Te Whānau-ā-Apanui is 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 ...

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. ...

(

tribe The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide use of the term in English is in the discipline of anthropology. The definition is contested, in part due to conflict ...

) located in the eastern

Bay of Plenty The Bay of Plenty () is a large bight (geography), bight along the northern coast of New Zealand's North Island. It stretches from the Coromandel Peninsula in the west to Cape Runaway in the east. Called ''Te Moana-a-Toitehuatahi'' (the Ocean ...

and East Coast regions of New Zealand's

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 ...

. In 2006, the iwi registered 11,808 members, representing 13

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 ...

History

Early history

During the 17th century, Apanui acquired vast amounts of land along the East Coast of the North Island. Through familial connection, he acquired land from

Ngāti Porou Ngāti Porou is a Māori iwi traditionally located in the East Cape and Gisborne regions of the North Island of New Zealand. It has the second-largest affiliation of any iwi, behind Ngāpuhi, with an estimated 102,480 people according to the ...

and Ngāriki. He was given land extending from Pōtikirua to Puketapu, and from Taumata-ō-Apanui Hawai; the land in between was later won through conquest.

Modern history

Relations with Europeans were not generally hostile. Early European settlers showed little interest in the isolated region, which lacked deep-water harbours for shipping. However, visiting Europeans taught Te Whānau-ā-Apanui the skills of

whaling Whaling is the hunting of whales for their products such as meat and blubber, which can be turned into a type of oil that was important in the Industrial Revolution. Whaling was practiced as an organized industry as early as 875 AD. By the 16t ...

and commercial

agriculture Agriculture encompasses crop and livestock production, aquaculture, and forestry for food and non-food products. Agriculture was a key factor in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created ...

. Both areas become major economic industries for the iwi in the early 20th century, and profits were directed into community development projects. During the 1980s, the iwi experienced economic decline with the loss of major transport services, privatization of state assets and the eventual economic unfeasibility of its small-scale farming operations. This resulted in some emigration of iwi members from traditional tribal homelands. There are three groups that have competed at The Matatini from Te Whānau a Apanui: Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau a Apanui (3x Champions 2005, 2015 and 2023), Tutawake and Tauira-mai-tawhiti.

Hapū and marae

The ''iwi'' (tribe) consists of 13 ''hapū'' (sub-tribes). Each is associated with a ''

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 ...

'' (communal ground) and ''

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). Ki * Te Whānau a Haraawaka, of Tunapahore marae and Haraawaka wharenui * Te Whānau a Hikarukutai, of Maraenui marae and Te Iwarau wharenui * Te Whānau a Kahurautao, of Pāhāōa and Kahurautao wharenui * Te Whānau a Kaiaio, of Maungaroa marae and Kaiaio wharenui * Te Whānau a Kauaetangohia, of Whangaparāōa marae and Kauaetangohia / Te Putahou wharenui * Te Whānau a Maruhaeremuri, of Wairūrū marae and Hinemahuru / Mihi Kotukutuko wharenui * Te Whānau a Nuku, of Ōmāio marae and Rongomaihuatahi wharenui * Te Whānau a Pararaki, of Te Maru o Hinemaka marae and Pararaki wharenui * Te Whānau a Rutaia, of Ōtūwhare marae and Te Poho o Rūtāia wharenui, and Rongohaere marae and Rongohaere wharenui * Te Whānau a Tapaeururangi, of Pōtaka marae and Te Ēhutu / Te Pae o Ngā Pakanga wharenui * Te Whānau a Te Ēhutu, of Te Kaha marae and Tūkākī wharenui * Te Whānau a Toihau / Hiinetekahu, of Waiōrore marae and Toihau wharenui * Te Whānau a Tutawake, of Whitianga marae and Tūtawake wharenui

Governance

Te Rūnanga o te Whānau

Te Rūnanga o te Whānau represents Te Whānau a Apanui during resource consent applications under the Resource Management Act, but forwards each application on to the directly affected hapū. It is based on Te Kaha, and governed by representatives from at least ten hapū. The charitable trust is involved in social services and local economic development. It manages a fisheries operation, and invests in the development of local

forestry Forestry is the science and craft of creating, managing, planting, using, conserving and repairing forests and woodlands for associated resources for human and Natural environment, environmental benefits. Forestry is practiced in plantations and ...

and other industries. Its Cyberwaka rural community project provides

information technology Information technology (IT) is a set of related fields within information and communications technology (ICT), that encompass computer systems, software, programming languages, data processing, data and information processing, and storage. Inf ...

training.

Negotiations team

The Crown has recognised Te Whānau a Apanui Negotiations Team to represent the iwi during

Treaty of Waitangi The Treaty of Waitangi (), sometimes referred to as ''Te Tiriti'', is a document of central importance to the history of New Zealand, Constitution of New Zealand, its constitution, and its national mythos. It has played a major role in the tr ...

settlement negotiations. The terms of the negotiation were signed with the Crown in September 2017.

Local government

The tribal area of the iwi is within the territory of the

Ōpōtiki District Council Ōpōtiki District Council or Opotiki District Council () is the territorial authority for the Ōpōtiki District of New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses� ...

. It is also within the wider territory of

Bay of Plenty Regional Council Bay of Plenty Regional Council () is the administrative body responsible for overseeing regional land use, environmental management and civil defence in the Bay of Plenty Region of New Zealand's North Island. It was founded as part of the 1989 N ...

Media

Sea 92FM

Pan-tribal

station

Sea 92FM A sea is a large body of salt water. There are particular seas and the sea. The sea commonly refers to the ocean, the interconnected body of seawaters that spans most of Earth. Particular seas are either marginal seas, second-order sections ...

broadcasts to members of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Te Whakatōhea and

Ngāitai Ngāitai is a Māori ''iwi'' (tribe) centred around Tōrere in the eastern Bay of Plenty of New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () ...

in the

Ōpōtiki Ōpōtiki (; from ''Ōpōtiki-Mai-Tawhiti'') is a town in the eastern Bay of Plenty in the North Island of New Zealand. It houses the headquarters of the Ōpōtiki District Council, the mayor of Ōpōtiki and comes under the Bay of Plenty Region ...

area. It is operated by pan-tribal service provider Whakaatu Whanaunga Trust, and is available on . It operates the low-power Opotiki 88.1 FM, geared towards a young demographic.

Boy (Movie)

In 2010,

Taika Waititi Taika David Cohen (born 16 August 1975), known professionally as Taika Waititi ( ), is a New Zealand filmmaker, actor, and comedian. Known for quirky comedy films and expanding his career as a voice actor and producer on numerous projects, he ...

directed and acted in ''

Boy A boy is a young male human. The term is commonly used for a child or an adolescent. When a male human reaches adulthood, he is usually described as a man. Definition, etymology, and use According to the ''Merriam-Webster Dictionary'', a boy ...

'', a film based in Te Whānau-ā-Apanui.

Notable people

Mihi Kōtukutuku Stirling Mihi Kōtukutuku Stirling (1870–1956) was a New Zealand Māori tribal leader and prominent landowner in the Raukokore district. She was a member of the Ngāti Porou and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui . Life Mihi Kōtukutuku was born in Pohaturoa, Bay ...

Māori tribal leader and orator * Dr Rina Winifred Moore, first female Māori doctor * Ākenehi Hei, Māori district nurse, midwife, first Māori to become a qualified nurse * Fanny Howie, singer and composer * Tame Poata, tohunga moko, master moko artist * Karauria Tiweka Anaru, New Zealand interpreter, law clerk, local politician and community leader *

Hoani Waititi Hoani Retimana Waititi (12 April 1926 – 30 September 1965) was a notable New Zealand teacher, educationalist and community leader. Of Māori people, Māori descent, he identified with the Te Whānau-ā-Apanui iwi. He was born in Whangapar ...

, educationalist and community leader * Archbishop Brown Turei, Bishop of Aotearoa – the Tikanga Māori Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in New Zealand, Aotearoa and Polynesia. * Major John Hikitia Te Rangi Waititi, army commander of the 28th Maori Battalion (C Company) * Roka Paora, Māori language expert, translator, author and educator * Wiremu Karuwha Tawhai, educator and actor * Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa Ngarimu, first Māori recipient of the

Victoria Cross for New Zealand The Victoria Cross for New Zealand (VC; ) is a military decoration awarded for valour or gallantry in the presence of the enemy to members of the New Zealand Defence Force, New Zealand Armed Forces. It may be awarded to a person of any Military ...

medal, 28th Maori Battalion (C Company) *

Willie Apiata Bill Henry "Willie" Apiata, VC (born 28 June 1972) is an honorary warrant officer class one in the New Zealand Army Reserve Forces. As a corporal in the New Zealand Special Air Service, he became the first recipient of the Victoria Cross for N ...

, second Māori recipient of the

medal * Sir Monita Delamere, rugby player (

Māori All Blacks The Māori All Blacks, previously called the New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Maoris and New Zealand Natives, are a rugby union team from New Zealand. They are a representative team of the New Zealand Rugby Union, and a prerequisite for playing is ...

), Ringatū faith leader and community leader * Dame June Mariu (née Waititi), first Māori captain and first winning captain of the Silver Ferns, Māori community leader, educator and sportswoman * Sir Wira Gardiner, soldier, public servant, and writer * Cliff Whiting, artist * Dean Whiting, artist and restoration expertHelen Robinson (2005), 'Cliff and Dean Whiting: Reviving Restoration', ''Heritage New Zealand'', Winter 2005, p.46 * Paratene Matchitt, sculptor and painter * Roka Ngarimu-Cameron, master weaver *

Taiarahia Black Taiarahia Black is a New Zealand academic, who rose to a full professor at the Massey University. Academic career After completing an undergraduate degree at the University of Waikato, he moved to Massey in 1981. His PhD '' 'Kāore te aroha- ...

, academic, professor and father of Otere Black * George Gage, Ringatū faith leader * Albert Oliphant Stewart, tribal leader, law clerk, interpreter, local politician, rate collector * Rona Hurley, tobacco grower and buyer * Anne Delamere, New Zealand public servant * Pae Ruha, Māori leader, educator *

Witi Ihimaera Witi Tame Ihimaera-Smiler (; born 7 February 1944) is a New Zealand author. Raised in the small town of Waituhi, he decided to become a writer as a teenager after being convinced that Māori people, Māori people were ignored or mischaracteri ...

, author, writer, academic * Pāora Kīngi Delamere, Ringatū faith leader, carpenter, boat builder, farmer * Heta Hingston, lawyer, jurist, judge of the Māori Land Court 1984–1999, and Chief Justice of Niue until 2010 * Tuariki Delamere, former politician (Minister of Immigration, Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Associate Minister of Finance, and Associate Minister of Health) * Claudette Hauiti, politician *

Rawiri Waititi Rawiri Wikuki Waititi (born 17 October ) is a New Zealand politician and iwi leader. He has been co-leader of Te Pāti Māori since 2020, alongside Debbie Ngarewa-Packer. He has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for since 2020, when his ...

, politician, co-leader of

Te Pāti Māori (), also known as the Māori Party, is a left-wing political party in New Zealand advocating Māori people, Māori rights. With the exception of a handful of New Zealand electorates#Electorates in the 53rd Parliament, general electorates, co ...

, filmmaker * Tweedie Waititi, filmmaker * Ainsley Gardiner, film producer * Riwia Brown, playwright and screenwriter *

Whirimako Black Barbara Whirimako Black (born ) is a New Zealand Māori people, Māori recording artist and actress. Black sings mostly in the Māori language, uses traditional Māori musical forms and collaborates with traditional taonga pūoro instruments. ...

, musician * Rob Ruha, musician, weaver, artist *

Maisey Rika Maisey Rika is a New Zealand singer, songwriter and composer, performing in both English and Māori language, Māori. Her five original albums have each reached the Top 40 in the Official New Zealand Music Chart. She was named an Arts Foundation ...

, musician * Troy Kingi, musician * Ria Hall, musician * Leonard Tamahae Cohen, Bluegrass musician, Founding member Hamilton County Bluegrass Band * Tayi Tibble, poet * Olivia Aroha Giles, contemporary creative specialising in art textiles, design, illustration and writing * Kahurangi Waititi, netball player * Kerry-Anne Tomlinson, cricket player * Reuben Parkinson, rugby player ( Japan NRU Team) and older brother of Matua Parkinson * Matua Parkinson, rugby player (

, and NZ Sevens Team), tv personality and younger brother of Reuben Parkinson * Charlie Ngatai, rugby player

* Sandra Ioane (née Wihongi), rugby player (

Black Ferns The New Zealand women's rugby union team, called the Black Ferns (), represents New Zealand in women's international rugby union, which is regarded as the country's national sport. The team has won six out of nine Women's Rugby World Cup tour ...

) and mother of Akira & Rieko Ioane * Akira Ioane, rugby player (

All Blacks The New Zealand national rugby union team, commonly known as the All Blacks, is the representative men's national team in the sport of rugby union for the nation of New Zealand, which is considered the country's national sport. Famed for th ...

and NZ Sevens Team) *

Rieko Ioane Rieko Edward Ioane (; born 18 March 1997) is a New Zealand rugby union player who plays as a Centre (rugby union), centre or Wing (rugby union), wing for the Blues (Super Rugby), Blues in Super Rugby and Auckland Rugby Union, Auckland in the Bu ...

, rugby player (

and NZ Sevens Team) * Ruahei Demant, rugby player (

captain) * Kiritapu Demant, rugby player (

), barber * Stacey Fluhler, rugby player (

and NZ Sevens Team) and sister to

Beaudein Waaka Beaudein Waaka (born 27 January 1994) is a New Zealand rugby union player, who currently plays for in New Zealand's domestic National Provincial Championship and for Skyactivs Hiroshima in the Japan Rugby League One competition. He has previo ...

, rugby player ( NZ Sevens Team) and brother to Stacey Fluhler * Natalie Delamere, rugby player (

) * Luka Connor, rugby player (

) * Pari Pari Parkinson, rugby player (

) * Otere Black, rugby player (

) and son of

* Hoani Matenga, rugby player (

) * Kharl Wirepa, fashion designer * Te Kapa Haka o Te Whānau-ā-Apanui (3x Te Matatini Champions 2005, 2015 and 2023) * Sholto Kairakau Black, teacher and community leader

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Te Whanau A Apanui Bay of Plenty Region Gisborne District