Pūrākau : TAMATEAPOKAIWHENUA & SONS

As a descendent of the great Tamateaarikinui, Tamateaurehaea also lusted the nomadic life. His expeditions earned him the names, Tamatea-pōkai-whenua, Tamatea-pōkai-moana. His voyaging spirit lead him to building and commanding his own waka, Tākitimu (2), named after the original Tākitimu(1).

Tamateapōkaiwhenua settled in Tauranga, in the Mangatawa-Pāpāmoa area. His name is remembered in the Whare Tupuna at Hūria marae because he is an eponymous ancestor of Ngāti Ranginui. His wives were the Ihuparapara and Iwipupu, two sisters whose names are remembered in the Wharekai upon Hūria Marae.

The principal ancestor of Ngāti Ranginui was Ranginui (1), eldest son of Ihuparapara and Tamateapōkaiwhenua. He was born in Kaitaia, around 1379 and travelled with his father to Tauranga. Ranginui spent some time in Tauranga and eventually started undertaking his own adventures towards Turanganui. During his ventures, Ranginui (1) became a renowned builder and carver. This was further proved when he met up with Tamateaamoa while travelling through the Papuni district. It was here Tamteaamoa was building a whare at Tupapakurau, when Ranginui (1) visited him. Ranginui (1) made reference to his poor adzing of the battens and demonstrated his adept skills. Taken by his skills Tamateaamoa asked Ranginui (1) to remain until the completion of the whare. When it was finished, they named it Hamokorau. As a show of appreciation Tamateaamoa gave his daughter Kurapori to Ranginui (1) as his wife.

Some time after, Ranginui (1) went to Te Kaha where he met his demise. Descendants of Ranginui (1) and Kurapori remained at Hangaroa for about 150 years, and then migrated to Tauranga under the leadership of Ranginui (2) around 1580. Ranginui (2) and his people established themselves at Pukewhanake whilst his siblings Heremanuhiri and Kino occupied Mauao with their kin of Waitaha.

Tamateapōkaiwhenua = Ihuparapara
Ranginui (1) = Kurapori
Tamaiti
Tamateuru
Nukupango
Kokoti
Ranginui (2) = Urutomo Heremanuhiri Kinonui

Kahungunu was the son of Tamateapōkaiwhenua and Iwipupu, and he lived at Mangatawa for a time. One day he and his half brother, Whaene, and other men from the Pā were on the beach at a place called Ōtira in the Pāpāmoa area. They were pulling in the nets full of fish. Kahungunu became so excited that he rushed in and seized the biggest fish for himself. Whaene told him off for pushing in. Whaene picked up a fish and threw it as Kahungunu. He tried to protect himself but was pricked by the sharp fin of the fish. Whaene was right but Kahungunu was very angry too. Kahungunu had forgotten the custom that the first fish taken from a catch was always offered back to Tangaroa, the god of the Moana. When he calmed down, Kahungunu realised he had broken tikanga. He felt humiliated and insulted by Whaene. He went away to Ōpōtiki and stayed with his cousin and her husband. His cousin had a baby while he was there, Kahungunu asked that the boy be named Tūtāmure (the prick of the snapper) to remember his grudge against Whaene in Tauranga. Kahungunu soon left Ōpōtiki and after many adventures, he settled in the Gisborne area for a while. Then he went to Mahia where he married Rongomaiwahine. He became the ancestor of the tribe call Ngāti Kahungunu whose lands covered the whole of the Hawkes Bay – Wairarapa. He is principal ancestor of Ngāti Kahungunu.

Tamateapōkaiwhenua = Iwipupu
Kahungunu = Rongomaimaiwahine