Geographical landmarks
Te Āti Awa recognise Taranaki as their ancestral homeland. Mount Taranaki dominates the regional landscape, and many of the eight local iwi, including Te Āti Awa, regard it as sacred. The iwi also maintains a cultural association with several waterways in Taranaki, including Wai-o-ngana, Waiwakaiho, and the Waitara River. Historical lands in the Wellington region include the Hutt River delta and Lowry Bay ( Eastbourne); and Waikawa, Motueka and Golden Bay in the South Island.History
Foundations
Te Awanuiarangi is recognised as the founding ancestor of Te Āti Awa. According to Te Āti AwaWarfare and migration
Māori acquisition of muskets in the early 19th century saw a marked increase in tribal war campaigns. In 1819, Ngā Puhi began a campaign of conquest throughout the North Island, newly equipped with muskets brought from Sydney. Partly due to tensions with northern Waikato iwi, Te Āti Awa and other Taranaki iwi joined forces with Ngā Puhi. Armed with muskets, Te Āti Awa forces battled the Waikato iwi. Despite a decisive victory at Motunui in 1822, the Waikato forces eventually threatened to overtake Taranaki. This precipitated the first of four major migrations southwards. #Te Heke Tātaramoa. The first migration from Taranaki comprised people from Ngāti Toa, Ngāti Tama, Ngāti Mutunga and Te Āti Awa, all fleeing the potential threat of the Waikato forces. This first group migrated to the Kapiti Coast. #Te Heke Nihoputa. A second migration from Taranaki occurred around 1824, including Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama and Te Āti Awa. These migrants settled in the area aroundArrival of European settlers
In that same year, newly arrived English settlers brought increased demand for land around the Wellington area. The New Zealand Company initially bought some land from local Māori tribes; some of these land purchases would later come into dispute. A later practice saw deeds obtained from local Māori tribes allowing for the reservation of one-tenth of land for Māori use, or in exchange for land elsewhere. European settlements began to encroach on ancestral Taranaki lands in 1841. This led to a migration of some Wellington Te Āti Awa back to Taranaki in 1848, led by Wiremu Kīngi Te Rangitāke, who opposed the sale of tribal lands to European settlers. Conflicts over land sales arose between various sub-tribes and with European settlers. In 1860, Kīngi refused an ultimatum from Crown troops to vacate his land after it was offered to the Crown by another chief. This led to the first shots of the New Zealand Wars.New Zealand Wars
Te Āti Awa in Taranaki received widespread support from other Māori, including warriors from the Māori King Movement, in their battle with the Crown, but after a strong year of fighting were ultimately defeated due to the Crown being able to bring in fighters from Australia. Under the New Zealand Settlements Act 1863 and the Suppression of Rebellion Act 1863 (which the Crown enacted only directly after the war), Te Āti Awa were branded "rebels" and the Crown confiscated almost 485,000 hectares (1,200,000 acres) of their land in Taranaki. This severely undermined the political and social structures of the iwi and revealed the deceptive nature of the oppressive Crown colonial entities. To this day Te Ati Awa have not had their land returned. At least 12 members of Te Āti Awa died during the First Taranaki War.Government redress
The 20th century saw several attempts by the New Zealand Government to redress past actions towards Te Āti Awa. This included recommendations for a settlement monetary sum; a figure was eventually reached by the Government, but without consultation with Taranaki tribes. The ''Taranaki Maori Claims Act of 1944'' also indicated an early full settlement between the Crown and local tribes, but this was disputed by various Taranaki iwi. The Waitangi Tribunal reported on Taranaki claims in 1996.Taranaki claims
Te Āti Awa in Taranaki and the Crown signed a Heads of Agreement in 1999, which sets out a broad agreement in anticipation of developing a formal, legally binding Deed of Settlement. The Heads of Agreement indicates a public apology for land confiscations in Taranaki, recognition of cultural associations with sacred geographical landmarks and land areas, restoration of tribal access to traditional food gathering areas, monetary compensation totalling NZ$34 million and commercial redress for economic loss due to land confiscation. The Agreement covers claims made by Te Āti Awa in Taranaki. In 2004, the New Plymouth District Council resolved to sell 146 ha of land at Waitara to the Crown on condition that it was used in settlement of Te Atiawa claims under the Treaty of Waitangi. Leaseholders mounted unsuccessful legal opposition in 2008 and 2011.Wellington claims
In 1977, the ''Wellington Tenths Trust'' was established, representing Te Āti Awa land owners in Wellington. The Trust lodged claims with the Waitangi Tribunal over disputed land ownership purchases from 1839, and the Tribunal issued its findings on these claims in 2003, along with those of other iwi in the Wellington region. The Crown and Taranaki Whānui ki Te Upoko o Te Ika, a collective that comprises people from Te Āti Awa and other Taranaki iwi whose ancestors migrated to Wellington, signed a Deed of Settlement in 2008 that settled those claims.Te Āti Awa today
Te Āti Awa in Taranaki and Wellington maintain strong connections with each other; close ties are also maintained with distantly related Ngāti Awa. As an iwi, Te Āti Awa continue to seek redress for past injustices. Organisations are established in Taranaki and Wellington that represent the political and economic interests of the iwi. Atiawa Toa FM is the official radio station of Te Atiawa and Ngāti Toa in the lower North Island. It began as Atiawa FM in 1993, broadcasting to Te Atiawa in the Hutt Valley and Wellington. It changed its name in Atiawa Toa FM in mid-1997, expanding its reach to Ngāti Toa in Porirua and Kapiti Coast. The station is based in Lower Hutt, and is available on in Hutt Valley andNotable Te Āti Awa
* Marlene J Bennetts * Leo Bertos * Rachel Buchanan * William Carran * Jacob Ellison * Riki Ellison * Rhett Ellison * Thomas Ellison * Tamati Ellison * Tohu Kākahi * Christine Kenney * Wiremu Kīngi Te Rangitāke * Christine Harvey * Sir Ngātata Love * Sir Ralph Love * Kayla McAlister * Luke McAlister * Leonie Pihama * Sir Paul Reeves * Curtis Rona * Te Whiti o Rongomai * Howie Tamati * Kevin Tamati * Hana Te Hemara * Kahe Te Rau-o-te-rangiSee also
* List of Māori iwiReferences
Other sources
* *External links