Waikato Tainui, Waikato or Tainui is a group of

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 ...

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 the

Waikato Region The Waikato () is a Regions of New Zealand, region of the upper North Island of New Zealand. It covers the Waikato District, Waipā District, Matamata-Piako District, South Waikato District and Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton City, as well as ...

, in the western central region of

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

North Island The North Island ( , 'the fish of Māui', historically New Ulster) is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, islands of New Zealand, separated from the larger but less populous South Island by Cook Strait. With an area of , it is the List ...

. It is part of the larger

Tainui Tainui is a tribal waka (canoe), waka confederation of New Zealand Māori people, Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki Māori, Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapo ...

confederation of Polynesian settlers who arrived to New Zealand on the Tainui '' waka'' (migration canoe). The tribe is named after the

Waikato River The Waikato River is the longest river in New Zealand, running for through the North Island. It rises on the eastern slopes of Mount Ruapehu, joining the Tongariro River system and flowing through Lake Taupō, New Zealand's largest lake. It th ...

, which plays a large part in its history and culture.

Pōtatau Te Wherowhero Pōtatau Te Wherowhero (died 25 June 1860) was a Māori people, Māori rangatira who reigned as the inaugural Māori King Movement, Māori King from 1858 until his death. A powerful nobleman and a leader of the Waikato (iwi), Waikato iwi of the ...

, the first

Māori king 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 ...

, was a member of the Ngāti Mahuta hapu (sub-tribe) of Waikato iwi, and his descendants have succeeded him. The king movement is based at

Tūrangawaewae Tūrangawaewae () is a marae and a royal residence in Ngāruawāhia, Waikato, New Zealand. It is the official residence of the Māori monarch and the administrative headquarters of the Kīngitanga movement. Of its numerous buildings, the two ...

marae A ' (in Māori language, New Zealand Māori, Cook Islands Māori, Tahitian language, Tahitian), ' (in Tongan language, Tongan), ' (in Marquesan language, Marquesan) or ' (in Samoan language, Samoan) is a communal or sacred place that serves reli ...

(meeting place) in

Ngāruawāhia Ngāruawāhia () is a town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. It is located north-west of Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton at the confluence of the Waikato River, Waikato and Waipā Rivers, adjacent to the Hakarimata Rang ...

. The Waikato-Tainui iwi comprises 33

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 ...

(sub-tribes) and 68 marae (family groupings), with a population of over 80,000 tribal members who affiliate to it. In the

2023 New Zealand census The 2023 New Zealand census, which took place on 7 March 2023, was the thirty-fifth national census in New Zealand. It implemented measures that aimed to increase the Census' effectiveness in response to the issues faced with the 2018 census, i ...

, 47,664 people gave Waikato as an affiliation. Hamilton City is now the tribe's largest population centre, but Ngāruawāhia remains its historical centre and modern capital.

Government

Waikato-Tainui's governing parliamentary body is

Te Kauhanganui The Whakakitenga, formerly known as the Kauhanganui, is the governing council of the Waikato Tainui tribal confederation in New Zealand. It is structured as a Bicameralism, bicameral parliament, and members are elected for three year terms, wit ...

, a governing body of 204 tribal members – 3 members from each of the 68 marae. The marae are spread over a large area from

Te Kūiti Te Kūiti is a town in the north of the King Country region of the North Island of New Zealand. It lies at the junction of New Zealand State Highway 3, State Highways 3 and New Zealand State Highway 30, 30 and on the North Island Main Trunk rail ...

and

Cambridge Cambridge ( ) is a List of cities in the United Kingdom, city and non-metropolitan district in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It is the county town of Cambridgeshire and is located on the River Cam, north of London. As of the 2021 Unit ...

in the south to

Auckland 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 ...

in the north. The executive board is

Te Arataura Te Arataura is the executive board of the Kauhanganui, the legislative council of the Waikato Tainui. It has 10 representatives elected from Te Kauhanganui and an 11th member appointed by the Māori king. The Waikato-Tainui tribal administratio ...

, which has 10 representatives elected from Te Kauhanganui and an 11th member appointed by the Māori king. The Waikato-Tainui tribal administration (or iwi authority) is the Waikato Raupatu Trustee Company Ltd, which replaced the Tainui Māori Trust Board, and is situated at Hopuhopu, Ngāruawāhia. The Waikato iwi has been using the name ''Tainui'' to describe itself for some time, through the establishment of the Tainui Māori Trust Board by the

Waikato-Maniapoto Maori Claims Settlement Act 1946 The Waikato-Maniapoto Maori Claims Settlement Act 1946 was an act passed by the New Zealand Parliament on 7 October 1946. The act sought to redress the confiscation of Māori lands in the Waikato District that had been taken under the New Ze ...

, with many people now referring to the Waikato iwi as "Tainui" or "Waikato-Tainui". There have traditionally been strong links between Tainui and the

University of Waikato The University of Waikato (), established in 1964, is a Public university, public research university located in Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton, New Zealand. An additional campus is located in Tauranga. The university performs research in nume ...

, which has strengths in

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 ...

and modern local history. The university also holds documents and objects related to the tribe.

Hapū and marae

Waikato Tainui is made up of several ''

'' (tribes) and ''

(sub-tribes). Each tribal group has ''

'' (meeting grounds), which usually includes a ''

wharenui A wharenui (; literally "large house") is a communal house of the Māori people of New Zealand, generally situated as the focal point of a ''marae''. Wharenui are usually called meeting houses in New Zealand English, or simply called ''wikt:wh ...

'' (meeting house).

Ngāti Mahuta

The hāpu of

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 ...

is associated with 20 marae: * 1 in Māngere Bridge:

Te Puea Memorial Marae Te Puea Memorial Marae is a marae located in Māngere Bridge (suburb), Māngere Bridge, Auckland, New Zealand. Opened in 1965, it was the first urban marae in Auckland, built for all Māori instead of a specific iwi, but in particular as a commu ...

* 3 near

Te Kauwhata Te Kauwhata is a small town in the north of the Waikato region of New Zealand, situated close to the western shore of Lake Waikare, some 40 km north of Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton and approximately 58 km south of Manukau City. Th ...

: Ōkarea marae, Taniwha marae and Matahuru Papakainga marae * 1 in

Rangiriri Rangiriri is a rural community in the Waikato District and Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located on the Waikato River near Lake Waikare in the Waikato District. State Highway 1 now bypasses Rangiriri. Rangiriri was the s ...

: Horahora marae * 4 in and around

Huntly Huntly ( or ''Hunndaidh'') is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, formerly known as Milton of Strathbogie or simply Strathbogie. It had a population of 4,460 in 2004 and is the site of Huntly Castle. Its neighbouring settlements include Keith ...

: Te Ōhākī marae, Kaitumutumu marae, Te Kauri marae and Waahi marae * 3 in and around

: Taupiri marae, Waikeri–Tangirau marae, and Tūrangawaewae marae * 1 near

Te Awamutu Te Awamutu is a town in the Waikato, Waikato region in the North Island of New Zealand. It is the council seat of the Waipā District and serves as a service town for the farming communities which surround it. Te Awamutu is located some south ...

: Te Kōpua marae * 3 around

Aotea Harbour Aotea Harbour () is a settlement and smallest of three large natural inlets in the Tasman Sea coast of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located between Raglan Harbour to the north and Kawhia Harbour to the south, 30 kilom ...

: Mōtakotako (Taruke) marae, Te Papatapu (Te Wehi) marae and Te Tihi o Moerangi marae * 4 around

Kawhia Harbour Kawhia Harbour () is one of three large natural inlets in the Tasman Sea coast of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is located to the south of Raglan Harbour, Ruapuke and Aotea Harbour, 40 kilometres southwest of Hamilton, Ne ...

: Maketū marae, Ōkapu marae, Āruka marae and Te Kōraha marae

Ngāti Hikairo

The iwi of Ngāti Hikairo is associated with 4 marae: * 3 around

: Waipapa Marae (hapū: Ngāti te uru, Ngāti Pokaia, Te Whanau pani, Ngāti Horotakere), Mokai kainga marae (hapū: Ngāti Te Mihinga, Ngāti Paretaiko), Kaiewe marae (hapū: Ngāti Puhiawe, Ngāti Hineue) * 1 in Pirongia at Purekireki marae

Ngāti Te Wehi

The iwi of Ngāti Te Wehi is associated with 11 marae: * 4 marae around

: Ookapu marae, Mōtakotako (Taruke) marae, Te Papatapu (Te Wehi) marae and Te Tihi o Moerangi marae * 4 marae around

:Raakaunui marae, Maketū marae, Āruka marae and Te Kōraha marae * 2 marae in

: Tūrangawaewae marae and Waikeri – Tangirau marae

Ngāti Kuiaarangi, Ngāti Tai and Ngāti Whāwhākia

The hapū of Ngāti Tai, Ngāti Kuiaarangi and Ngāti Whāwhākia are associated with 8 marae: * 4 marae in and around

: Kaitumutumu marae, Te Kauri marae, Waahi marae and Te Ōhākī marae * 2 marae near

: Ōkarea marae and Taniwha marea in Waeranga * 1 marae in Māngere Bridge:

* 1 marae in

Taupiri Taupiri is a small town of about 500 people on the eastern bank of the Waikato River in the Waikato District of New Zealand. It is overlooked by Taupiri mountain, the sacred burial ground for the Waikato tribes of the Māori people, located ...

: Taupiri marae

Tainui

The hapū of Tainui is associated with 7 marae: * 4 marae east of

: Te Ākau marae, Pukerewa marae, Te Poho o Tanikena marae and Weraroa marae * 2 marae around

Raglan Harbour Raglan ( or ) is a small beachside town located west of Hamilton, New Zealand on State Highway 23. It is known for its surfing, and volcanic black sand beaches. History The Ngāti Māhanga iwi occupied the area around Raglan in the late ...

: Poihākena marae and Te Kōpua marae * 1 marae around

: Mōtakotako (Taruke) marae

Ngāti Tāhinga

The hapū of Ngāti Tāhinga is associated with 6 marae: * 2 marae in

Port Waikato Port Waikato is a New Zealand town that sits on the south bank of the Waikato River, at its outflow into the Tasman Sea, in the northern Waikato. Port Waikato is a well-known surfing and whitebaiting destination and a popular holiday spot. ...

: Ngāti Tāhinga marae and Pakau marae * 4 marae west of

: Pukerewa, Te Ākau, Te Poho o Tanikena and Weraroa

Ngāti Apakura

The hapū of Ngāti Apakura is associated with 6 marae: * 3 marae around

Pirongia Pirongia is a small town in the Waipā District of the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. It is 12 kilometres to the west of Te Awamutu, on the banks of the Waipā River, close to the foot of the 962 metre Mount Pirongia, which lies i ...

: Pūrekireki marae, Hīona marae and Te Kōpua * 1 marae in

Ōtorohanga Ōtorohanga is a north King Country town in the Waikato region in the North Island of New Zealand. It is located south of Hamilton, New Zealand, Hamilton and north of Te Kūiti, on the Waipā River. It is a service town for the surrounding Da ...

: Kahotea marae * 1 marae in

: Te Tokanganui a Noho

Ngāti Tiipa and Ngāti Āmaru

The hāpu of Ngāti Tiipa and Ngāti Āmaru are associated with 6 marae: * 2 marae in

Tuakau Tuakau () is a town in the Waikato region at the foot of the Bombay Hills, formerly part of the Franklin District until 2010, when it became part of Waikato District in the North Island of New Zealand. The town serves to support local farming, ...

: Ngā Tai e Rua marae and Tauranganui marae * 4 marae at

: Pakau marae, Te Awamārahi marae, Te Kotahitanga marae and Tikirahi marae

Ngāti Hauā

The hāpu of Ngāti Hauā is associated with 5 marae: * 3 marae in and around

Morrinsville Morrinsville () is a provincial town in the Waikato region of New Zealand's North Island. Morrinsville is a service town for the local dairy industry; the area surrounding the town has the highest concentration of dairy cattle in New Zealand. ...

: Kai a Te Mata marae, Raungaiti mare and Rukumoana marae * 2 marae in

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: * Alexander Hamilton (1755/1757–1804), first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States * ''Hamilton'' (musical), a 2015 Broadway musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda ** ''Hamilton'' (al ...

: Te Iti a Hauā (Tauwhare) marae and Waimakariri marae

Ngāti Korokī and Ngāti Raukawa

The hapū of Ngāti Korokī and Ngāti Raukawa are associated with 5 marae: * 2 marae south-east of

: Rāwhitiroa (Ōwairaka) marae in Parawera and Aotearoa marae in Wharepapa South * 2 marae near

Lake Karapiro Lake Karapiro () is an artificial reservoir lake on the Waikato River at Karapiro, south-east of Cambridge, New Zealand, Cambridge in New Zealand's North Island. The lake was formed in 1947 by the damming of the Waikato River to store water for ...

: Maungatautari marae in Maungatautari and Pōhara marae in Arapuni * 1 marae near

Tokoroa Tokoroa is the fourth-largest town in the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand and largest settlement in the South Waikato District. Located 30 km southwest of Rotorua and 20 km south of Putāruru, close to the foot of th ...

: Ngātira marae in Kinleith

Ngāti Māhanga and Ngāti Tamainupō

The hapū of Ngāti Māhanga and Ngāti Tamainupō are associated with 4 marae: * 2 marae around

: Te Kaharoa (Aramiro) in Raglan and Waingaro marae in Waingaro * 2 marae near

Whatawhata Whatawhata, previously also spelt Whata Whata, is a small town in the Waikato region on the east bank of the Waipā River, at the junction of New Zealand State Highway 23, State Highways 23 and New Zealand State Highway 39, 39, from Hamilton, N ...

: Ōmaero marae and Te Papa o Rotu (Te Oneparepare) marae

Ngāi Tai, Ngāti Koheriki, and Ngāti Tamaoho

The hapū of Ngāi Tai, Ngāti Koheriki, and Ngāti Tamaoho are associated with 5 marae: * Marae Kirikiri marae in

Pōkeno Pōkeno is a small town in the Waikato District of the Waikato region in New Zealand, southeast of Auckland, from Tuakau and from Mercer, New Zealand, Mercer. State Highway 1 (New Zealand), State Highway 1 originally ran through the town, but ...

* Tamaoho marae in

Mangatangi Mangatangi is a locality about 7 km east of Mangatāwhiri and 10.5 km west of Miranda in the Waikato District in the North Island of New Zealand. Mangatangi Reservoir in the Hunua Ranges to the north was created by the Mangatangi Dam, a rol ...

* Ngā Hau e Whā marae in

Pukekohe Pukekohe is a town in the Auckland Region of the North Island of New Zealand. The town is located at the southern edge of the Auckland Region, between the southern shore of the Manukau Harbour and the mouth of the Waikato River. The hills of Puke ...

* Umupuia marae in

Clevedon Clevedon (, ) is a seaside town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the unitary authority of North Somerset, England. It recorded a parish population of 21,281 in the United Kingdom Census 2011, estimated at 21,442 in 2019. It lies ...

* Whātāpaka marae in Karaka

Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Naho and Ngāti Pou

The hapū of Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Naho and Ngāti Pou are associated with 4 marae: * Waikare marae at

* Horahora marae at

* Matahuru Papakainga marae at Ohinewai * Maurea marae at Te Ōhakī

Ngāti Te Ata and Ngāti Paretaua

The hapū of Ngāti Te Ata and Ngāti Paretaua are associated with 4 marae: * 2 marae in

Waiuku Waiuku is a rural town in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. It is located at the southern end of the Waiuku River, which is an estuary, estuarial arm of the Manukau Harbour, and lies on the isthmus of the Āwhitu Peninsula, which extends to th ...

: Reretēwhioi marae and Tāhuna marae

Ngāti Taratikitiki

The hapū of Ngāti Te Ata and Ngāti Paretaua are associated with 4 marae: * 1 marae in

: Waikare marae * 1 marae in

: Horahora marae * 2 marae east of

: Maurea marae and Te Poho o Tanikena marae

Ngāti Makirangi

The hapū of Ngāti Makirangi has no marae of its own, but is associated with 4 marae: * 2 marae near

: Hukanui marae and Tauhei marae * 1 marae near

: Waiti (Raungaunu) marae * 1 marae near Tahuna: Hoe o Tainui marae

Ngaati Wairere

Ngaati Wairere is associated with 2 marae: * Hukanui marae north of

* Tauhei marae north of

Other hapū

* Ngāti Ngutu, based at Mangatoatoa marae in Te Awamutu and Rākaunui marae near Kawhia * Ngāti Paretekawa, based at Mangatoatoa marae in Te Awamutu and Rākaunui marae in Hauturu * Ngāti Pātupō * Ngāti Puhiawe, based at Waipapa marae in Kawhia * Ngāti Ruru, based at Pārāwera marae near Te Awamutu * Ngāti Werokoko, based at Pārāwera marae near Te Awamutu *

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 ...

, based at Makaurau marae in Mangere

References

External links

Official website of Waikato TainuiOfficial site of Tainui Group Holdings
the tribe's commercial arm {{Iwi Iwi and hapū