Ngāti Ruanui is a Māori

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. ...

traditionally based in the

Taranaki Taranaki is a regions of New Zealand, region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano Mount Taranaki, Taranaki Maunga, formerly known as Mount Egmont. The main centre is the ...

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 ...

. In the 2006 census, 7,035 people claimed affiliation to the iwi. However, most members now live outside the traditional areas of the iwi.

History

Early history

Ruanui is acknowledged as the eponymous ancestor of the iwi. He was the son of Uenuku-puanake and Tāneroroa. Uenuku came from the ''

Tākitimu ''Tākitimu'' was a ''waka (canoe), waka'' (canoe) with ''whakapapa'' throughout the Pacific Ocean, Pacific particularly with Samoa, the Cook Islands, and New Zealand in ancient times. In several Māori mythology, Māori traditions, the ''Tāk ...

canoe A canoe is a lightweight, narrow watercraft, water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles. In British English, the term ' ...

(although this is contested among mātauranga Māori historians), while Tāneroroa was the daughter of Turi, who came to New Zealand on the '' Aotea'' canoe. Turi originally landed in Aotea Harbour, but eventually settled along the

Pātea River The Pātea River is in Taranaki in the North Island 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 ...

. Over time, Ruanui’s descendants spread across south Taranaki.

Musket Wars

Ngāti Ruanui was heavily involved in tribal wars during the 19th century. In 1816, the iwi was invaded from the north by Ngā Puhi warriors carrying muskets. Over the next few decades, Ngāti Ruanui would come under attack by

Ngāti Toa Ngāti Toa, also called Ngāti Toarangatira or Ngāti Toa Rangatira, is a Māori people, Māori ''iwi'' (tribe) based in the southern North Island and the northern South Island of New Zealand. Ngāti Toa remains a small iwi with a population of ...

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 ...

and the Waikato tribes. Ngāti Ruanui had no defence against the invaders armed with muskets, and many Ngāti Ruanui people were captured as slaves. Others were simply displaced by continuing warfare.

Early social development

Even amidst tribal warfare, Ngāti Ruanui managed to build a successful society. Agriculture provided a stable economy. Ngāti Ruanui workers were employed as labourers in

New Plymouth New Plymouth () is the major city of the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. It is named after the English city of Plymouth, in Devon, from where the first English settlers to New Plymouth migrated. The New Pl ...

. Education and

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

were eagerly embraced.

New Zealand Wars

Ngāti Ruanui were wary of European settlers and their desire for more land. In 1860, when

Te Āti Awa Te Āti Awa or Te Ātiawa is a Māori iwi with traditional bases in the Taranaki and Wellington regions of New Zealand. Approximately 17,000 people registered their affiliation to Te Āti Awa in 2001, with about 10,000 in Taranaki, 2,000 in We ...

engaged in battle with the British Crown, Ngāti Ruanui sent fighters to support them. At least 10 members of Ngāti Ruanui and

Ngāruahine Ngāruahine is a Māori people, Māori iwi of New Zealand located in South Taranaki, North Island. Treaty settlement A Treaty of Waitangi claims and settlements, treaty settlement was signed with the Crown in 2014. Following ratification of the ...

died during the

First Taranaki War The First Taranaki War (also known as the North Taranaki War) was an armed conflict over land ownership and sovereignty that took place between Māori people, Māori and the Colony of New Zealand in the Taranaki region of New Zealand's North Is ...

, mostly during the defense of Waireka on 28 March 1860, including Te Rei Hanataua, chief of Tāngahoe hapū. In retaliation, in 1865 and 1866, Crown troops invaded south Taranaki, destroying fortifications and villages. In 1868, notable resistance was provided by the tribal leader

Tītokowaru Riwha Tītokowaru (born Riwha, 1823– 18 August 1888) was a Taranaki Māori rangatira, military commander, general and religious leader. He is considered to be one of the most capable and influential military strategists in New Zealand hist ...

against Crown troops approaching from the south. Amongst

settlers the iwi was known as 'Ngāti Ruin-Ruin Us' for the effectiveness of their attacks. But within a few years, Ngāti Ruanui had lost most of its land, displacing more Māori from their traditional lands.

Ngāti Ruanui today

Deed of Settlement

In 1996, the Waitangi Tribunal determined that the Crown had acted unfairly in its conflict with Ngāti Ruanui. A settlement between the New Zealand Government and Ngāti Ruanui was reached in 2001, which was passed into law in 2003. In summary: *The New Zealand Government issued a formal apology to Ngāti Ruanui for the actions of Crown troops during the Taranaki Wars, and for subsequent land confiscation *The Government acknowledged cultural association of Ngāti Ruanui with geographical areas in Taranaki, and will consult with the iwi regarding relevant uses within designated areas *Four areas of significance to Ngāti Ruanui, totalling approximately 10 hectares, were returned to the iwi.

Administration

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui is the governing body of the iwi. The Rūnanga manages the assets of the iwi, and represents the iwi in political consultations with the New Zealand Government.

Radio station

Te Korimako O Taranaki is the radio station of Ngāti Ruanui and other

Taranaki region Taranaki is a region in the west of New Zealand's North Island. It is named after its main geographical feature, the stratovolcano Taranaki Maunga, formerly known as Mount Egmont. The main centre is the city of New Plymouth. The New Plymouth ...

iwi, including

Ngāti Tama Ngāti Tama is a Māori people, Māori iwi, tribe of New Zealand. Their origins, according to oral tradition, date back to Tama Ariki, the chief navigator on the Tokomaru (canoe), Tokomaru waka (canoe), waka. Their historic region is in north Tar ...

, Te Atiawa, Ngāti Maru,

Ngāti Mutunga Ngāti Mutunga is a Māori iwi (tribe) of New Zealand, whose original tribal lands were in north Taranaki. They migrated, first to Wellington (with Ngāti Toa and other Taranaki hapū), and then to the Chatham Islands (along with Ngāti Tama) ...

, Ngā Rauru Kītahi. It started at the Bell Block campus of Taranaki Polytechnic in 1992, and moved to the Spotswood campus in 1993. It is available on across Taranaki.

Notable people

* Te Manihera Poutama ( -1847) * Te Rei Hanataua ( -1860) * Ngawaka Taurua ( -1888) * Riwha Tītokowaru (1823–1888) * Hone Pihama ( -1890) * Wiremu Hukunui Manaia ( -1892) * Sophia Hinerangi (1834–1911) * Tamati Hone Oraukawa (fl. 1848–1869) * Darcy Nicholas (1945- ) * Dalvanius Prime (1948–2002) * Claudette Hauiti (1961- )

References

External links

Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ngati Ruanui Taranaki