north-west. The surrounding area, par ...
and modern-day
Helensville Helensville () is a town in the North Island of New Zealand. It is sited northwest of Auckland, close to the southern extremity of the Kaipara Harbour. State Highway 16 passes through the town, connecting it to Waimauku to the south, and Ka ...
. During the feast, Kiwi Tāmaki and Waiohua forces, assisted by
Ngāi Tai Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...
rangatira Te Rangikaketu, descended on the guests and massacred members of Te Taoū. The deaths included Te Taoū rangatira Te Huru and Te Kaura, Tumupakihi's son Tapuwae, while others including Kahurautao of Ngāti Maru and members of the
Ngāpuhi Ngāpuhi (also known as Ngāpuhi-Nui-Tonu or Ngā Puhi) is a Māori iwi associated with the Northland regions of New Zealand centred in the Hokianga, the Bay of Islands, and Whangārei. According to the 2023 New Zealand census, the estimate ...
hapū Ngāti Rua-Ngaio may have been among the dead. After the massacre, the Waiohua war party travelled to Mimihānui pā, close by along the
Kaipara River The Kaipara River drains the area to the northwest of Auckland, New Zealand. It flows north from the northern foothills of the Waitākere Ranges, meandering past the town of Helensville. It is joined by the Kaukapakapa River in its lower tidal ...
, and murdered Tahatahi and Tangihua, the sisters of the Ngāti Whātua rangatira Tuperiri. They pursued the surviving members of Te Taoū further south to the pā at Te Mākiri (Te Awaroa / Helensville), confronting Tuperiri and Waha-akiaki, two prominent members of Te Taoū who managed to survive. Waha-akiaki was the son of Tumupakihi, who the funeral had been held for. At Te Mākiri, Kiwi Tāmaki and Waha-akiaki exchanged kanga (threatening curses): Rēhua-i-te-rangi is a god of the
Antares Antares is the brightest star in the constellation of Scorpius. It has the Bayer designation α Scorpii, which is Latinisation of names, Latinised to Alpha Scorpii. Often referred to as "the heart of the scorpion", Antares is flanked by ...
associated with the summer, who Kiwi Tāmaki believed resided within his body. After the exchange of threats, Kiwi Tāmaki and the Waiohua war party returned to Tāmaki Makaurau.


War with Te Taoū

The massacre and the extreme breach of Ngāti Whātua manaakitanga (hospitality) were seen as powerful reasons to retaliate against the Waiohua, and a Te Taoū
taua A taua is a war party in the tradition of the Māori, the indigenous people of New Zealand. Contemporary knowledge of taua is gleaned from missionary observations and writings during the Musket Wars of the early 19th century and the later New ...
was formed. The first wave of attacks were by a Te Taoū taua of 100 men raised by Waha-akiaki. This force advanced as far southeast as
Titirangi Titirangi is a suburb of West Auckland, New Zealand, West Auckland in the Waitākere Ranges (local board area), Waitākere Ranges local board area of the city of Auckland in northern New Zealand. It is an affluent, residential suburb located t ...
, defeating Kiwi Tāmaki's forces so badly that Kiwi Tāmaki retreated to the safety of Maungakiekie. Bypassing the pā of the isthmus, the taua travelled to Te Taurere ( Taylors Hill) to the east at the mouth of the
Tāmaki River The Tāmaki River or Tāmaki Estuary is mostly an estuarial arm and harbour of the Hauraki Gulf, within the city of Auckland in New Zealand.
, storming the pā and killing Waiohua chief Takapunga. After further skirmishes, the taua retreated to the Kaipara area, however did not feel that this was enough to compensate for the feast massacre. In retaliation, a Waiohua taua invaded the Kaipara area, killing a number of important Ngāti Whātua chiefs. The second wave of attacks was made by a taua of 240 men, under the joint leadership of Tuperiri, Waha-akiaki and Tuperiri's half-brother Waitaheke, and were intended as a way to entice Kiwi Tāmaki away from the safety of the Maungakiekie pā. The taua travelled south and camped on the Karangahape Peninsula (modern
Cornwallis Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess Cornwallis (31 December 1738 – 5 October 1805) was a British Army officer, Whig politician and colonial administrator. In the United States and United Kingdom, he is best known as one of the leading Britis ...
), constructing rafts made of
raupō ''Typha orientalis'', commonly known as bulrush, cumbungi, or raupō, is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus ''Typha''. It is native to Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, China and th ...
(bulrushes), crossing the
Manukau Heads The Manukau Heads or the Manukau Harbour Heads is the name given to the two promontories that form the entrance to the Manukau Harbour – one of the two harbours of Auckland in New Zealand. The southern head, at the northern tip of Āwhitu Pe ...
overnight and reaching the
Āwhitu Peninsula The Āwhitu Peninsula is a long peninsula in the North Island of New Zealand, extending north from the mouth of the Waikato River to the entrance to Manukau Harbour. The Peninsula is bounded in the west by rugged cliffs over the Tasman Sea, but ...
. The war party launched a surprise attacks on the Āwhitu pā and the powerful Tara-ataua pā at the south of the peninsula, slaughtering the residents. The taua pursued the fleeing occupants as far south as
Papakura Papakura is a suburb of South Auckland, in northern New Zealand. It is located on the shores of the Pahurehure Inlet, approximately south of the Auckland CBD, Auckland City Centre. It is under the authority of the Auckland Council. The ar ...
, and attacked the Puke-Horo-Katoa pā at the north of the peninsula, however were unable to take the pā and retreated across the Manukau Harbour back to the south Waitākere Ranges, regrouping at Paruroa (Big Muddy Creek).


Battle of Te-Rangi-hinganga-tahi

Kiwi Tāmaki, livid at the attacks on the Āwhitu Peninsula, sounded the
pahu The term "pahu" is a general word for drum in Hawaiian culture however, there are a variety of them. To fully understand the "pahu" as it pertains to dance, it's important to consider the following explanation. Since the mid-1800s, the term "h ...
(drum) and pūkaea (war trumpet) of Maungakiekie and surrounding settlements to notify the Waiohua chiefs to assemble for war. Warriors from across Tāmaki joined the war party, including those from Maungekiekie, Te Tātua-o-Riukiuta (Thee Kings),
Ōwairaka / Mount Albert Ōwairaka / Mount Albert, also known as Te Ahi-kā-a-Rakataura, is a volcanic peak and Tūpuna Maunga (ancestral mountain) which dominates the landscape of the Ōwairaka and Mount Albert suburbs of Auckland. Etymology The main Māori name o ...
,
Onehunga Onehunga is a suburb of Auckland in New Zealand and the location of the Port of Onehunga, the city's small port on the Manukau Harbour. It is south of the city centre, close to the volcanic cone of Maungakiekie / One Tree Hill. Onehunga is ...
,
Māngere Māngere () is a major suburb in South Auckland, New Zealand, located on mainly flat land on the northeastern shore of the Manukau Harbour, to the northwest of Manukau, Manukau City Centre and south of the Auckland CBD, Auckland city centre. ...
,
Ihumātao Ihumātao is an archaeological site of historic importance in the suburb of Māngere, Auckland. Once a pā site, it stands on the Ihumātao Peninsula, at the base of Ōtuataua, part of the Auckland volcanic field. Its scoria cone reaches above ...
and Moerangi / Mount Gabriel. The Waiohua war party, numbering between 3,000 and 4,000 warriors compared to Wahiakiaki's 120, descended on the Te Taoū camp at Paruroa, travelling by land and sea. Vastly outnumbered, Waha-akiaki ordered his warriors to adopt a ''hawaiki-pepeke'' strategy, a feigned retreat to draw in the enemy. As the warriors arrived, Waha-akiaki told his brother Waitaheke, "let the bird be drawn into the snare", while they pursued the Te Taoū force further up the creek. Waha-akiaki told the men to continue up the creek until they could see the
Waitematā Harbour The Waitematā Harbour is the main access by sea to Auckland, New Zealand. The harbour forms the northern and eastern coasts of the Auckland isthmus and is crossed by the Auckland Harbour Bridge. It is matched on the southern side of the city ...
(likely close to the site of the modern-day
Arataki Visitor Centre Arataki Visitor Centre is a tourism and education centre in West Auckland, New Zealand, often described as the gateway to the Waitākere Ranges. The centre provides information about the Waitākere Ranges, and organises educational events. Hi ...
on
Scenic Drive, Auckland Scenic Drive is a road that runs through the bush-clad Waitākere Ranges from Titirangi to Swanson on the western outskirts of Auckland, New Zealand. It is part of Auckland urban route 24. As the name indicates, it is famous for the sweeping vie ...
), and when this happened, dropped a hue (calabash bottle) full of oil on the ground as a signal for his men to turn around and attack. Waha-akiaki rushed towards Kiwi Tāmaki, recognisable by his chiefly hair plumes. Both fell to the ground, but during the struggle Waha-akiaki managed to grab his stone
patu A patu is a club or pounder used by the Māori. The word in the Māori language means to strike, hit, beat, kill or subdue. Weapons These types of short-handled clubs were mainly used as a striking weapon. The blow administered with this ...
, striking Kiwi Tāmaki and killing him. His death instantly demoralised the Waiohua force, who fell back towards the Manukau Harbour. While fleeing, many were killed on the seashore, which was the origin of the name of the battle, Te-Rangi-hinganga-tahi ("The Day When All Fell Together"), named so because the large number of corpses desecrated the area and polluted the local shellfish beds. After his death, Kiwi Tāmaki was cut open by the warriors. According to retellings, the God Rēhua-i-te-rangi was found inside of his body, in the shape of a reptile. A Te Taoū warrior consumed the God, however soon died because of eating it. Kiwi Tāmaki's breastbone was taken back to Kaipara and hung upon a tree, as Waha-akiaki had cursed. Tuperiri, unsatisfied that the deaths did not make up for the deaths of his sisters, confronted Waha-akiaki, and together they convinced all Ngāti Whātua hapū to attack the region together.


Aftermath

After the Waiohua hegemony in Tāmaki Makaurau fell, as the Te Taoū war party were easily able to defeat most of the central isthmus pā. Many Waiohua fled to the
Franklin District Franklin District was a New Zealand territorial authorities of New Zealand, territorial authority that lay between the Auckland metropolitan area and the Waikato Plains. As a formal territory, it was abolished on 31 October 2010 and divided be ...
and the
Waikato The Waikato () is a region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipā District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton City, as well as Hauraki, Coromandel Peninsula, the nort ...
, or were enslaved. Te Taoū believed the result of this war was ''take raupatu'' (land right through conquest), and Tuperiri along with most of the Te Taoū contingent stayed on the isthmus, building a pā below the summit of Maungakiekie, which they called Hikurangi. Waiohua remained at locations along the
Waitematā Harbour The Waitematā Harbour is the main access by sea to Auckland, New Zealand. The harbour forms the northern and eastern coasts of the Auckland isthmus and is crossed by the Auckland Harbour Bridge. It is matched on the southern side of the city ...
and at
Māngere Mountain Māngere Mountain, also known by the names Te Pane-o-Mataaho and Te Ara Pueru, is a volcanic cone in Māngere, Auckland. Located within Māngere Domain, it is one of the largest volcanic cones in the Auckland volcanic field, with a peak above ...
. Members of Ngāti Whātua who were not Te Taoū, formed a taua to avenge the deaths of Te Huru and Taura, and attacked the settlements of the twin brother Waiohua chiefs Hupipi and Humataitai. The settlements at
Ōrākei Ōrākei is a suburb of Auckland city, in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located on a peninsula five kilometres to the east of the city centre, on the shore of the Waitematā Harbour, which lies to the north, and Hobson Bay and Ōr ...
,
Kohimarama Kohimarama is a coastal residential Auckland suburb, located to the east of the city. Kohimarama is situated between Mission Bay and St Heliers and has an accessible beach with a boardwalk and green recreational spaces located amongst reside ...
and Taurarua fell over the course of a few days and most residents were slaughtered, before the war party returned to Kaipara. The final battle against Waiohua was held at Māngere Mountain, which Tuperiri took as revenge for the deaths of his sisters. The mountain was the location where many of the Waiohua soldiers regrouped, and as a defense, had strewn pipi shells around the base of the mountain to warn against attacks. Te Taoū warriors covered the pipi shells with dogskin cloaks to muffle the sound, and raided the pā at dawn. The mountain gained the name Te Ara Pueru ("the dogskin cloak path") in reference to this event. It is unclear if storming the Māngere pā occurred immediately after the capture of the isthmus, or many years later. Members of Waiohua who were enslaved or allowed to return to the isthmus intermarried with Te Taoū, eventually forming the hapū known as
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei or Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei is an Auckland-based Māori hapū (sub-tribe) in New Zealand. Together with Te Uri-o-Hau, Te Roroa and Te Taoū, it comprises the iwi (tribe) of Ngāti Whātua. These four hapū can act togeth ...
. Many hapū of Waiohua did not intermarry with Ngāti Whātua, including
Te Ākitai Waiohua Te Ākitai Waiohua is a Māori iwi of the southern part of the Auckland Region of New Zealand. History Te Ākitai Waiohua are descended from Kiwi Tāmaki, the grandson of Huakaiwaka, himself the ancestor of the Waiohua iwi, who lived in Tāmaki ...
,
Ngāti Tamaoho Ngāti Tamaoho is a Māori iwi (tribe) of Auckland and the Waikato District of New Zealand. It is part of the Waiohua confederation of tribes. They have three marae, which are at Karaka, Mangatangi and Pukekohe. The tribe is a strong support ...
and
Ngāti Te Ata Iwi () are the largest social units in New Zealand Māori society. In Māori, roughly means or , and is often translated as "tribe". The word is both singular and plural in the Māori language, and is typically pluralised as such in English. ...
. Despite fighting against Te Taoū, Te Rangikaketu and his Ngāi Tai relatives were allowed to continue to occupy ancestral lands at Mutukaroa / Hamlins Hill,
Rarotonga / Mount Smart Mount Smart ( or ; officially Rarotonga / Mount Smart) is one of the volcanoes and Tūpuna Maunga (ancestral mountain) in the Auckland volcanic field. A century of quarrying removed almost all the 87 meter scoria cone along with extensive ter ...
and
Ōtāhuhu / Mount Richmond Ōtāhuhu / Mount Richmond is volcanic peak and Tūpuna Maunga (ancestral mountain) in the Auckland volcanic field. A group of scoria mounds up to 48 m high, it has two 50 m wide craters. It was the site of a pā, and retains some M ...
, as Te Rangikaketu had warned members of Te Taoū to be armed and wary around Kiwi Tāmaki.


Descendants

Kiwi Tāmaki is considered the progenitor and founding ancestor of
Te Ākitai Waiohua Te Ākitai Waiohua is a Māori iwi of the southern part of the Auckland Region of New Zealand. History Te Ākitai Waiohua are descended from Kiwi Tāmaki, the grandson of Huakaiwaka, himself the ancestor of the Waiohua iwi, who lived in Tāmaki ...
. The chiefs of Te Ākitai Waiohua directly descend from Kiwi Tāmaki through his son Rangimatoru. Kiwi Tāmaki's great-grandson, Ihaka Taka-anini, is the namesake of the
South Auckland South Auckland ( or ) is one of the major geographical regions of Auckland, the largest city in New Zealand. The area is south of the Auckland isthmus, and on the eastern shores of the Manukau Harbour. The area has been populated by Tāmaki M ...
suburb of
Takanini Takanini is a southern suburb of Auckland, New Zealand. It is located on the shores of the Pahurehure Inlet, 28 kilometres southeast of the Auckland CBD. The suburb is home to a Fonterra milk plant, the Addison housing development, as well ...
, while the suburb
Wiri Wiri is a mostly industrial-commercial focused suburb in Auckland, New Zealand. It was formerly part of Manukau City until the merger of all of Auckland's councils into the ' super city' in 2010. The area was named after the chief Takaanini W ...
is named after his great-great-grandson, Te Wirihana Takaanini.


See also

*
Te Waiohua Te Waiohua or Te Wai-o-Hua is a Māori iwi (tribe) confederation that thrived in the early 17th century. The rohe (tribal area) was primarily the central Tāmaki Makaurau area (the Auckland isthmus) and they had pā (fortified settlements) at Te ...


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kiwi Tamaki 18th-century births 18th century in New Zealand 1740s deaths Legendary progenitors 18th-century Māori tribal leaders Monarchs killed in action People from Auckland Te Ākitai Waiohua people Te Waiohua people Year of birth uncertain Year of death uncertain 18th-century monarchs in Oceania