territorial rights. When land claims were investigated by the post-1865 land courts, the overlapping rights of ownership were generally settled by exchange and rearrangement by the various claimants in order to consolidate a definition of tribal boundaries.
Let us, however, return to Tamatera who was at that time living on the lands of his second wife, Ruawehea, at the pa of Pipimohe on the Waihou River about Hikutaia. Some of their children were Paretera, Taharua, Taireia and Taiuru. On the sudden death of their mother, Ruawehea, the mourning husband—who was still a young man of perhaps some 30 years—returned to Whakatiwai and occupied a pa in the bosom of his parental family after the death of his father, Marutuahu.
Maru had married two sisters. (From Paremoehau he had Tamatepo, Tamatera and Whanaunga. From Hineurunga he had Te-Ngako and Taurukapakapa.) These sisters were the daughters of Te Whatu of the tribe Kahui-Ariki who had assisted him in subduing the Te Uri-O-Pou. Years before, preceding Maru's leaving Kawhia, his father Hotunui whilst in exile had married Waitapu the sister of Te Whatu. That union produced a son, Paaka, who was not only the father of the famed beauty, Kahureremoa, but he was also Maru's younger half-brother.
Paremoehau was aged about 15 or 16 when she married Maru and her sister was much younger being described in some tribal accounts as, 'Kahore noa e kapi tona puke' (not yet displaying pubic hair). This would have placed her at an age between ten and 13 which meant that her marriage to Maru was merely a betrothal at that time, which of course was the custom, until she had reached maturity Already a pattern of nonconformity in marriage alliances was emerging which was well within the confines of the propriety of Maori custom. What then follows can be described as being more than unusual, perhaps even deviant.
Tamatera married Hineurunga, his aunt and stepmother (his father's widow).
Not only was this liaison considered aberrant by his family members, it also invited the strong disapproval of his people. Some Hauraki tribal sources make an oblique reference to not only an adulterous relationship but also one bordering on incest—which was considered despicable. The displeasure shown by the tribe was the rumbling of disunity Matters came to a head when Tama's younger brother, Whanaunga, returned after some years of absence spent in Kawhia. He was the most belligerent of all the brothers and on learning of Tama's marriage he was so incensed that he vowed to kill him. It was their mother, Paremoehau, who, on learning of Whanaunga's intention, sought out Tamatera and warned him to depart in order to escape his brother's wrath. This antagonism was also shared by his other brothers, Te Ngako and Taurukapakapa, the sons of Hineurunga.
An additional reason for their opposition was probably the adoption, by their elder brother of their father's mana and leadership, so shrewdly demonstrated by the taking of not only his widow but several taonga items of great tribal significance deposited at Repanga, now known as Cuvier Island, on the eastern side of the peninsula.
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